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- [00:00]
A
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Oh yeah, I do. Wait.
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That's why he chooses Grainger, because when.
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A drive belt gets damaged, Grainger makes.
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By grainger for the ones who get it done.
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B
Welcome to Flights of Fantasy, your Romantasy Podcast Book club. I'm Christina, joined by my book besties Kim and Anna, and together we're diving into the characters, theories, lore and magic behind all your favorite fantasy romance books.
- [01:22]
A
Hi listeners and welcome back to our coverage on the Wolf King and the Night Prince by Lauren Powell Freeman. And this will be part one of book two, the Night Prince. But before we give our official spoiler warning, Christina has a few announcements.
- [01:36]
B
I do. Okay, first of all listeners, if you have a chance please please go and rate and review wherever you are listening. It really truly feels like a great big hug for us and we're so, so thankful to everyone who has a second to do that. Also friends, listeners, book besties over on Patreon, we have our Night and the Moth Chapter Chats going live now. We saved this specifically for Vibes. The wait is over and Chapter Chats are here. Okay, quick reminder, if anyone isn't familiar with our famous chapter chats, they are our read along video episodes where we pause every few chapters and record ourselves, give you guys real time thoughts. They are so fun. And the calendar for Night in the Moth Chapter Chats is up on Patreon if you want to read along with us. And of course, let's not forget that as a Tier 2 patron, you also get access to all of our back catalog of Chapter chats. Friends, that is Onyx Storm when the Moon Hatched the Crowns of Naxia Series CC3. Oh my goodness, so many hours of content over there waiting for you. And this Month. We have also got some very special book bestie hang videos coming your way where we discuss Taylor's new album, we discuss recent reads, we discuss Wicked. There's just. There's so much going on. Also, in our Acotar Cauldron chat series, I am covering the the lady of Autumn and her Past lover. If you know, you know, I don't want to give an ACOTAR spoiler warning, but if you know, you know how fun that is going to be. I cannot wait to break down every single detail that we have about these two. So please come on over and join the party. We would love to have you as part of our Patreon family. You can find all of this and so much more over@patreon.com Flights of Fantasy podcast. All right, Anna, let's do the spoiler warning.
- [03:28]
A
Yes. All right, so consider this your official spoiler warning for both the Wolf King and the Night Prince by Lauren Powell Freeman. And if you haven't already listened to our first two episodes which cover the Wolf King, we highly recommend you do that first because we do kind of discuss that book with the scope of knowing what happens in the Night Prince. So all the episodes kind of work together in that way. So with that being said, let's dive in.
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B
Yay. Oh, my God, I'm so excited.
- [03:55]
A
I know. Me too.
- [03:56]
B
You know, it's a good day when we get to start it with world building with Anna. Let's do it. Let's do it. Let's go.
- [04:00]
A
Okay, so there's not a ton that's new really in the Night Prince. Right. But we do want to touch upon a few things before we move into the plot. So we are first introduced to knights acolytes in this book. Obviously very important given the trajectory of where this story is probably going and the setup for book three. So let's do a quick little refresh on the history of the gods and goddesses. And please refresh the moon.
- [04:23]
B
Yes.
- [04:24]
A
So if you needed a little reminder, we have the elder Wolf. He is the first wolf. And this is the story. He was in love with the moon goddess who gave him the power to shift in order to fight the dark creatures of the God of Night. But when the jealous sun goddess imprisoned the moon in the sky, the wolves lost all their ability to shift freely. We also have the God of Night, who has his monsters roaming the earth. And out of fear, many of the wolves prayed to the God of Night for protection. But when the moon tricked the Night God into imprisoning his creatures, he also unknowingly imprisoned himself. So most of the wolves ended up turning away from the God of Night. But there were still some who remained loyal. And those are the ones that became Knight's acolytes. They continued to worship the God of Night. And actually in the history of the wolves, they rose up at some point and tried to like, overthrow the wolf clothes clans that still worship the Moon goddess, including Aurora's mother's homeland, the Snowlands, which maybe we'll learn more about in book three. But I guess there was somebody called the Shadow Wolf and knights acolytes who tried to overtake the Snowlands and they were defeated.
- [05:33]
B
Shadow Wolf. Interesting.
- [05:35]
A
I know.
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B
Yeah.
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A
So this is important. The acolytes believe that the Heart of the Moon could free Night from his prison. And this is where the stakes get a little complicated. Because if the relic is found, the Heart of the Moon, then it can be a blessing and a curse. Because while will give the wolves the freedom to shift at will, it will also possibly unleash Night and his followers from the prison in the sky.
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B
Right. So, yes, it's a give and a take.
- [06:02]
A
Exactly. It's. It's really who gets our hands on the Heart of the Moon, which is.
- [06:06]
B
Rory, which is in fact our gal.
- [06:08]
A
So, okay, so we have the Moon goddess. She's still up there, imprisoned in the sky. We have the God of Night also imprisoned. He collects souls and he kind of uses a person's soul as a bargaining chip to essentially get people to do his bidding. And he obviously wants the Heart of the Moon to free himself. We are also introduced to this person called the Night Prince, which we spend most of the book trying to uncover. And obviously we find out it's Blake at the end.
- [06:33]
B
Yes.
- [06:33]
A
And he is the person that the God of Night has chosen to basically to send back down to. I'm calling it Earth, because I don't know what else to call it, but send them back down to Scotland. Earth, Scotland, the Highlands, and search for the Heart of the Moon to free him.
- [06:49]
B
Yes. And so he is trapped in that he can't leave his prison. But he is not in a cell. Right. Like, he created a whole prison and also, like, runs the prison.
- [06:58]
A
Yes, he's the warden.
- [06:59]
B
He's trapped. And that he can't leave the prison.
- [07:02]
A
Yeah, it's. That's how I took it. Because especially in the dream that we see at the end of the book, he's sitting, like, on a throne.
- [07:08]
B
Yeah.
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A
It's like he is just sitting. Sitting up there. And he can no longer be a God on land. Yes, I guess is the way I take it. But the moon goddess is in a cell.
- [07:18]
B
Yes. In his prison. Got it. Okay. Yeah.
- [07:20]
A
Yes, yes, yes. Okay, One more quick little thing to touch upon before we move on and get into the meat of the episode. We have Alexander. I just want to introduce him here so we're not having to pause at some random point in our episode and introduce you to who the villain of the story is.
- [07:35]
B
Yeah.
- [07:35]
A
So Alexander is the villain in this book. And he kind of makes Sebastian look like a walk in the park, if I do say so. So just a little background on Alexander. Aurora was actually tasked by her father years ago to spy on Alexander when he was visiting the palace. And she did, and she ended up turning him in for treason.
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B
She did a good job. She was a good little spy.
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A
She was a great little spy. He's really gross. He was, like hitting on young girls and forcing them. And he gets imprisoned in the dungeons, he's tortured. He also happens to be a half wolf. There are a lot of half wolves story.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Just everywhere you look, everywhere you look, there's a half wolf.
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B
Thought it was really rare. It turns out not so much.
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A
Turns out there's a lot of women who have a little furry kink.
- [08:22]
B
Oh, God.
- [08:22]
A
Sorry. I had to do it. I had to do it. All right, so that's kind of our world building and just kind of setting us up for these next few episodes. So we're going to quickly rapid fire where we left off after book one in our final episode of the Wolf King.
- [08:35]
B
Yes.
