LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City / Episode 15: Exposition Into Hel

Summary

LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City – Episode 15: Exposition Into Hel

Release Date: January 28, 2025
Hosts: Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski
Podcast Network: The Last Podcast Network

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Introduction

In Episode 15 of LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City, hosts Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski delve deep into the intricate narrative of Sarah J. Maas's acclaimed adult science fiction series, Crescent City. This episode, aptly titled "Exposition Into Hel," focuses on unpacking key plot developments, character motivations, and expanding on the rich lore of the Crescent City universe. As always, Natalie and Jackie blend insightful analysis with their unique humor, making complex storylines accessible and engaging for both longtime fans and newcomers.

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Overview of Recent Chapters

The episode primarily centers around recent developments in Chapters 48 through 56, where pivotal events unfold, dramatically impacting the protagonists’ journey.

Key Events Discussed:

1. Sabine's Confrontation on the Rooftop:

   • The hosts recount the intense scene where Sabine confronts Bryce and Hunt on the apartment building's roof. Sabine reveals that Danika was the true culprit behind the theft of the horn, reversing their earlier suspicions. This revelation is a significant turning point, altering Bryce's understanding of her best friend and the complexities of Danika’s character.

2. Emotional Turmoil and Character Reactions:

   • Bryce's struggle to reconcile Sabine's confession, coupled with Hunt's frustration and disbelief, showcases the deep emotional layers Maas has infused into her characters. The hosts emphasize the psychological impact these revelations have on Bryce, highlighting her retreat from her usual active demeanor.

3. Introduction of Prince Aidas and Demon Lore:

   • A major highlight of the episode is the introduction of Aidas, the Prince of the Chasm, who is summoned by Bryce in an attempt to gain crucial information. This encounter expands the series' lore, introducing new dimensions to the demonic hierarchy and the overarching conflict involving the Northern Rift and otherworldly entities.

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Character Analysis

Sabine: Sabine's character arc takes a pivotal turn as she confronts Bryce and Hunt with the truth about Danika. Historically seen as a potential antagonist, Sabine's motive to protect Danika adds layers to her persona, indicating a blend of loyalty and complexity. Natalie notes, “Sabine reveals that she swapped the surveillance footage to shield Danika, but this act also exposes her true self, driven by self-aggrandization rather than genuine concern” (02:59).

Bryce Quinlan: Bryce's internal struggle is a focal point. The confrontation forces her to reassess her understanding of Danika, leading to emotional withdrawal and introspection. Jackie observes, “Bryce’s journey through grief and betrayal is eloquently portrayed, making her a relatable and deeply human protagonist” (15:47).

Hunt Athalar: Hunt's role as Bryce’s partner is examined through his reactions to Sabine's revelations. His blend of skepticism and concern for Bryce underscores his protective nature. "Hunt's disbelief and protective instincts highlight his unwavering dedication to Bryce, even as they navigate unforeseen challenges" (15:47).

Aidas, Prince of the Chasm: Aidas’s introduction is a substantial addition to the series' mythical framework. Unlike traditional brutish demons, Aidas presents as a slender, pale figure with an unsettling charm. Natalie and Bryce humorously discuss his appearance, noting, “We like our demons, huh? Aidas is sexy but undeniably a formidable presence” (44:43). His interactions with Bryce suggest a past connection and hint at deeper plot layers involving demonic infiltration and the stability of Midgard.

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Lore and Universe Expansion

Demonic Hierarchy and the Northern Rift: The episode explores the expanded lore introduced by Aidas, including the Seven Princes of Hell and the Northern Rift's role as a conduit between worlds. Natalie explains, “Aidas reveals that the Northern Rift connects Midgard to other planets, debunking the myth that it’s merely a metaphysical plane” (56:31).

Magical Artifacts – The Horn and the Sword: The discussion delves into the significance of the horn and the sword, ancient artifacts with profound magical capabilities. Natalie highlights a prophecy associated with these items: “When the knife and sword are reunited, so shall our people be,” indicating their pivotal roles in the series' destiny (31:07).

Levels of Hell and Mythological Parallels: Natalie and Bryce compare the series' portrayal of Hell with traditional mythologies, particularly Dante's Inferno. They discuss how the Seven Princes correspond to different levels, each embodying distinct vices and powers. Bryce muses, “It's interesting to see how the levels of Hell in Crescent City mirror some of the classic mythological concepts, yet Maas adds her unique twist” (51:27).

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Emotional and Psychological Themes

Processing Grief and Betrayal: Bryce’s emotional journey post-Sabine’s confession is a poignant exploration of grief and betrayal. Natalie draws parallels to real-life coping mechanisms, noting, “Bryce’s retreat from her morning run and her silence reflect a realistic portrayal of someone grappling with unexpected betrayal” (15:47).

Friendship and Loyalty: The complex dynamics of friendship are scrutinized, especially how Bryce processes the notion that her best friend might not be who she thought. Bryce articulates, “How could she not tell him that something so deadly was coming through?” highlighting the strain on their bond (59:23).

Strength vs. Vulnerability: The hosts debate the theme of showing vulnerability, particularly in tense situations. Jackie remarks on Bryce’s growth in embracing her emotions, countering the notion that crying signifies weakness: “Crying is not a weakness. It’s a natural response to intense emotional stress” (64:01).

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Predictions and Speculations

Aidas’s True Intentions: Natalie and Bryce speculate on Aidas’s motives and his history with Bryce. Bryce humorously ponders, “What are you doing with a black crown around your brow?” suggesting underlying tensions and unanswered questions about their past encounters (54:15).

Implications of the Crystalos’s Origin: The revelation that the Crystalos may not originate from Hell opens numerous narrative possibilities. The hosts consider, “This means there could be multiple types of demons, each with different agendas, complicating the primary conflict” (40:24).

Future Plot Developments: Given the prophecy and the introduction of powerful demons like Aidas, Natalie and Bryce predict significant conflicts ahead. "We’re really getting into the meat of the story. The conflicts are escalating, and the stakes are higher than ever" (66:37).

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Conclusion

Episode 15 of LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City offers an in-depth and nuanced analysis of critical plot developments in Sarah J. Maas's series. Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski adeptly navigate the complexities of the narrative, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of character motivations, expanding lore, and emotional undertones. Their blend of insightful commentary and relatable humor ensures that the discussion is both informative and entertaining.

As the series progresses, listeners can anticipate further unpacking of the multifaceted relationships and the expanding supernatural elements that define Crescent City. With the introduction of characters like Aidas and the deepening of existing plotlines, the podcast sets the stage for intense future discussions and speculative analyses.