- [08:35]
A
So reminder. Aurora was bitten by James. James is the Wolf King. He's also Callum's brother. Blake saved her life by magically tethering their souls together. It's essentially a fail safe for Blake because now Callum can't hurt or kill Blake without Aurora also suffering the same fate. So check mate there. Oh, mate. Wink, wink.
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B
I was about to say, like, playing the game. Chess reference. Look at you. And then you're like, mate reference. Like, oh, God. Check, check.
- [09:04]
A
Okay, okay. Aurora, while grateful to be alive, is not pleased in the slightest to be tied to Blake. Callum also obviously hates it, and even Blake says that this little fact complicates his grand plans. So, and a reminder, what are Blake's grand plans? Well, he wants to become the king of wolves. But to do so, he not only has to challenge James, he'd have to also challenge Callum. So he wants Callum to challenge James. So take that off his plate, get that over with. And then he'll challenge Callum to the throne. So we're in a bit of a pickle, because once again, no one can hurt Blake without also hurting Aurora.
- [09:37]
B
Yes. Okay. All right. Speaking of Blake, guys, what a treat to start out this book with a Blake POV prologue. The way I lost my mind. I started this book on audible, and color me surprised, color me thrilled, when I turned it on, I'm doing some chores, and all of a sudden, new sexy voice Blake pops in my ear. I was like, what is happening? What is happening? What.
- [10:01]
A
What is this? Feeling so Saturn and knew it's Blake.
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B
I loved this, guys. I. You know, my only complaint about this prologue is that it was a tease, because I thought we were going to get this POV throughout the book, and we didn't.
- [10:15]
A
I know. I was so excited to get a Blake pov.
- [10:18]
B
I know.
- [10:19]
A
Sporadically, which makes sense. We can't, because he's the Night Prince and that's the reveal. But maybe book three.
- [10:25]
B
I am really hoping book three. I think it just makes sense now we've gotten the secrets out. But I loved this. I thought it was such great storytelling. So fun. And it really set the tone here for where we're going in this book. Because right off the bat, this book feels like we're, like, doing a lot more with the fantasy elements. And this set that tone from the beginning.
- [10:46]
A
Yeah, I love this.
- [10:47]
B
It also helped us as the reader to understand their bond. Like, kind of where it's the strongest here is when they're asleep. Like, we're getting clues of their bond immediately. Also setting the tone that's gonna be mighty important throughout this book that these nightmares that we are thrown into are also memories. I loved this. Really interesting, really effective because these are memories we would not be privy to about our sweet Blake and aspects of his story that we need and really helped build the world. But also, he wasn't gonna tell us these things. Like, this is. This is needed. It's needed here.
- [11:23]
A
Yes.
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B
The nightmares are used so effectively in that way. The memories. Also the nightmares are used in a very effective, sexy way.
- [11:32]
A
I love. Because it's like.
- [11:34]
B
It's so good.
- [11:35]
A
It's not them because it's dream them totally, but it is them.
- [11:38]
B
But it is them. And real them is there and dream them are there, and they are all interacting, and it is so fun and sexy at the same time. Like, you know the one I'm talking about, there's the one in particular that's like, oh. Oh, God. Oh, God.
- [11:49]
A
What is it? What does he say?
- [11:51]
B
So she pops in to the dream and it's her and Blake having like intense sex. Like hot. It is hot, guys. And she's like, oh, God. And she turns to Blake and real Blake is also standing there watching them and he looks at her. And the things he says here are so interesting because it's also sweet things he's saying, but we're watching him and there's sounds of them having sex in the background are very intense but also sexy and very hot. She's dream Aurora is very into it, to be clear.
- [12:19]
A
Dream Aurora is loving it. It's also Blake's dream.
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B
It is Blake's dream.
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A
She stumbles into Blake's dream.
- [12:24]
B
Yes, that's important to note. But then Blake says to her, we don't have to do it this way. This is just my dream. I can be gentle if you want. Like, I can be however you want me to be. And then he just says, please let me have you. Just once, please. Like, he literally begs her and she thinks, Blake is begging me. The most powerful wolf of all time is begging me. And wow, Just again, effective use of the nightmares.
- [12:48]
A
Like you said, it's giving us an insight into their relationship, but also giving us, I think more importantly an insight into Blake because we don't get his pov and she spends so much time with Callum, but in these dreams we get to see sides of Blake that he doesn't show everyone else.
- [13:04]
B
Exactly.
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A
And so him turning to her and saying, let me just have you, please.
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B
Just once, just once. Oh, God.
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A
So vulnerable.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And also I love the like, nobody has to know. And it's like set in.
- [13:17]
B
Nobody would know, nobody else would know.
- [13:20]
A
And I do. I mean, to Aurora's credit, she is like, okay, but my heart belongs to Callum and I won't betray him. So I mean, good on you, girl. We're not cheating. Yeah, kudos. I don't know that I could be so self restraining, but that's okay. But I do, I do love it. I do love it. And I think, I think it, like you said, it's just a really great insight into Blake.
- [13:42]
B
Well, and we'll get there in a little bit. But pen this for when we talk about Callum and Aurora's sexy times, because it's very interesting here that when we see an example of her and Blake, sexy times, we're all unleashing and he's like, I can be gentle if you want. And it's the opposite flipped, where she has to ask Callum to unleash. Very interesting.
- [14:00]
A
Okay.
- [14:01]
B
All right, but back to the prologue here. So. Oh, my God. One of these first little moments in the prologue when Blake brings his lips to her ear and says, quote, you shouldn't be here, little rabbit. Oh, God, it's so good. The little rabbit. How is it sexy? I don't understand. It's not a sexy nickname.
- [14:17]
A
It's slightly condescending, I think, at first, but it turns into this little banter.
- [14:21]
B
Yeah, little rabbit.
- [14:22]
A
For the two of them, it works. I think it's very effective.
- [14:25]
B
I at first was like, little rabbit. I don't know if I like it. And then by the time that I heard him say this in my ears at the top of book two, I was like, God, I've missed it. Little rabbit. Okay, so. But also this inner monologue. Also interesting that the POV is third person and how he loathes her. He loathes the way her scent washes over him. Even here, she smells like the slither of moonlight that would drift through the grate of the cell beneath the palace. Oh, my God. Freedom. Taunting him. The broken promise of something he cannot have. Wow, such imagery. I love it. Also, he'd do anything to ruffle her feathers. He wants to see what happens when she unleashes herself. I need everyone to pin that, please, for the amount of times we say unleash in the rest of this book. The next two weeks, this week, and next week in our episodes, please, every time we say unleash, think about this.
- [15:18]
A
It happens a lot more than you realize.
- [15:19]
B
It really does. Okay, so also, then we get him having a conversation with Jack about this, and we get him kind of confiding and Jack about this about, like, okay, we've gotten to a bad place. We've crossed a line. She was in my dream. And Jack releases a soft chuckle. You shouldn't have done it. You know, learn to block it out or it'll drive you insane. Now, Anna, who do you think that we're referencing here? What do you think we're referencing?
- [15:45]
A
Okay, so I. I mean, obviously now rereading it.
- [15:49]
B
Yeah.
- [15:49]
A
This, I feel like, is the first Easter egg that Lauren plants that there meets. Because remember, they both, Jack and Blake are very good friends with Aaron, and they were all stuck together, and they both saw what happened to Aaron when him and his mate were tortured in the cells. And I think what Jack is saying is, like, the two of us, more than anyone knows what happens if you cannot block out what your mate is feeling.
- [16:13]
B
It'll drive you insane. Yeah.
- [16:14]
A
You have got to learn to block it out. But I think as the first time reader you're just thinking oh, it's just that bond and like you're walking into each other's dreams and he's got to learn to like somehow close himself off.
- [16:26]
B
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- [17:22]
A
What do you think makes the perfect snack? Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really.
- [17:26]
B
Craving it and it's convenient. Could you be more specific when it's cravinient?
- [17:30]
A
Okay.
- [17:31]
B
Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter available right down the street at AM pm. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at a.m. pM. I'm seeing a pattern here. Well yeah, we're talking about what I.
- [17:41]
A
Crave, which is anything from AM pm.
- [17:43]
B
What more could you want?
- [17:44]
A
Stop by AM PM where the snacks.
- [17:46]
B
And drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's Cravenians Ampm. Too much good stuff. Oh gosh. I mean this whole thing, rereading it through that lens of knowing it's a mating bond. There's so many times that Aurora fills this pull to Blake, especially during the full moon. Yeah, but I didn't think that it was so obvious. It didn't take me out of the story that she was making it too obvious. I do still feel like it was a fun game and I am curious if someone who was less familiar with this world and with mates read this. If they would clock it as soon as we did or if they would believe Blake. Yeah, regardless, rereading it, it's really fun the amount of pulls and ties that there are.
- [18:25]
A
Agree I had so much fun because I read it in July for the first time and then I reread it in August when I was writing the outlines and I honestly which we're going to get to but, like, my opinions on things have changed on my reread.
- [18:37]
B
Yes.
- [18:37]
A
Which I, to me, is a sign of a good writer when I can go back on a reread and still pick up new things. Because that doesn't happen with every book.
- [18:44]
B
Oh, no, not at all. Agreed. And that's a. That's a perfect example of what we're saying.
- [18:48]
A
Okay. Okay. So we are going to move on to one of the first big moments in the book, which is. I call it the eclipse ceremony. Like the lunar eclipse ceremony. There is a Gaelic word. Guys. There's a lot of Gaelic words in this book. And we tried. We looked them up. The pronunciation. There are a lot that are very, very hard. So we are just going to skip over some of the words rather than butcher it.
- [19:07]
B
We came to the conclusion that the most respectful thing to do to the Gaelic words was to not try to pronounce them. So that's what we're gonna do. Yeah.
- [19:14]
A
Yes.
- [19:14]
B
But please know that we do know they're beautiful and that we do wish we could pronounce them.
- [19:18]
A
I think the only one I'm gonna try and pronounce is the name that they give the Moon Goddess. I've been practicing it. I'm still not gonna get it right, but it's Gelak again. I might be off a little bit, listeners. All right, so we are moving on to this lunar eclipse ceremony.
- [19:33]
B
Yeah, they all got their little glasses. They ordered them online. They're gonna put them on, go outside. It's gonna be great.
- [19:38]
A
It's gonna be great. So I'm just gonna read this quote from the priestess because I feel like she does a great job of summarizing what this ceremony is. So she says on this night, which occurs every two and a half years, when Galax light is gone from the sky, we know she finds herself in the furthest depths of the prison. Once more, on this night, we commemorate the sacrifice she made and shine our light for her so she knows that we remember. Okay, so basically, every two and a half years, the moon disappears from the sky. It's the moon goddess. So it's like when she's in the darkest depths of the sun, she's the furthest away.
- [20:11]
B
Yeah, yeah.
- [20:12]
A
So they light candles, they go out in the night, and they celebrate her. It's to pay homage. All right, so on this night, we meet another Alpha. His name is Lachlan.
- [20:20]
B
Oh, Lachlan.
- [20:20]
A
He's the Alpha of a different clan. And he actually has a really interesting quote that I want to read here about Blake. What he says? Is he meaning Blake? He collects broken birds. Have you noticed? The bastard with one eye. The abused woman, the half wolf from the King City doctor, the Southlands Princess. I've long wondered what he intends to do with them. Heal them or pluck their feathers? Cage them or let them take flight. Perhaps they just amuse him. So this is a private conversation that Lachlan and Aurora are having. And it's actually, though, I think it's before she realizes that Lachlan is the Alpha King. There's a whole part where he kind of like stumbles upon them and she's talking to him and she just thinks he's another member of Lofel, Blake's clan. And. And then it turns out that it's actually Lachlan and she's like, well, I.
- [21:07]
B
Gotta go meet the alpha. Where is he?
- [21:09]
A
He's like, surprise, it's me. But I like this quote because I feel like Lachlan kind of sees past the hard exterior that Blake always presents himself as, you know, and that I think he sees that maybe the man underneath wants to make the right choice, but he doesn't know how to navigate it.
- [21:25]
B
Yes.
- [21:26]
A
Like, there is a. There is some sort of weird moral compass that he has because, like, Lachlan notices, he takes in and he gives them a second chance. Blake has kind of created this ragtag.
- [21:37]
B
Group of wolves, this little cadre of outcasts.
- [21:39]
A
Absolutely. And I think something that Lachlan notices about Blake is that he's not all bad. I think that, yes, Blake serves Blake, but I also think that if, you know, to look for it, there's a part of Blake that wants to make the right decision and do the right thing. He just. He's the true definition of, like a morally great hero.
- [21:59]
B
I agreed. And I think it's interesting to compare this. Him kind of taking in wolves who need help and seeing someone who does not fit in or who has been cast aside and bringing them into the fold. Compared to Callum and his white knightness and wanting to save people and wanting to save the damsel in distress. Yeah, they both want to help people and save people. Callum's is the little more wanting to feel like a savior romantically, as opposed to Blake seeing his own past and childhood being cast aside and shunned for who he really is and trying to, like, fix that now through other people. Yeah, yeah, they just.
- [22:39]
A
They do it in different ways.
- [22:40]
B
Yes, totally.
- [22:41]
A
Callum's the white knight, Blake's the dark knight.
- [22:44]
B
I love it. Pretty much. We're at what is that thing that you go and you get the chicken? We're at medieval times and they are the two knights on the horses that you have to, like, you know, bet on that they just jousting.
- [22:56]
A
Jousting. Yes. Yes, they are. Okay, so we are going to move on through this quickly. Just summarize what happens at the ceremony. So the ceremony happens. There's a celebration. It's in full swing. Oh, dear. James arrives with armed guards.
- [23:10]
B
Oh, so we can't have fun? We can't have nice things.
- [23:12]
A
Yep. We can't have fun. Nope. He claims Aurora underwolf law. He's arguing that because he bit her, she's his. Like, she belongs to his clan and therefore she has to come with him. Callum pushes back, declaring that she belongs to no one and even admitting that he loves her. This is the first time he says he loves her, by the way.
- [23:29]
B
Yeah.
- [23:29]
A
So anyways. But James has the upper hand here because he's got muskets and they're aimed at everyone. But just a reminder, it's a very, like, religious type ceremony and drawing blood is forbidden and frowned upon. So before blood can be spilled, Blake blindsides everyone by biting Aurora and marking and claiming her as a member of his clan, Lothell. And then he says, because it's done on this holy night with a priestess in view that by wolf law, she is a member of his clan and therefore James can no longer try and take her. Couple things. Yeah, we want to go over here. So the first one is, is Aurora realizes that blood is going to be spilt and she doesn't want anyone to get hurt and she's gonna, you know, be the martyr and turn herself over, which fair, like, I would probably do the same thing. I don't want everyone to. To die. But Blake is like, no, no, no, no, we're not doing that.
- [24:20]
B
Thank you, Blake.
- [24:21]
A
Blake walks up and he's like, I apologize for this, Aurora darling. And then he bites her.