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Notable Quotes

• Bryce on Slime and Focus:

  "Well, while I talk, it helps me focus because I play with my putty." (01:26)

• Natalie on Book Nooks:

  "They're all like magic and like, you know, they're all fantasy based." (02:19)

• Sabine's Revelation:

  "She tries to protect Danika from shame, but this explanation actually reveals her true nature." (09:00)

• Discussion on Prophecy:

  "When the knife and sword are reunited, so shall our people be." (31:07)

• Aidas’s Introduction:

  "Hunt had always imagined the Prince of the Chasm as similar to the lower level demons." (44:23)

• Bryce on Emotional Strength:

  "Crying is not a weakness. It’s a natural response to intense emotional stress." (64:01)

• Multiverse and Lore Expansion:

  "The Northern Rift connects Midgard to other planets, debunking the myth that it’s merely a metaphysical plane." (56:31)

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Closing Thoughts

As Natalie and Jackie navigate through the dense and exciting chapters of Crescent City, their expertise and passion shine through, providing listeners with valuable insights and fostering a deeper connection to the story. Their ability to dissect complex themes while maintaining an engaging and humorous tone makes LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City a must-listen for fans eager to explore the depths of Maas's expansive universe.

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Note: Timestamps are referenced as per the provided transcript and correspond to the moments within the podcast episode where the quotes were mentioned.

Transcript

[Bryce]

For 140 years, MultiCare has been in Washington prioritizing long term solutions, partnering with local communities, and expanding access to care. Together, we're building a healthier future. Learn [e-mail] Where'd you get those shoes?

[Hunt]

Easy. They're from DSW. Because DSW has the exact right shoes for whatever you're into right now. You know, like the sneakers that make office hours feel like happy hour, the boots that turn grocery aisles into runways, and all the styles that show off the many sides of you, from daydreamer to multitasker and everything in between. Because you do it all in really great shoes. Find a shoe for every you at your DSW store or dsw.com.

[Bryce]

Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts, Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski. You haven't heard me scream about my slime yet.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, I've heard you talk about slime, but I'm not sure what it has to do with this moment in time.

[Bryce]

Well, while I talk, it helps me talk and helps me focus because I play with my putty.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, you're playing with it. I thought this was going. It's matching your costume.

[Bryce]

It does match my costume.

[Natalie Jean]

I thought you were going to incorporate it.

[Bryce]

No, no, no, no. It does look like something that. No, this is just for my neurodivergence and I realize it really helps me focus. I love it that now playing with my body helps me focus.

[Natalie Jean]

You think I can judge you? Dude, I, last night, the last few nights, spent hours making this tiny. These things I found. They're called book nooks. And I can't build any more Lego sets because there's literally nowhere for me to put them.

[Bryce]

To put them.

[Natalie Jean]

What am I going to do with this? They go basically either almost like a bookend or like in between your books. And it's tiny. You put them together? Yes. Almost like miniature airplanes, but like, like little magical scenes. And that's how I spend my time.

[Bryce]

So wait, what kind of scenes are you doing?

[Natalie Jean]

They're all like magic and like, you know, they're all fantasy based.

[Bryce]

Are they like, like generic fantasy or is it specific?

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, a lot of them say they are this or this, but they're obviously.

[Bryce]

But they're not. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Where are you getting the. I'm sorry, we haven't talked about this off camera. I'm so now I'm so curious about book nooks.

[Natalie Jean]

If you like crafting or you like keeping your hands busy at night so you don't drink alcohol yes.

[Bryce]

Or you put the slime in your hand. Yes, yes, yes.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm just finding them on Etsy. If you just look up. DI DIY D not D U D Y I. Yeah, you just get in.

[Bryce]

The drunken, get behind the wheel, make them nooks. Oh, you'll make them right up. No, we don't support that here.

[Natalie Jean]

Absolutely. Do not. Do not drink and drive.

[Bryce]

And, you know, because that's the thing is, I try sometimes the slime makes too much noise for when I'm doing an episode. And you really shouldn't use slime. But, you know, I've got feathers on. I've got like a bunch of bright lights on this costume, so it's like.

[Natalie Jean]

A lot of ASMR going on.

[Bryce]

Yeah, there's. I feel like you're just kind of slapping it in and then, you know, when you hear these tiny sounds, you know, it's me.

[Natalie Jean]

Some people tune in for the sound.

[Bryce]

Is it for the little tiny sounds? Well, you know, there's things that you put in your slime called charms. And then you can pull the charms out and it gives you something else to do with your slime. I have a lot of slime because I've been talking about slime for the last couple of months and I've received a lot of really great slime.

[Natalie Jean]

Usually you don't want to receive slime in the mail.

[Bryce]

Now, when it smells like holly jock jolly over here, it literally smells like holly jolly, which I don't know what that is, but I keep huffing my putt.

[Natalie Jean]

Is it like a Christmas?

[Bryce]

It was. I got an advent calendar filled with slimes and now I've got a bunch of slimes.

[Natalie Jean]

Because I gotta say, holly jolly slime sounds very menacing.

[Bryce]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, it depends on what you're reading and what kind of monster erotica you get into, Natalie.

[Natalie Jean]

I just imagine some creep on the street just throwing it.

[Bryce]

Here's some holly jolly slime for you. Smells like Christmas. I don't think it does, sir, but this holly jolly slime does. And thank you for allowing me space to bring in my slime.

[Natalie Jean]

All I do is hold fucking space for you.

[Bryce]

Yeah, yeah. She screams wearing two sets of head pieces to be a shifter, man.

[Natalie Jean]

It is. No, I don't think she's a shifter.

[Bryce]

No, she's not a shifter. She's just a she. I'm. I'm thinking. I'm over here thinking about dinosaur shifters.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm sorry, she's just a phone.

[Bryce]

Phone. Just a phone for us.

[Natalie Jean]

You're obviously lehiba Obviously.

[Bryce]

Obviously. So here's the thing. We're really. I like that you use the word workshopping. Here at Crescent City Deep Dives, we are really trying to work on how do you make yourself look like you're on fire without your fire's falling off. My fire's falling off. I got too little of a head. You know, I've got a little head. Oh, but this is big. This is springy.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. That looks kind of huge.

[Bryce]

Yeah, it is kind of huge. And I'm just a little sprite. Right.

[Natalie Jean]

It's hard to make yourself look like fire. And I love putting costumes together. I'm also workshopping.