- [24:27]
B
I loved it.
- [24:27]
A
Why is that so hot? Yes.
- [24:29]
B
I loved this also, Aurora, I just. What would you have rather happened?
- [24:33]
A
This is the thing. We. We say this all the time, but it's war times.
- [24:36]
B
Yes.
- [24:37]
A
Hard decisions have to be made. I do want to point out that in an earlier chapter, the whole biting thing came up and James sends like a snail mail and is like, aurora belongs to me. I bit her. She is a member of my clan. You have to turn her over. And she says, I belong to no one. And Callum says, well, if you let me claim you, then you can be A member. And she is, no, I belong to no one. And Callum respects it. And he's like, okay, we will find a different way. I won't let him take you. So when James shows up, just like everybody thought he would, that's when Blake's like, yes, fuck this. I'm done. Like, you tried your way. It didn't work. I'm biting you now. Callum could have done it. You said, no. You walked into this.
- [25:17]
B
I gave you a chance. I am the one that's going to actually do something and take action here.
- [25:21]
A
And I do also want to point out a little through theme here that we are going to talk about next week, but there is a very interesting theme here of, like, fantasy versus reality. And when I say that, I mean the fantasy of the morally gray man, Blake, versus, like, the reality of a man who listens and does exactly what you say, which is Callum. And. And I say that because Callum, you know, turns to Blake later and he says to him, he says, I know you've never had a father to teach you such things, but biting a woman without her consent is not how a real man behaves. And it's a low blow because, yeah, Blake's father was a piece of. But he doesn't know that. Callum doesn't know everything about the history that Aurora knows about Blake and. And his father. But regardless, there is a truth in that statement that Aurora was very adamant. I don't want to belong to anyone. And I've had every choice taken from me. And Christina's going to get into this more in a second about this theme of choice with Aurora, but that's a big part of her character arc. And we as the reader love that Blake, like, did this morally gray thing and bit her. And it's, like, sexy. And I stand by. It's very hot to read.
- [26:26]
B
Yeah.
- [26:27]
A
But Callum is the one who was like, she didn't want that. And now she's mad at you because you did that. And, yes, you saved the day, but, like, at what cost to her trust? So it's very interesting.
- [26:40]
B
It's so tricky because also then I wanted Blake so badly to go back to Callum or to Aurora in this moment and be like, okay, would you have rather been taken? Is that. Would you have preferred that? Because that was the only other option. The two of you were just inactively going to stand there and let it happen. I'm sorry I have to be the bad guy to be the good guy, but I just do. No one else is going to. No one else is going To.
- [27:01]
A
I feel like there was a line in there where he says, like, I had to play the villain.
- [27:05]
B
Yeah.
- [27:05]
A
So you wouldn't play the hero or something like that.
- [27:08]
B
The damsel. Like, I don't.
- [27:09]
A
Yeah.
- [27:10]
B
It's so hard to rationalize, but you're right. Like, again, at the end of the day, what she wants from her partner at this time is to listen to her and give her a choice. Even if that means that she's taken by James.
- [27:21]
A
That's her choice. Don't agree with it because that's her choice.
- [27:24]
B
It's a dumb one.
- [27:25]
A
There you go. The stupid choice. But it's her choice.
- [27:28]
B
It's hard. It's very.
- [27:29]
A
It's very interesting. I. I love what Lauren is doing here, and it makes great conversations, you know, and discussions. So. Okay, let's move on to Aurora and this theme of choice with her.
- [27:39]
B
This theme of choice that is really, as we just said, so tied to her character at this point, especially in book two, we've laid so much groundwork, and this theme of the statue has come through again in this book tenfold. Like, it is still. We talked about this in our first Wolf King episode, but there is this recurring theme with her still in this. Her search for self, agency, being tied to these dreams about being a statue and stone. And if we think about her trajectory here, she went from belonging to her father to belonging to her awful fiance, Sebastian. And now this idea that, like, James bit her, you belong to him and he has claim over you because you're just this little, like, statue that we're moving back and forth to put in our gardens for people to look at. It's like it's. Plus her being tied to Blake by this, like, quote, life, soul bond, which we know is a mating bond, but whatever. Like, none of these things were her choice. So, I mean, it makes sense after all that to think about that. Of course, these are what her nightmares are. Of course, in every one of these, she doesn't have agency. And in these in particular, that she shares with Blake, like, she's also a marionette in these, which is fascinating.
- [28:47]
A
I know.
- [28:47]
B
I was like, wow, we're taking this again. Like I said in book two, like, the levels are kind of, like, going up a little bit. Like our metaphors here instead of the statue, like, now she's a marionette. Like the fantasy levels, it's like, you know, it's just this symbolism that she's controlled by someone else. And again, being seen, not heard. Like, all of these through lines, these themes that growing up were so pivotal to who she was supposed to be, what her role was, and now she's battling with that because she's in a place where she's able to be something else. But is she actually going to get to be something else? Is she still stuck in that? Because actually, no one's listening to her. Because actually, she doesn't have agency. Like, she keeps getting pulled back to it. And I love this moment from Blake in these nightmares, though, because again, we're using the nightmare so effectively so Blake can talk to her and he goes to marionette her. Okay. And says, has it ever occurred to you that you are the one pulling the strings, that you are binding yourself, that you could break free if you wished it? He drums his fingers along the arm of the throne. Probably not. I love this.
- [29:55]
A
I love it.
- [29:55]
B
Oh, my God, it's so good.
- [29:57]
A
I feel like it's a very foreshadowing moment when he says these things to her in the dream. And then you see. See what happens at the very end of the book where he's like, you've always had the power.
- [30:07]
B
Agreed.
- [30:08]
A
You just have to unleash.
- [30:09]
B
Unleash. He wants her to take control of it and to understand that it's hers. Oh, my gosh. I just. I. Again, the nightmares, they're sexy, they're effective. Chef's kiss. Okay, Chef's kiss. So let's move on to the full moon.
- [30:24]
A
Oh, guys. Okay, so there are a couple events that precede the night of the full moon and we want to quickly touch upon them. The main one being this ball that happens at Lowfell. It's very low key. It's not a Bridgerton ball.
- [30:37]
B
I wouldn't call it a ball by our standards.
- [30:39]
A
I wouldn't call it a ball by our standards. All right. But the ball begins with the arrival of Claire, and Claire is an Alpha. And this is the first time Aurora is seeing a female Alpha. Not only is Claire a female Alpha, but she is also James's mate who rejected James. Claire was like, no, I want to be an Alpha. I don't want to be tied to you, James.
- [31:02]
B
This threw me. I didn't see this coming. I liked it.
- [31:04]
A
I didn't either. Yeah, I really liked this. We also learned that Callum offered to marry her when she rejected his brother because he thought that it would strengthen their family's alliance. It's very complicated. They found out they were mates, she rejected the bond, and Callum basically was like, thought that his brother just was trying to shirk his parents and so he was like, okay, well, I'll step up. I'll do it as our duty. Which is interesting that he offered to marry her because at some point, Aurora confronts him about this and she uses it as an example of, oh, you always want to save the woman, the damsel in distress. And he says, well, no, I was young and I was very duty bound to my parents. And at that point, I was still trying to prove to my father that I could do what needed to be done for the family. When my brother shirked his duties, I stepped up. And then he kind of pauses, and I think he says, but, yes, I, of course, didn't want to leave her. There was a part of me that also probably wanted to make sure that she wouldn't be shunned from society. But she ends up becoming an Alpha. And so regardless, like, Claire laughed in his face and was like, no.
- [32:09]
B
She was like, well, that's cute. You're cute.
- [32:10]
A
That's cute. You're cute. Which is hilarious. But also important to note. Callum did not know that Claire and James were mates when he offered to marry her.
- [32:18]
B
Yes. And also to note it is important. The reason this is in Aurora's head is because what Claire says to her is, he thought he was saving me from misery. He didn't realize I was never rebelling against being with his brother, but having my future decided for me by others. He wanted to rescue me, not marry me.
- [32:36]
A
Yes.
- [32:36]
B
And then Claire goes back to her and says, you were betrothed yourself too, weren't you?
- [32:39]
A
Yeah. You get it, right?
- [32:40]
B
You're giving him a hard time.
- [32:41]
A
Yeah. All right, so at the dance, Laughlin offers to dance with Aurora and they discuss there's some history between the snowlands and her people and her lineage. Blake cuts in, and this is an important scene because Blake tries to use this Alpha command on her because, remember, he bit her. And a part of being an Alpha is you have this magical ability to then kind of command the people under you to do things. So Blake uses the Alpha voice on Aurora, which she consents to. She's like, go for it, try it. It's not gonna work. So he puts everything he has into commanding her to dance with him. And she does feel the command, but she's able to push back and basically realizes that she does not have to listen to Blake, that the command does not work on her, but she pretends that it does. And I love this because it's a little moment where Aurora is taking a page out of Blake's book, learning to play the game of chess. With him. And she just is like, oh, yes, it worked. And Blake thinks he has the upper hand now.
- [33:41]
B
Yes. I loved this. She was like, I am playing the game you taught me, but against you, and you don't even know. I love this moment also. First read around, I was like, hold on. Does that somehow mean he's not her Alpha? Like, what is going on? Like, are we missing something?
- [33:56]
A
Yes. Because in order for the Alpha bond to work, then he should be able to use the command.
- [34:00]
B
Yes.
- [34:01]
A
But nobody can use the command on her. James also tries it. It doesn't work.
- [34:06]
B
I think it's her special heart of the moon blood.
- [34:07]
A
I think it's the special heart of the moon blood because she actually is able to flip, reverse it and use it on Blake later when he is shot.
- [34:17]
B
It's really getting like she's above Blake. Like, she's like, she's the queen of the wolves kind of situation is what it's like.
- [34:24]
A
Exactly, exactly.
- [34:25]
B
Because we also know it's not a bloodline thing because the Alpha voice later from Alexander does work on Philip.
- [34:30]
A
Yes.
- [34:31]
B
It's a just her thing.
- [34:32]
A
It's just her. No, no, it's a just her thing.
- [34:34]
B
Yeah.
- [34:34]
A
Okay, so I do want to read this last quote right here before we move into actually the night of the full moon. While they're dancing, they're talking about kind of playing the game of diplomacy. And what Blake says to her is, kingdoms are not won by men fighting. They are won by men dancing and manipulating others behind closed doors. And then Aurora says back, I'm not a man. And what Blake responds is, no, but I'm sure you could bring a kingdom to its knees.
- [35:01]
B
Oh. And I love it because you are the queen on the chest board, the most powerful piece. Yes. Gotta love it.
- [35:08]
A
I love it. Okay, so we're gonna move on here to night of the full moon. Christina, can you take us through what happened?
- [35:14]
B
Oh, my gosh.
- [35:15]
A
It's very interesting.
- [35:16]
B
This was wild, guys. There's been so much build up to this. The night of the full moon, she's supposed to shift for the first time. And the parallels to this, it was as if she's losing her virginity. Like, the build up. Callum keeps treating it like. Like, you know, it's just. I know you're nervous. I'm going to be really considerate of you and your needs and your physical needs, and I know you're anxious and I'm going to make sure it's really special for you. And it's just, like, really funny and sweet and There are candles. This is where the candles come in.
- [35:40]
A
This is where the candles come in. I could not remember, but this is where.
- [35:44]
B
Yes. Okay. So Callum sets up this little romantic spot for them. There are candles. It's going to be very special, and it is silly and sweet, but it's also very Callum. We have to remember, like, he wants to be there for her. He wants to help her, he wants to reassure her, and that is exactly what she needs. It is exactly what she. What she needs in this moment. And he does kind of give us this sexy little scene leading up to the full moon. Like, they're laying there and things are getting a little spicy, and he's, like, really kind of doing a lot of foreplay and effectively kind of, like, edging her a little bit.
- [36:12]
A
Like, he's totally. No. 100%. That's what he's doing. 100%.
- [36:15]
B
Yeah. And then at some point, he just stops and says, that's what it's like to turn. Oh, my God.
- [36:20]
A
Well, let's do that every day.
- [36:22]
B
Doesn't sound too bad to me. Okay. But then they're in the throes of passion here, and, oh, Aurora has one of her fainting spells. She's overheated. She's getting hot. She's getting hot and bothered. And if we remember at this point in the book, when she gets too excited, she gets, like, overheated, and she has hot flashes. And really, we think that's her wolf being like, all right, time to come to the surface. Time to arise. And she's like, nope, I don't know what this feeling is.
- [36:50]
A
She's repressing.
- [36:51]
B
Repress that down. Get back down there, wolf. And so he panics, brings her to Blake, because Blake's a healer. Fine. But remember, this is the full moon. So Blake is wasted because he doesn't like to be in the place with the shifting and the things.
- [37:04]
A
He's also repressing his wolf.
- [37:06]
B
Yeah. Yes, because he himself is also repressing his wolf. But he doesn't get hot flashes. He just gets drunk. So. And he does not want Aurora there in his presence whatsoever. And Callum's like, no, you have to save her. Long story short, the moon arises. Callum and Blake both shift, but Aurora does not. Very interesting. I really thought she was gonna shift here. I did, too. I really thought she was going to, but color me surprised. So. But she is in pain, and Blake, in his wolf form, ends up lying on her all night. And she wakes up, and they're naked, and she wakes up on Blake and They're looking at each other and Callum just says, don't look at her, and grips Blake's chin and says, look at me. And Blake responds with. With your is touching my leg.
- [37:52]
A
I love this so much. It's such a great moment of levity.
- [37:55]
B
Oh, God, I love it.
- [37:56]
A
High tension moment.
- [37:57]
B
I love it. And we just jump right back into the tension. Because what Callum says is, what the fuck were you doing last night? You were guarding her. Important. You were guarding her. Why? Blake says, why do you think? Callum says, you don't want to know what I think.
- [38:12]
A
I do.
- [38:13]
B
Me, I do. BLAKE EXHALES she has a part of my life force in her. Of. Of course I was going to guard her. And Callum's response here is, oh, that was. Why was it? Callum does not believe this for a second, but yes. What did you think about Aurora not shifting and, like, where this leads our romances?
- [38:29]
A
Yes. So the first time I read this, I just kind of took everything at face value. She didn't shift. But on my reread, I found this really interesting because she goes up to Callum later and he seems relieved and in her inner monologue, because, again, guys, this is all her. Her pov, everything we get and everything she feels is, is her interpretation of what other people are thinking and feeling. It's. We're only in her mind. And she takes the relief in his eyes that she didn't shift as, oh, he's happy. I'm still human, I'm still weak, I'm still a damsel in distress. Because again, it's. Everybody else is telling her that. And this is important to remember as we move on, because her. Some quotes we're going to read later from Callum, direct quotes from Callum that are contradict this idea that he only wants a weak woman.
- [39:18]
B
Yeah, he's not saying that he wants damsel, she's saying it.