[Bryce]

I love this. I think that each time we're going to get better and better at it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Because they've already done one lehiba that was like, questionably successful.

[Bryce]

Yeah. Heat Miser. But you looked great. And you did look like a hell person of some sort, which is fun.

[Natalie Jean]

I think the move is what you're doing, which is like a fire colored bob with fire accoutrement and just add.

[Bryce]

A little bit of fire around it. Yeah. I think I'm getting closer. And we will get it by the end of this series.

[Natalie Jean]

That's what I promise for this.

[Bryce]

We promise. That's the only political promise we can make, is that we will continue to workshop our lehabah costumes. And thank you all for being there alongside us while we do it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Bryce]

Thank you.

[Natalie Jean]

Do you remember where we were? Do you remember where we were last time we were here?

[Bryce]

Nah, man, don't. I don't remember. All I know is that I've got a big man's chest that keeps staring at me in my closet, begging me put it on.

[Natalie Jean]

I almost wore a guy costume today because I have one lined up that I'm excited.

[Bryce]

Oh, I got one lined up, too. And that is. It's the beauty of having a holiday break is that you can work on your costumes.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, Totally did.

[Bryce]

Yes. I organized them all. Oh, my God. And I'm putting up all my wigs in my office. Like I'm Moira Rose. Yes. And I feel really confident. And I have been talking to the wigs and I am worried I'm going to start naming them.

[Natalie Jean]

Why not?

[Bryce]

Why not? I've got all these wigs.

[Natalie Jean]

Why? What's the harm?

[Bryce]

Why let them sit in. In a box when I can't see what wigs I have? And then I accidentally buy the same wig again?

[Natalie Jean]

I have kind of done that before.

[Bryce]

I have done that before. Yes. So that's why I refuse to do it again. No more wig waste.

[Natalie Jean]

No more wig waste.

[Bryce]

Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, where we were last time was on the roof of the apartment building. And we were about to get some good stuff, and then we got another.

[Bryce]

Cock, cock block, block, cock block. How dare you try to forward the plot.

[Natalie Jean]

No. Boo.

[Bryce]

Boo. Also very funny. I didn't realize my best friend has been reading all of the SJM books. And she was waiting to tell me until she finally finished Throne of Glass. And she was like, why do all these bitches smell like candles? And I was like, you're right. All these bitches do smell.

[Natalie Jean]

They might have given them out.

[Bryce]

I know. And I was like, that's the thing is that now what she doesn't know because she will not hear this before she gets them. Have now sent her a bunch of candles from Etsy because you can smell like the candles of the characters.

[Natalie Jean]

You can. It's true. I have maybe a couple.

[Bryce]

Maybe a couple that I've already burned through and repurchased.

[Natalie Jean]

Fun time. Come on, Merch. Merchandising.

[Bryce]

Some candles.

[Natalie Jean]

So Hunt and Bryce are on the roof of the apartment. They're about to have a moment, and then Sabine shows up. Also, like, their lives are entirely, like, threatened in this moment. She is aiming a gun at them. And this little interaction is a little bit awkward because they've been running around town telling people that they suspect Sabine of being guilty of really, a whole slew of things.

[Bryce]

Yeah. And then she just shows up, and you're like, oh. You're like, oh, like, gonna kiss.

[Natalie Jean]

Sabine. Gun aimed at them. Has told them in chapter 48 that it was, in fact Danika who stole the horn. Bryce, while shaken by this statement, doesn't believe it.

[Bryce]

Nah, dude.

[Natalie Jean]

Sabine bitterly reveals that she swapped out the surveillance footage because she was trying to protect Danika from shame.

[Bryce]

Interesting.

[Natalie Jean]

And that Danica clearly stole it because she was a ne'er do. Well, thanks to Bryce.

[Bryce]

Yes. It's all Bryce is doing. We all know this. Even though apparently Danica has a bunch of secrets.

[Natalie Jean]

And was the. Is the criminal Bryce? Yeah, we learned already. Bryce kind of brought her out of her dark stage. And so she's saying, oh, I'm, like, trying to. I was just trying to, like, make it better for Danika. But this explanation actually reveals her true nature. She tells them that she was trying to keep a shred of Danika's legacy intact and how Bryce and Hunt are ruining it. But what she really means is that she's Trying to protect her own image.

[Bryce]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

And self aggrandization, of course. And so in a very different connotation on my other show, we see this a lot with families who cover up, like, bad crimes of the family.

[Bryce]

She stole the horn, Natalie. You don't think that those are bad crimes of the family?

[Natalie Jean]

They are. It is the worst crimes I have heard of before.

[Bryce]

Yeah, I guess it's a little bit different from Spun August, but yeah, like.

[Natalie Jean]

Covering up these crimes because you want to protect the family image image.

[Bryce]

The image.

[Natalie Jean]

The victim is often painted as the problem or relegated to that black sheep territory. And Sabine isn't showing in this moment any care for Danica's well being or wanting people to respect her. She wants to be perceived as having a child with some grandiose legacy because she's so amazing as a mother.

[Bryce]

Oh, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

And I don't like it.

[Bryce]

Ah, not at man. Makes me think of the six schizophrenic brothers. Or no, the 13. What is it? Dozen Baker's dozen schizophrenics.

[Natalie Jean]

Very upsetting.

[Bryce]

Yeah, they didn't want to talk about it either. They didn't want to talk about it. But you got to talk about some things, don't you have to. It's not ruining your image. It's a mental illness.

[Natalie Jean]

Eventually it'll come up and ruin your image anyway. So just like, be a decent person.

[Bryce]

Say it. You know.

[Natalie Jean]

So Hunt accuses Sabine of sending the Crystalos after the two of them earlier in the evening. If you'll recall, they were also about to do it.

[Bryce]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Or something. Do something.

[Bryce]

And some kind of suckage.

[Natalie Jean]

Some kind. And then the Chrysalis shows up and she appears genuinely confused at the accusation that it was her who sent the Crystalos. Instead, she's there to tell them to back off. She wouldn't want to have to report misconduct on the part of Hunt. I seem to recall he wasn't supposed to be touching the civilian. And she just caught them almost necking.

[Bryce]

Yeah, but you also like B and E, bitch. You just came into her fucking house. So why don't you get out with your gun?

[Natalie Jean]

Technically, it's the roof. I don't know if that's Beanie.

[Bryce]

What, did she climb it?

[Natalie Jean]

I think so. Well, she jumps off the ledge, lands on the ground.

[Bryce]

Yeah, I guess she just. I don't know. Wolfing about the town.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I don't know how wolves get around. Probably climbing up the side of a building.

[Bryce]

Not B and E. If you go on somebody's roof, I guess Is that how Santa Claus gets away with it?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Right. Somebody gets it.

[Bryce]

Somebody.

[Natalie Jean]

Him in jail. So this is actually. They were literally necking. Like he was just like they were neck.

[Bryce]

Yeah, they were getting nuzzed up. I.

[Natalie Jean]

So I never really got why old fashioned making out was called necking.

[Bryce]

You know, I get to Nick, and maybe they just don't even want to think about what their lips do. They're just so busy thinking about their necks and just. Because, like, if you think about it, who else do you rub your neck against beside your husband?

[Natalie Jean]

I guess so. I. I've never like directly just rubbed my neck on his.

[Bryce]

Man. I rub sometimes. I guess that's true, you know?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I guess. Sir, actually, what does making out mean? Wait, why is it called making out?

[Bryce]

I don't know why it's called making out either. I guess because like you're. You're making. You're making something out of Nathan. You know what I mean?

[Natalie Jean]

Maybe.

[Bryce]

Yeah. I'm making it and I'm making it also.

[Natalie Jean]

Is pooping.

[Bryce]

Yeah, baking is also pooping. It really depends on how you want to discuss your partner. If you want to ask if you want to make and if you want that to be referencing or sex. And either way truly disturbs them.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's upsetting.

[Bryce]

Gonna go make or you want to make. And if you say you want to make, I think that. And they take you up on that. That's like a.

[Natalie Jean]

That's.

[Bryce]

That's a different.

[Natalie Jean]

That kind of lets you know what they are into.

[Bryce]

Good for them. No king shame.

[Natalie Jean]

I'll shame it.

[Bryce]

I'll shame it. Why is making out called that? Let us know.

[Natalie Jean]

With that warning, Sabine walks to the ledge. And Bryce is struck with the thought that she herself had stood at that very ledge almost two years ago. But when Sabine jumps, her wolf self appears and she lands gracefully on the ground. Which, gotta be honest, pretty bad.

[Bryce]

This is always my problem with Sabine is that technically everything about her is very badass and very sexy. But we have to hate her. I feel the same way about the. The Viper Queen. Oh, yeah. Like in my brain, she's so hot that I'm like, she can't be that bad. But she's a villain. Jackie, just because you want to have sex with the book character doesn't mean they are a positive book character.

[Natalie Jean]

No, but I would say right now the Viper Queen is sort of morally gray.

[Bryce]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Whereas I think for now is showing to be. Maybe I just personally don't like Sabine more. I can't tell. But she's so hot.

[Bryce]

Yeah, it's a problem.

[Natalie Jean]

Viva knows beautiful people are good people.

[Bryce]

And she's a wolf, which is so hot.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Bryce]

Although again, you're. You giving Juniper right now is showing how she is very attractive.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, thank you.

[Bryce]

You're doing a very good job, respectfully. Thank you. Of making the character very attractive.

[Natalie Jean]

Thanks. I'll take it. I don't bloated as hell from the holidays, so I want compliments.

[Bryce]

No, you look great. And especially I don't know if you remember how horrible my Juniper outfit was.

[Natalie Jean]

Little flat piece.

[Bryce]

Yeah. So. All right. We want to kiss Sabine, but she's bad.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay. Now that we figured that out. The next morning, Hunt is noticing how much this encounter seems to have affected Bryce negatively. While in recent weeks, it seemed as though she was coming out of her shell a little, she's kind of reverted back to silence and refrains from doing her morning run. It seems as though she's, like, learning a lot of things about Danika that she is kind of shocked by because she thought she knew her utterly. It's not that she's like, oh, she must be evil, because she. She took the horn. She said, why would she. I can't believe she wouldn't have told me.

[Bryce]

Yeah, of course. Or why. Or what was going through. And also uncovering so much. And it must be blowing her brain apart thinking about how much she didn't know about her best friend.

[Natalie Jean]

Or, like, oh, my God, like. Or when you have, like, a spouse die. The stories you have, like, your spouse dies, and then you find all this, like, secret affair Stu.

[Bryce]

And then, like, how do you come to terms? Because you can't even talk to them about how you feel. You can't verbally process with them. So you just. I mean, you get a therapist, that's for damn sure. Yell at the grave or you yell at their grave. Those are the only options.

[Natalie Jean]

Throw eggs at the grave.

[Bryce]

Yeah, and go, like, make me. Make me an omelette. You can't in your secrets. Which is what I imagine how I would deal with it. So, Jeff, if you've got a bunch of secrets, tell me now. So I yell at you before I put you into a grave.

[Natalie Jean]

There you go.

[Bryce]

Where'd you get those shoes? DSW has all the shoes you need.

[Natalie Jean]

For whatever you're into.

[Bryce]

You know, like running shoes that give.

[Natalie Jean]

New meaning to personal best, or everyday sneakers that make coffee runs look cool. Basically, DSW has all the best styles.

[Bryce]

From the brands that always get it.

[Natalie Jean]

Right, like Nike, Brooks Timberland and more. Oh yeah, did we mention they also.

[Bryce]

Happen to be the perfect price. Find a shoe for every you at your DSW store. And dsw dot com. How do you make an Airbnb A vrbo. Picture a vacation rental with a host.

[Natalie Jean]

The host is dragging your family on.

[Bryce]

A tour of the kitchen, the bathroom, the upstairs bathroom, the downstairs bedroom, and the TV room, which, surprise, is where you can watch tv. Now imagine there's no host giving you a tour because there's never any hosts at all, ever.

[Natalie Jean]

Voila. You've got yourself a vrbo.

[Bryce]

Want a vacation that's completely and totally host free? Make it a vrbo.

[Natalie Jean]

He's worried about this change in in Bryce. But he knows that she's trying to process and deal with all of this stuff that. That I. The idea that Danica could have really been the one to steal the horn. Again, not the act itself. It's just another thing she didn't know about her.

[Bryce]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

This doesn't stop Hunt, however, from thinking about what he did in his room after they got back to the apartment from the roof. It involved a cold shower in his hand.

[Bryce]

Uh oh.

[Natalie Jean]

You know, when you're at a certain level of hard up, like, tragedy doesn't stop it. Drama, fear.

[Bryce]

An orgasm helps so much.

[Natalie Jean]

It's so true.