- [39:21]
A
Yes. And on a reread, I looked for it. He never tells her that and he says actually the opposite a couple times, which we'll get to, but she interprets the relief in his eyes as he's happy that she's still human. And I actually interpreted it differently, I think, because later in conversations between the two of them, when she confronts him and says, how long have you known? And he says, I've suspected for a while, but especially on the night of the full moon, because he was resource guarding you and other things that led to that moment. But I really think that the relief in his eyes when she doesn't turn is because he's like okay. You're not a wolf, and it's not because you're weak. It's because then you can't have a mate. And then I was. I was afraid that he was your mate. But if you're not a. A wolf, then Blake can't be your mate. And it's just this weird soul magical bond. And I can work with that. Heart and soul won't belong to another man.
- [40:13]
B
Yeah. In this wolf specific mate way. That is something I have to respect.
- [40:20]
A
Yes. Because Callum's need to always respect that mating bun, it's deeply ingrained in him. So when she doesn't shift, I think that relief is more because, oh, my God. The woman I love does not belong to another man in terms of her soul and her heart in this beautiful gift from the goddess that is the mating bond.
- [40:39]
B
Yeah.
- [40:39]
A
No, she's just a human and she's just magically tied to Blake. My enemy. But I can work with that. So I really think that is what the relief is in this moment.
- [40:49]
B
I think that's it too. And that is very mature of you. And it gives Callum a lot of grace, and I think he. I think he deserves it in this moment. And we're gonna stick with it.
- [40:56]
A
It's mature of Aurora.
- [40:57]
B
Could have given a little more grace. Grace, honestly, in that moment. But I do think it is hard for her, probably because she's like, okay, now I've gotten all the puzzle pieces. I understand now. I am a wolf. I'm gonna shift. This is my new thing. I can. I can do this. And then it's like, oh, let's start from square one. What are you. Then because you didn't shift, what's going on? So I think that is. Is a piece of it as well. Another one of our absolute favorite moments. And a. Please take it away. This is.
- [41:22]
A
Oh, my God. This moment. We're gonna quickly run through this. This is just like a really funny moment in the book. It's. It's the lobsters.
- [41:27]
B
God, this killed me.
- [41:29]
A
This killed. I was actually laughing so hard.
- [41:32]
B
It's just such a funny, hilarious moment.
- [41:35]
A
It's a great back and forth. Yes. So it's actually the night before the full moon because they fast. So they have this big dinner where they all. And Elsie actually asks for Aurora's help in the kitchens with the lobsters. And the lobsters are, like, running around the kitchen, and Alfie's, like, giggling and laughing and. And Aurora shares a story that she says, you know, I can't eat the lobsters because my Brother told me that you know how you cook them? They're alive when you put them in the pot. And it like, they scream, and I can't do it. So then Alfie freaks out the little boy, and he's like, no. And then Elsie's like, okay, well, we can't. Can't cook the lobsters.
- [42:09]
B
Well, now what the hell are we gonna do?
- [42:10]
A
So they all sit down to dinner, and it's this potato soup.
- [42:14]
B
Callum's like, mm, you can really taste the earth.
- [42:16]
A
Yeah. Okay, so this is what happens. Happens. Blake looks down. He goes, elsie, darling, what happened to the lobster I paid for? Elsie raises her chin. They escaped. Blake cocks his head to one side as if trying to make sense of this. What do you mean they escaped? I don't know. She says. They're gone. They got free. How? Where exactly did they go? Blake says, are they still here? Am I to find lobsters wandering around my castle? Callum turns to laugh. Alfie starts to giggle. Blake turns to the young boy. Do you know the whereabouts of the lobsters, Alfie? Swimming, he says. Swimming. He arches an eyebrow at Elsie. And so the plot thickens. She goes, they're in the lock. Okay. She raises her hands. What do you want me to say? There's a creak as Jack leans back in his chair while the corner of Aaron's lips pull up. A dimple punctures Blake's cheek. Now, why, may I ask, are they in the lock? Elsie points at me, almost knocking over the goblet of wine. It was her fault. And then they start to eat or whatever, and then out of nowhere, Aaron just goes, aren't lobsters saltwater creatures? Because lakes are all fresh water.
- [43:22]
B
And Elsie goes, what?
- [43:23]
A
No, no, no, no, they're not. They're not. They're not. Those are freshwater lobsters. They'll be fine. And Blake says, I'm sure they'll live a long and happy life. And soon Lofel will be overrun with lobsters. They'll will be shellfish all over the island. And I'll be known as the oddball alpha who lives in a castle among his crustaceans.
- [43:42]
B
The castle among his crustaceans.
- [43:44]
A
I died.
- [43:45]
B
Oh my God. It's such a fun moment. And it shows all of their kind of like, found family dynamic here. Yes, I loved it. I love seeing all of these little relationships that we've kind of grown to like throughout the book. And it's. It's just a great Blake moment. He's not mad. He's just like, I can someone Explain this to me.
- [44:02]
A
What. What happened?
- [44:03]
B
What happened here?
- [44:03]
A
And then for a lot of lobster, and I've got shit potato soup right now in front of me.
- [44:07]
B
It's terrible.
- [44:08]
A
This is also where Ryan is being a little emo because his girlfriend broke up with him and they're talking about the lobsters. They're talking about the lobsters and he. I'm just imagining him, like, stirring his soup. So emo. It's like lobsters mate for life, you know? But this is important. This is actually. This was the moment where I was like, okay, Blake and Aurora are mates. Because it says. All the humor drains from the hall. Elsie stiffens, while Aaron looks down at. Down the table. Callum frowns. Jack clears his throat. Blake stills. And I feel the shred of him inside of me hardening as if to stop me from feeling his emotions. And then what Alfie follows up with is just like wolves.
- [44:44]
B
Okay. Yep. Mates. Mates.
- [44:47]
A
So anyways, that is the lobster moment. It still is one of my favorite moments in a book.
- [44:51]
B
We love it.
- [44:52]
A
Okay. All right, so we're in a pivot here, and we want to talk about Callum in Aurora's relationship. And we're going to use a couple. Couple scenes to kind of guide us through this.
- [44:59]
B
Yeah.
- [45:00]
A
So I feel like Callum and Aurora kind of have this constant battle that's been happening between the two of them. Aurora wants Callum to unleash the tether on his inner wolf. Callum is terrified of showing her the more baser side of himself. It's a tricky situation because what Callum is saying is that he doesn't trust his wolf side around her. But what she is interpreting it as is his hesitancy to trust Rora's ability to, quote, unquote, handle him.
- [45:25]
B
Yes.
- [45:25]
A
And I think from my personal reading experience when I first read this, I was very frustrated with Callum because I was like, she is. She is telling you that she can handle this. I personally get very frustrated with a main male character when the main female character, the leading lady, turns to him and expresses herself and he doesn't take her at her word.
- [45:45]
B
Yes.
- [45:45]
A
Especially when she repeatedly says something and doesn't back down when it's extra bit.
- [45:49]
B
Frustrating in this because as we said earlier, we see him take her at her word when it comes to her choice of not being claimed. He didn't force the collar upon her. Like, he really was like, I'm gonna trust you when you say you don't want these things. It's just in a sexual situation. He doesn't trust her to know what she actually wants.