[Bryce]

You don't understand what an orgasm can do for you. And also sometimes if you just need to come to go to sleep. Sleep. You need to come to go to sleep.

[Natalie Jean]

Sure.

[Bryce]

Ain't nothing wrong with that. It actually legitimately, chemically helps you fall asleep, so.

[Natalie Jean]

And the dick.

[Bryce]

And also the dick wants what the dick wants. And it's not his hand.

[Natalie Jean]

No, it's not. That night, he made her dinner, which is adorable, but she remains pretty silent throughout the evening. And also the next few, she. There's some days that go by, and he's kind of just giving her space to work through these emotions. Even though he despises Sabine, he does believe what she told them.

[Bryce]

The investigation was full of dead ends. And Danica had died for what? For an ancient artifact that didn't work, that hadn't worked in 15,000 years and never would again had Danika herself wanted to repair and use the horn. So why? He had no idea.

[Natalie Jean]

So they're just getting more questions, really piled on top of everything they're already trying to figure out, which is not fun. A few days later, Bryce, Hunt and Lehiba are in the library searching for info on the horn.

[Bryce]

It's me. I wonder if she likes slime too.

[Natalie Jean]

I feel like she would like slime, but I think it would just melt.

[Bryce]

Yeah, I guess she would have to get special fire sprite slime for her. And maybe this Holly Jolly would work. Although I'm fairly sure the smell in Holly Jolly is probably very flammable.

[Natalie Jean]

I think you're going to set on fire and find out.

[Bryce]

All right, while we're doing this episode, let's find out how flammable my slime is. I'm very excited. Anytime Lahaba is in the room.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, they're all done in the library together and Ruhn appears on the front door camera. Begrudgingly, Bryce lets him in and we get a lot of exposition in this chapter.

[Bryce]

Let's bash it out, babe.

[Natalie Jean]

Bear with me. So the three of them gather to exchange information, though Brunt leaves out the new info about Sabine. Here's what we can gather from this chapter. So they're still waiting on information from the House of Many Waters, which as you'll recall Tharion met with them and they asked him to see if anything crazy, anything hairy was happening down in the House of Any Waters. In the water. Hunt is concerned about his power, how it was sapped away when the Crystallos attacked.

[Bryce]

It's another setting.

[Natalie Jean]

There's another thing we figured out about the Crystalos. Apparently they have a way to negate people's magic.

[Bryce]

They're sucking it out.

[Natalie Jean]

Ruhn doesn't know anything about any kind of demon who would be capable of that, and adds that the Crystallos demon was however created using the blood of the first starborn prince and the essence of the Star Eater, the seventh Prince of Hell.

[Bryce]

Yikes.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt has also never come across a demon or any living being that could do that with their own biology. For example, the way that the slave's magic is controlled is through through witches spells laid inside the ink of the crown tattoo and also Gorzian stone can achieve magic nullification, but not a living being. Hun thinks about how Sandriel's notorious hench woman, the Hind. Right? Yeah, because I was calling her the Hind.

[Bryce]

The Hind. Yeah, it's the Hind was particularly fond.

[Natalie Jean]

Of Gorzian Stone to use in her ministrations.

[Bryce]

Sorry. I guess we could just call her that.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, that's Hunt got a call from the mystery Medwich whose name we still don't know because remember he went and saw the Medwich asking for information if she could help them with anything in the witch world side quest and she had called him recently suggesting they look into a new drug that's recently been Developed that is known to heal the body twice as fast as first light. However, it has serious side effects if abused. It's known as synthetic magic, man.

[Bryce]

But if I could get my hands on some synthetic magic.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah, like, super hooked on it. Like, yeah.

[Bryce]

Oh, yeah. That's like, exactly. You got to stay away from that kind of stuff. Oh, no. I couldn't even try it once. I'd be like, I cannot feel what it feels like to be magic for a moment. I will sin the magic myself to death.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Although what a way to go, dude.

[Bryce]

What a way to go. I want to magic myself to death, please, says the bitch, using a slime so she can focus. You think you can handle magic?

[Natalie Jean]

They all consider so run is like, refer. Like, giving them this information. They're sharing their what they have, which is not a lot right now. They all consider whether that could work within the riddle connected to the horn, which, as a reminder is light without light magic. That's not magic, and it kind of does work because it's magic. That's not magic.

[Bryce]

Right.

[Natalie Jean]

And light without light, maybe.

[Bryce]

Sure.

[Natalie Jean]

No one knows if anyone's tried this kind of synthetic magic on an animate object like the horn, but they consider the possibility.

[Bryce]

Whoa. That kind of reminds me of, like in the Sims. Because now in the Sims, if you want to bang a ghost, you can bang a ghost. If you're a human being and you could get, like, the ghost can make you a ghost for a temporary amount of time, and you both can inhabit, like, different items in the house, and you can fuck inside of the item. Like, you can be like, okay, we're both gonna go into the fridge and then you fuck as, like, inside the. Like, as a fridge.

[Natalie Jean]

I feel as though the Sims is literally a simulation that they're trying to figure out, like, how up people can get, like, in the brain. Like, yeah, I feel like this Sims is going to be something that is, like, outside of the computer soon.

[Bryce]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

And it's going to get real weird.

[Bryce]

That's why, man, you better get on board or get out the way. Yeah, I'm here for it. I'm letting. Like, I refuse to play the Sims unless I am actually streaming the Sims, because I know I will lose myself.

[Natalie Jean]

Are you, like, do you remember that Weird movie Toys?

[Bryce]

Yes. Are you.

[Natalie Jean]

Do you think you're gonna get taken by the military because you're so good at Sims?

[Bryce]

Oh, yeah. Oh, you think I'll be taken by the mil? Oh, yes. I thought you meant was I just going to become one of Those people. But in the world of the Sims of, like, come into my lair and I'm dressed like Robin Williams in toys. Is that what you're thinking of that toy?

[Natalie Jean]

Yes, but I. I was thinking about the part where they're. They realize the bad. The villain of the movie is helping teach kids how to play simulation games so they can fight in the wars, which is unfortunately kind of close to what's happening.

[Bryce]

What if they do? Take. Okay, if I go, they're gonna poach you for.

[Natalie Jean]

For military to play the Sims 4 here for the US government.

[Bryce]

If I ever go missing, go to the government and say, give her back, government. Give me back. I know she likes to bang ghosts in the. And she's very good at doing it. And yes, she makes her little whore homes so that they can go out and they can woohoo all about the.

[Natalie Jean]

Town, but you're really causing all of us to have affairs in this.