- [46:05]
A
Yes. So I want to read this quote again. This is about their sexual relationship. She says, you're very careful with me. And he says, I don't understand. You would rather I was rough or cruel? And she says, no, of course not. All of my life, I've been taught to suppress my emotions and my opinions. All of my life, I felt as if there was a scream building in my chest that I could never let go of. I worry sometimes that you suppress yourself around me because you don't think I'm strong enough to handle the real you. He pulls back slightly. And I worry that I've offended him. And then what Callum says back is, my father didn't suppress his emotions. He was rough and cruel and. And he treated my mother poorly. So I'll hold back sometimes because I don't want to turn into him. And yes, I'm careful with you because you're precious to me. Is that so wrong? And she says, I suppose not. I don't know. This is also new to me. And he says, it's new to me too. Want to try a free sample of berry pie?
- [46:58]
B
Oh, yeah, I do. Wait.
- [47:00]
A
Time to consult the online experts. One bite will destroy.
- [47:07]
B
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- [47:25]
A
Signos and I think this is really interesting because again, I still stand by my initial feeling when I read this book, I was very frustrated with Callum. But on my reread and actually speaking with my friend Ellen, who was reading it months after I did, and also Cheryl too. But the. We were talking about this, and I feel like consent can go both ways. It's the most basic thing when you're reading any Kink or BDSM book, right? Everybody has a list of their. What their hard stops are and what they're okay with. And those have to be respected. And I want. This is obvious, obviously not that extreme, but Aurora is allowed to want these things, and that is fair to ask of your partner, but it's also okay for Callum to say no. And I think sometimes as readers, we forget that. That consent does have to go both ways, right? I mean, on the flip side, Aurora, all she's asking for is to just not hold back, right? And you should be able to trust your partner enough to explore different sexual appetites. And, yes, that's a very true statement, and like I said, it is. So it is absolutely okay for her to express herself, and she should express those wants and needs in a relationship. But I think on a reread, what was interesting to me is that how many times Callum states, both in book one and in book two, how he struggles with this idea of his wolf because he saw his mother physically abused by his father repeatedly, and his father would come back and apologize and then blame it on his inner wolf. So Aurora has to also hear her partner when he says, like, this is. This is hard for me. Like, you want. I don't understand why you want that from me. I want to treat you preciously. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to be rough. And again, she can ask for those things, and they can both eventually get to that space where maybe they can try those things. Guys, it's been two months. I need us to remember it's been two months. Two full moons have passed. If we're to believe the book.
- [49:23]
B
Trajectory, first context. It's been two months. It's been two months. He's just asking for, like, just a little time.
- [49:31]
A
Like, we've. You literally just had all your first sexual experiences a month ago. Like, can we. Can we. I'll spank you. I don't want to choke you yet. Like, can we kind of take a few stepping stones?
- [49:44]
B
There are levels. Okay, let's just.
- [49:46]
A
Levels.
- [49:46]
B
Like, last week, I was bathing you without touching you with a cloth. Okay? So let's. Let's just take a beat.
- [49:52]
A
Let's take a beat. And so I think it's interesting because I love to play devil's advocate with myself, and I kind of had to check myself because I was so reading it through a female lens of. No, trust her. She wants this. Like, give it to her. Unleash. Callum, you've proven to us throughout the book that, like, you can handle yourself and you're not gonna hurt her. He doesn't trust himself, and that's the most important thing. And part of being a partner is she has to respect that.
- [50:17]
B
Yeah.
- [50:18]
A
It's not her job to coddle him. It's not her job to be his therapist. We're in a fantasy world, guys. Like, it's a book, but, like, it is okay for him to be. Like, just give me some time. He does eventually unleash in a later scene, like, he does. He's like, let's go.
- [50:31]
B
It happens. But it's okay for him to also say no, because he's also saying no in a respectful way. He's not making her feel bad or dumb for asking for it. It's just, it's. We can be frustrated with Callum, but he's not being a bad guy.
- [50:45]
A
That's the. That's the thing. He's not being an asshole. He's not diminishing her feelings on the matter. He's just asking for her to also understand him.
- [50:54]
B
Yeah.
- [50:54]
A
And I think you, Christina, when we were going through the outline, you were like, I feel like they are a very real couple. They kind of have arguments that real couples do. They talk about things that real couples do. And again, this goes back to the theme of fantasy versus reality. Blake is the fantasy we all love. Callum is that reality of having to, like, work through and have a struggles and relationship, whereas Blake is all just that morally gray. And we love it and we all want him to be endgame, because that's how we read these books. But again, it kind of goes back to that, where he's like, meet me halfway. Which is interesting. Interesting. I. I do love what she's doing with the characters and I am frustrated with Callum, but I also love that she puts these different layers in here. He makes it more interesting.
- [51:35]
B
Exactly. It makes it more interesting and it makes this love triangle really fluid, where you're like, who do I actually want her with? There's just so many back and forths that, again, like you said, I think it's really fun to explore through the lens of reality versus fantasy, for sure.
- [51:49]
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [51:50]
B
Well, another really interesting, important piece of Callum and Aurora here is when Callum asks her to marry him. This is huge. So getting into Aurora's head here, she already feels like both James and Blake have claimed her against her will. Also, let's not forget she was sent off to Sebastian against her will as well. You know, she's very reluctant to say yes to this. And that is also probably, realistically, a little bit because of the mating bond, but fine. Callum's response to this is, quote, there is more to it than that, though. I want to be yours too. I want to be your husband, your equal. I want you by my side, challenging me, supporting me. I want a family with you and to provide for you. He takes my hand in his and kisses her knuckles. You don't have to agree. You can marry me tomorrow. We can ride to Don's Craig in the morning and ask the priestess to do it. Or we can marry in 10 years. We don't have to marry at all. If you don't want it, I'll still be here at your side, striving to impress you until my soul sleeps with the stars. Think on it. Okay. Oh, God, guys, so many layers here. Like, yeah, the choice. He is giving her such a choice here. Like, he is asking her. He's not demanding. There's no scenario here where he is making her feel bad about it. He is setting her up for success. He is giving her so many outs. He's like, we don't ever have to do it. We can do it in 10 years. Like, yeah, really, just whatever. I just want you to know that I want this with you.
- [53:09]
A
This is where I am.
- [53:10]
B
Yeah. And he says, you're. I want to be your equal. I want you challenging me. He says, you don't have to agree. It's so good. And he ends with, think on it. Okay. So easy breezy, beautiful covergirl. Callum here. Also, the romance of this line of, no matter what, I'll still be here at your side, striving to impress you.
- [53:29]
A
I love that.
- [53:30]
B
Striving to impress you is so stinking.
- [53:32]
A
It's like in book one, where he wears britches, his wears pants.
- [53:35]
B
Because he's like, I thought you might like them.
- [53:37]
A
I thought you might like them. And he's like, I want my kilt on, but this is what I thought you might like.
- [53:42]
B
I know. It's just. He tries, he tries, he tries. And it's important to know here, Anna did really clock this, that from what we see, from the text we are given, we never see Callum say he wants her to be a damsel. We see other people say that to Aurora and we hear Aurora think it, we assume it because of actions, but we don't actually see words.
- [54:00]
A
Yeah, that was well said, Christina. Like, I. Yeah, because you're right. We don't see it from him, but. But we hear it. And it's like we said, Aurora's pov.
- [54:08]
B
Yeah. But again, understandably, Aurora hears this marriage proposal and is like, hold on, hold on, hold on. Have you been listening to me? Because what I have been really clear about is I don't want to be claimed and I want to have autonomy. And it feels like maybe you're not understanding that because you just asked me to marry you. So, again, listen to me.
- [54:25]
A
Yes.
- [54:26]
B
But also, she's like, I need a minute to be me for a second.
- [54:29]
A
And I think Calumet eventually turns to her at some point after Blake kisses her. And it kind of becomes clear that she's got a mating bond. That he says, what do you want? And it reminds me of the scene in the Notebook where he. What do you want? Tell me what you want. Because I think Aurora doesn't know what she wants. And what Callum has always been careful with her about is, I don't want you to feel pressured into this relationship. I don't want you to feel like it's Stockholm syndrome. I want you to, like, choose this for yourself.
- [54:55]
B
Choose me.
- [54:56]
A
Choose me. Pick me. Love me. Love me. Raise an attic me. I think, you know, that's the trouble here, is Callum is there.
- [55:03]
B
Yeah.
- [55:04]
A
And that's why he says, I want this. I'm laying the cards out. Think on it.
- [55:09]
B
Oh, okay.
- [55:10]
A
Me as I. Oh, God, the references.
- [55:12]
B
Okay.
- [55:13]
A
All right, so we're gonna move on quickly. We're gonna chat about Blake. I want to quickly touch upon the scene that happens between Blake and Aurora, and mostly because we finally get a pivotal part of Blake's backstory. And Blake shares this truth with Aurora about why he's actually afraid of thunderstorms and he's tending to her. It's actually, I think it happens a little bit later in the book, but it's important for us to understand this part of Blake. And so what the quote is, just after my 10th birthday, there was a vicious storm. In the evening, just before it broke, I could feel the wolf. Half wolves can sense storms too, sometimes. My eyes changed and my mother saw for the first time what lurked inside me. She dragged me to the church in the village and confessed to the priest what had happened to her and what I was. It was the first time I'd ever heard her speak of my father. The priest tried to get me to repent, tried to force the wolf to submit. The more afraid I was, the more provoked my wolf became. Finally, he grew tired of the beatings and dragged me to the well in the center of the village. He found, threw me down there and told me I could come out when I could control the wolf. All the while the storm raged, my wolf senses were activated for the first time. Not as strong as a full wolfs, but stronger than a human's. Every flash of lightning was blinding. Every crash of thunder near deafened me. The wounds the priest gave me were raw on my back. The rain beat down hard and the water rose to my chest. I couldn't stop the panic. Try as I might, I didn't know what was happening to me. I thought I was going to die. A part of me wanted to. I know it's irrational, but every time I sense A storm coming. I'm back in that well, powerless.
- [56:51]
B
Oh, my God.
- [56:53]
A
We are just laying it out.
- [56:54]
B
Sweet Blake. Oh, my God. Poor sweet Blake.
- [56:57]
A
I feel like this is very important for Blake's character because it reminds us that he is very much defined by the trauma of his childhood and his early adolescence being tortured in the dungeons. He's was literally, you know, born from a violent act by his father upon his mother. His mother rejected him. He's been somebody who. Some. Who people fear for a very long time. And I think that stigma leaves him convinced that he is just basically unworthy of love.
- [57:25]
B
Yeah.
- [57:25]
A
And it also makes him being vulnerable feel dangerous. You know, letting anyone close might expose the wolf inside of him. And I think it's very interesting that he. He fears storms because I think the storms are kind of almost a parallel to, like, the inner chaos inside of him. You know, like, he doesn't know how to cope with what's going on. Like, the storms come out and they're ravaged and they're loud. And I think inside of him, he feels all of these things, but he's constantly. Blake, the chess master, the person who's always got, you know, five steps ahead of everybody else. And I think with Aurora, though, because of the mating bond, which he's keeping a secret still with Aurora, he is forced to face some of those things because she can feel everything he does and she is privy to all of his nightmares.
- [58:13]
B
Yes. There's no holding back. It's a very. He can't hide things from her. And it's important. It's an important part of their relationship. And the foundation that we're building between the two of them and Aurora, even, we see her trust Blake, where she confides in him about what happened with Sebastian in the carriage and how that made her feel, like, humiliated and ashamed and all these things. And, you know, it's important they share back and forth, and I think that sets up this foundation that we need here of their friendship for us to grow that further.
- [58:42]
A
Yes. Because regardless of the mating bond, I think Aurora realizes she stuck with Blake for a little while, and so she doesn't trust him. But we're working towards this foundation, like you said, of a tentative friendship that I think is obviously going to be very pivotal going into book three.
- [58:56]
B
Well, and I think it's not so much that she doesn't want to be stuck with him. I think he scares her emotionally. I think she's like, when I'm around you, I want to share these things with you. And it scares Me, because I shouldn't like you, and it scares me that I like you. And so I think in these moments, what we're seeing is her allowing herself to give in to what she actually wants to be doing and feeling with Blake. And to see him in a different light like that, to her feels scary, because right now she has him very safely put in his villain box. And when he has to come out of that box, when she realizes that he shouldn't be there, it's scary to her.
- [59:27]
A
Yes, I agree.
- [59:28]
B
Yes. Okay.
- [59:29]
A
Okay. So we're gonna end this episode with Aurora being captured by James, which this is really the catalyst for what sends kind of all the dominoes cascading and leading us to the end of the book. And essentially what happens is she is betrayed by a member of Lachlan's clan, a guy named. Named Ian. And Ian's brother is still being held captive by Alexander, and he believes turning Aurora over to James will help lead him to getting his brother back.
- [59:53]
B
Yeah.
- [59:53]
A
So Aurora is tied up in a giant hall. There's a long table with James and some of his closest friends. There's a knife at Aurora's throat. Callum is pissed, visibly shaking with rage. Blake is doing what Blake does best, playing the chess master.
- [60:05]
B
Yes.
- [60:06]
A
Until James makes a very odd request. He says he'll let Aurora go. Go if Blake kisses her. And this is where shit hits the fan.
- [60:15]
B
Oh, my God.
- [60:16]
A
Wild Aurora is like, absolutely not. This is not happening. She begs Callum to intervene with her eyes because she's got, like, a. Again, a knife at her throat, so she can't really talk. And he doesn't. And you're like, okay, well, it's just a kiss, right? Like, what's the big deal? One little kiss, it'll save everybody. But even Blake is pushing back, which is weird. So this is what happens. Blake slowly approaches her and he cups her cheek. He says, I'm sorry about this, Aurora darling. He brushes his lips against mine. His pine scent coils around me like a deadly serpent and refuses to let go. His heartbeat thunders in my ears, loud and unsteady. Feelings that are not my own. Feelings I cannot decipher, tangle with my fear and my anger, and I cannot breathe. A word rumbles in my head, Intangible.
- [61:02]
B
A word you say. A word.
- [61:03]
A
A word you say. This is interesting because when the kiss is done, Blake pulls away and she looks directly at Callum, and Callum's face is full of anguish. It is not anger, it's just anguish. And I think this is obviously the moment he tells us later this was a confirmation. It was impossible to deny that she and Blake are mates and it breaks his heart in that moment. But that is where we're going to leave off and we're going to pick up next week with with all hell breaking loose after this kiss and what ensues after.
- [61:35]
B
Yes. Oh, it's a wild ride.
- [61:37]
A
Yeah. We will see you next time. Cheers and happy reading.
- [61:41]
B
Bye. Well, friends, that wraps up another episode of Flights of Fantasy podcast. Don't forget to join our book club community on Instagram and TikTok at flights of Fantasy Podcast where you can share your thoughts, theories and favorite moments with.
- [61:53]
A
Us and fellow listeners.
- [61:54]
B
We'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed today's episode, please write and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us spread the magic of romantasy to even more book lovers. Until next time, keep dreaming, keep reading and remember, every good story deserves to take flight.