[Bryce]

Well, you got a divorce. You did. You're not having an affair. You just got divorced. You kicked him out. Because he was having a midlife crisis, Natalie. And now you're trying to become the Grim reaper. So I don't know what to tell you.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, God, now I'm. Now you're mad at me.

[Bryce]

I just think the problem. You're doing a very good job of becoming the Grim reaper. Also, you're becoming a master vampire and keep turning people publicly, and you're upsetting everybody, but you won't stop because you're too powerful.

[Natalie Jean]

I would be a part of that house because that would be the house of flame and shadow, I'm sure.

[Bryce]

Yeah. So you're. Natalie. I'm giving you a gift.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God, thank you.

[Bryce]

I'm giving you. And you took the house and the girls. So, like, Henry's living in an apartment. Henry's living in a haunted apartment that I made for him. And he. He keeps crying, and I'm like, you gotta get back out there, bro. Stop crying.

[Natalie Jean]

It's really hard when you've had the Reaper, you know, like the actual Grim paper. Like, what are you gonna do after that?

[Bryce]

And the master vampire, like, how do you stop?

[Natalie Jean]

Where do you go from there?

[Bryce]

Only downhill. I'll get him back. He's gonna win you back.

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce lets it slip that Danika took the horn, and so she was trying to, I think, not tell room. But as they're, like, mulling over all of this information, she accidentally mentions it it and run, of course, gets confused. And she reveals at that point what they've learned from Sabine Bryce sorrowfully but firmly tells Ruhn that while she's come to grips with the idea that Danika did, in fact, steal the horn, she knows more than anything that Danika did not steal it to create a weapon of mass destruction.

[Bryce]

How do you know that? I mean, how do you know that?

[Natalie Jean]

You have to start questioning it. But she's holding firm to the idea that I know even if Danica stole it, she's not, like, a total badass badminton.

[Bryce]

I just think that that's a lot when you're already, like, starting to know. Like, you know. Of course, we've read the books, so we know what happens. But, like, it. I feel like at this point, how could she be, like, definitely. No way. She was trying to. That's how good a Frenchie is, you know? Whoa, Frenchies. Paris.

[Natalie Jean]

I was doing a queen's accent. I don't know.

[Bryce]

Oh.

[Natalie Jean]

That'S how good of a friend she is.

[Bryce]

Yeah, that's how good of a friend she is. Oh, baby, you're right. And you always, you know, anything bad ever said about your friends, deny, deny, deny. That's how you become a good friend.

[Natalie Jean]

Unless they do something really bad. Then you got to. You got to not.

[Bryce]

Yeah, unless there's, like, a lot of evidence, and, like, you should probably listen to the evidence. And maybe they did. They were creating a weapon of.

[Natalie Jean]

Maybe they weren't that good of a friend. She asserts that she must have taken it to prevent some other baddie from getting the horn. So that's. That's Bryce's theory on why Danica might have talked. That Bryce asks whether the SAR sword that Ruhn carries could help locate the horn, since it's always connected to the first starborn prince. And the horn is also connected to the first armor prince.

[Bryce]

Ruhn drew the sword, the metal whining, and laid it on the table between them. Bryce leaned back away from it as a bead of starlight sang down the fuller and sparkled at the tip.

[Natalie Jean]

Does that sound phallic?

[Bryce]

Yeah, sounds like a bead of calm. But they are brother and sister.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah. I didn't put it in that context.

[Bryce]

Oh, I was just thinking of the sparkling at the tip, like.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no, I did, too. I was putting it more like swords or phallic generally. Oh, yes.

[Bryce]

Not inter. Between the two of them. I just read a lot of erotica. All right. There's a lot of beaded precum. Okay.

[Natalie Jean]

But not like brother, sister, not brother.

[Bryce]

I'm not reading brother, sister, beaded precom. Meaning in general. There's a lot of conversation about beaded precom.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, well, I did this. It's my fault. So then he goes on, he brings the sword out and gives us some knife lore. So the sword apparently is a part of a pear.

[Bryce]

Oh.

[Natalie Jean]

A long bladed knife was forged from iridium mind from the same meteorite which fell on our old world.

[Bryce]

Interesting.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, okay, so we know this much that the world the fae are from, they left through and they traveled through the Northern rift and into Midgard. But the knife has been lost for eons. Which again rings through to another series that seems like maybe that's connected. Even the fae archives. Don't know how long it's been lost. But sometime during the first wars, which is a long time.

[Bryce]

A long time ago. Also very the first wars. In the first wars, I got all of Throne of Glass for my mom for Christmas and she's only read Akatar and she's starting in the world of Throne of Glass. She not read Crescent City yet. And it is very funny where my mom immediately called me up. She goes, but where's the fae? And I was like, oh, it's a whole thing. And she's like, oh my God. And I was like, mom, you're going to lose your mind. I was like, just. I was like, like, keep. Like, she just started. And she immediately was like, oh, I'm going to love this. R. And I was like, you're gonna love this.

[Natalie Jean]

I love that she called you to ask where the.

[Bryce]

Where the vein. And I was like. I was like, you gotta keep. I was like, you can't. And then she started talking to me about all her. The. About what could happen. I was like, mom, you gotta read the books. I will not discuss this with you until after you've read the books. They're just saying for those of you that are in the middle of Crescent City, you know, throw Throne of Glass in there.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh yeah. Just quickly throw in the several hundred.

[Bryce]

Thousand pages all year to read in between other things. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But just like slap it on top.

[Natalie Jean]

So there's another prophecy that's connected to this knife.

[Bryce]

Okay.

[Natalie Jean]

That's connected to the Star Source sword. When the knife and sword are reunited, so shall our people be.

[Bryce]

Got that. Got all that lore. Got it tucked away. Because. Did I completely forget about all of this? Yeah, of course.

[Natalie Jean]

Because there's so much going on, there's.

[Bryce]

So much information that I'm so glad we're going back through these books.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh yeah, same.

[Bryce]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Like it's actually helping me know the story.

[Bryce]

So much more. Oh my God. Of like thinking of like all the little things I missed. Insane.

[Hunt]

Where'd you get those shoes? Easy. They're from dsw. Because DSW has the exact right shoes for whatever you're into right now. You know, like the sneakers that make office hours feel like happy hour, the boots that turn grocery aisles into runways, and all the styles that show off the many sides of you from daydreamer to multitasker and everything in between. Because you do it all in really great shoes. Find a shoe for every you at your DSW store or dsw.com.

[Natalie Jean]

So that line is gonna hold some weight to it as we'll learn through the next books. Ruhn makes fun of this little sort of proverb prophecy thing which causes Bryce to smile.

[Bryce]

Hunt grinned. Her little smile was like seeing the sun after days of rain Brain.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh my God, marry her.

[Bryce]

But also man, they must be just bursting to suck and on each other in the same space. But like too much is going on.

[Natalie Jean]

Too much. They have to save the whole planet. It's hard.

[Bryce]

I got a lot of other things to do.

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce sort of flushes at Hunt, smiling at her, and suddenly Rune's spidey senses are up. Hunt suddenly, as he's watching Rune watch them, has a bunch of intrusive thoughts, imagining that Rune can see all the filthy things he's done. Fantasizing about Bryce, perhaps oblivious to the side eyeing going on changes mentioned she would love to see the Fay archives, which is, you know, just where all the old Fay files are, and Bryce bitterly reminds her that only pure blooded people are allowed in. Ruhn says he's trying to change that, but so far he can't. Lili begins to tell them all about her alleged ancestor who was apparently a queen, but Bryce is informing the boys at the same time that she's full of shit. The Hippa gets mad at Bryce and shouts that her great grandmother fought alongside Hunt in the angel rebellion. So what was it like? A little jovial fun ribbing conversation becomes tense.

[Bryce]

The words cracked through Hunt. Hunt. All of them looked at him now.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm sorry.

[Bryce]

He had no other words in his head.

[Natalie Jean]

The Hairba wasn't attempting to blame Hunt for that, and she quickly reassures him that she doesn't. You know it's not his fault for what happened. But the guilt of course runs deep in Hunt because he didn't enslave the sprites himself. But he feels as though he's to blame for losing the war which caused them to be enslaved, saved.

[Bryce]

It's just so many, many, many, many years of him blaming himself. I can't even. And he's not even Catholic. Like, I don't even know how he's so good at it.

[Natalie Jean]

Even with Ruhn and Hunt's pissing contest always in play. Ruhn also assures Hunt that he doesn't blame him either. But Hunt only really cares about Bryce's reaction.

[Bryce]

Only sorrow lay there and something like understanding. Standing like she saw him as he'd seen her in that shooting gallery. Marked every broken shard and didn't mind the jagged bits.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, the broken not bent. They can learn to love again.

[Bryce]

I love their love.

[Natalie Jean]

She even goes so far as to brush his foot with hers under the table they're sitting at. And you know how much he loves them feet. So that was probably pretty nice for him, I guess.

[Bryce]

Yeah. Is it the same? Yeah, I guess it isn't. It's very different. Jackie. I was about to be like, do. Do you think that, like, he could also get horned up just by looking at her feet in the shoes? But I think it's a different. I think you want to see the shoot, like, no shoes.

[Natalie Jean]

I think right now he's. Any indication of Bryce is, like, setting him off.

[Bryce]

Well, I mean, yeah, especially with how often they've been blocked recently.

[Natalie Jean]

But I don't think he can see their feet.

[Bryce]

Feet.

[Natalie Jean]

She's just brushing it under underneath. Lehiba breaks this other kind of tension that now we're in the middle of. And she and Bryce bicker, which sparks some life back into Bryce. After this terrible reveal about Danika, Ruhn gets a call from Flynn telling him he needs him for some inane something or other. And Hunt is surprised that Ruhn has to keep doing grunt stuff. Bryce chimes in that his daddy is afraid of him, so he keeps Ruhn tied up in Minut because even though he's the prince, he doesn't want him to get to his. Too big for his britches, I guess.

[Bryce]

But he's just like, drinking.

[Natalie Jean]

He's scared of him.

[Bryce]

Yeah. Of course.

[Natalie Jean]

Rune tries to feebly argue like his dad's not doing that. But eventually he concedes that he knows his dad is a prick. Then he bounces off to do whatever dumb thing that Flynn needed him to do. Cut to just a few minutes later at Griffin, and Bryce is delighted to see an otter is at the front door. Security camera. Camera. She runs up to greet it and it hands her a short message from Tharion along with a packet of papers.

[Bryce]

I think you'll Find this of interest. Kisses, Therian.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, Hunt, better be careful. Therian's offering kisses and sending an otter. If you'll recall, she was excited about the otter in front of the two of them. And so he did it intentionally.

[Bryce]

Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Her delight at the otter is short lived when they learn that what Tharion has sent is the details of a grisly murder from just five days prior. The same night that they were attacked in the Night garden. The body is of a dryad female, AKA a tree nymph.

[Bryce]

Which sounds awesome.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Found in a Sobek's lair. Sobex. From Egyptian mythology. It's a crocodile headed man, I think.

[Bryce]

Ooh. Ew. Does that mean you could talk to me like come here, come here, come here. But then I guess it's not as scary because it's got a man's mouth. What are you gonna like?

[Natalie Jean]

Well, it's got a crocs mouth.

[Bryce]

Oh, it's got a croc. So it still has the. The bill of a croc.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I think.

[Bryce]

Bill. I don't know what it's called.

[Natalie Jean]

I think it could be a bill.

[Bryce]

Yeah, the sharper bill.

[Natalie Jean]

Snout.

[Bryce]

I know. Snout. I think a snout is probably better than. Than a bill. I don't think that I. Man, you know, I am a bit of a scientist here and I know all about animals.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes, course.

[Bryce]

I tell you what. But I would be very creeped out. Hey, get back here. As he's just running after you and you're trying to zigzag away from him. Right? Is that a crocodile? I don't know anything.

[Natalie Jean]

Crocs can only go. Or alligators. One of them can only go straight.

[Bryce]

Yes. And you zigzag man. We're gonna die. I hope that we never have to interact with a Sobek or a crocodile or an alligator.

[Natalie Jean]

Guess we're not gonna be hanging out with Lana Del Rey anytime soon.

[Bryce]

It's probably for the best. Although we could get many free gator boat cruises.

[Natalie Jean]

God, I do love a gator boat cruise. Is awesome.

[Bryce]

You know? Although I guess banging on a gator boat. No, that'd be scary. Take that back.

[Natalie Jean]

It'd be pretty scary. Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that could happen.

[Bryce]

Yeah, I don't want to do that. I don't want to slide off or they think that I'm extra meat. You know what I mean?

[Natalie Jean]

You are just offering your hind. You know what I mean?

[Bryce]

Come at it.

[Natalie Jean]

But in Crescent City, a Sobek is a water creature. That sounds a lot like a massive Snake mixed with a crocodile. They are. And dangerous. And upon first glance at seeing a body in a Sobek slayer, one might assume that this dryad isn't just a victim of a Sobek attack. Sobek attack. Sobek attack. But as Therian discovered, and this is the reason he sent this over to them, is that the victim's wounds aren't representative of Sobek bites. It's more likely that this Sobek came upon the body and scavenged it. It no. The bites look awfully similar to the crystal. Loses teeth as they read further. It's all but confirmed. Clear venom was also found in the body. And when the mer tested it, it negated magic.

[Bryce]

Oh, God.

[Natalie Jean]

This led the mer to go back into their archival files, and they discovered in their past, multiple bodies from their unsolved files with these same bites on them all the way back to the time period where the devils were murdered. Most of the victims seemed to be loners or drifters without a lot of vested interest in solving their deaths. And so it kind of just got, like, put away. And now they're realizing all of these people were probably killed by the Crystalos. They also had all their guts ripped out and, like, they were missing.

[Bryce]

Yikes.

[Natalie Jean]

Suddenly, Bryce has a crashing realization. These bodies with the Crystallos wounds were hollowed out, organs gone. And these distinctive bites. That's not what happened to the pack of devils. They were ripped apart. Their guts were left all over her bed, almost seemingly intentionally.

[Bryce]

Bryce held up the photo.

[Natalie Jean]

These wounds aren't the same. The Crystalos wanted to get at your heart, your organs, not turn you into a he. Danika, the pack of devils, Tertian, the acolyte and temple guard, none of them had wounds like this, and none had this venom in their system.

[Bryce]

Why? Why? Why?

[Natalie Jean]

They don't know. Shaken, Bryce realizes that they might have multiple kinds of demons on their hands. The Kristalos is perhaps just one piece of a bigger picture. Picture? Then Bryce has a dangerous idea.

[Bryce]

Oh, it's like, cheaper by the dozen, you know? What do I do with all these kids, you know? Yeah, just like having a bunch of demons running around.

[Natalie Jean]

Just like that.

[Bryce]

What do I do with all these demons? And. Yeah, I'm talking about the Steve Martin updated version.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay?

[Bryce]

In case you were wondering.

[Natalie Jean]

I was super wondering. Chapter 51 begins with Hunt trying to convince Bryce it's not a good idea to summon a demon. Which is what idea was fine, but Bryce is going to Bryce, and she wants answers, and they're not getting them, so I don't know I guess we're gonna have to summon a demon.

[Bryce]

Yes, we have to.

[Natalie Jean]

They're back at the apartment and it's night. And we're about to get a whole lot of demon lore as well. And some pretty fun reveals right now.

[Bryce]

Packing it in. Packing it into every chapter. SJM Love it. Sick.

[Natalie Jean]

Turns out the obsidian salt she was after in the meat market, if you remember, back earlier in the book, wasn't just a ploy for information because they be making some summoning circles tonight.

[Bryce]

Man, so good at thinking seven steps ahead in a way that I never could. I feel like every time I'm like, bryce, how? And she's like, but I've got a plan. Like, you're crazy.

[Natalie Jean]

She does have a lot of plans. A lot of plans that are way, way in advance. Yes, I liked it. In the description of this section, they put Syrinx in his crate with the blankets and put a white salt circle around his crate so he would be safe.

[Bryce]

So he's safe.

[Natalie Jean]

But they're not using white salt. They're using obsidian salt to make their circles. Bryce tells Hunt that she is not waiting around to get answers. In that moment, Hunt kind of realizes she's breaking a zoning law. Law, because it's funny, but it's like they just have laws where you're not allowed to summon demons. In certain they have to.

[Bryce]

They'd have to do that.

[Natalie Jean]

This is very funny to put it in, like, police.

[Bryce]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

He's like, I should probably be arresting her. I mean, he's not going to, but he, like, probably, yeah. Because we're with Hunt's thoughts right now. And even amidst opening this portal into hell, he's still managing to imagine running his hands through her hair and biting her neck.

[Bryce]

What? Woo.

[Natalie Jean]

Not right now, Hunt.

[Bryce]

Woo.

[Natalie Jean]

She reassures him that the salt will contain the demon she's calling. And Hunt won't have to explain yet another free demon in Crescent City. Because obviously the big risk here is if you summon this demon, he's even supposed to be here. They're supposed to be in hell.

[Bryce]

But, like, how do you definitely know, bitch, that the salt is going to keep that demon in that circle?

[Natalie Jean]

We might find out. Whatever she does to the demon to show up begins to happen. Happen. The room goes cold. Frigid, actually. And Hunt is speechless when he sees who has materialized. Bryce greets him with the simple Aidas.

[Bryce]

Hunt had always imagined the Prince of the Chasm as similar to the lower level demons he'd hunted over the centuries. Scales or fangs or claws. Brute muscle and snarling with blind animal wraith age. Not this slender, pale skinned pretty boy.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, we like our demons, huh?

[Bryce]

Yeah, man, this demon is sexy. I mean, not for me necessarily. Atis is really not my type. But like, again, if you are like, you know, a prince of the Chasm, I'm gonna try to get with you.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. I mean, that's why. Is that why you'd summon him?

[Bryce]

Be like, yeah, like, what's up?

[Natalie Jean]

What are you doing?

[Bryce]

What are you into? Let's talk about this. Like, especially if I'm dressed as Lehabah, because it's like, let's think about it. Who's Lili, like actually able to have sex with? And she's a little horny sprite.

[Natalie Jean]

It's very sad. Yeah.

[Bryce]

She doesn't get to fuck anybody, so she gets to just watch her reality shows and dream about fucking. So, like, why not fuck the Prince of the Chasm?

[Natalie Jean]

There must be male sprites, but I don't think we ever meet one.

[Bryce]

I don't. Not that I know of.

[Natalie Jean]

I can't remember meeting them. So Bryce has summoned a very, very powerful demon to her apartment. I imagine it would be like if she summoned Osama bin Laden to her house for Hunt, like, this is like the worst. I couldn't think of another worst person.

[Bryce]

Hitler person. For Hunt, specifically.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. So instead of just like a bad little demon, it's like the king of.

[Bryce]

All of the bad of all the bad demons. Yeah. Because I feel like Hunt wouldn't care about Osama bin Laden.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know.

[Bryce]

It was not.

[Natalie Jean]

It was not exact metaphor. It's not good.

[Bryce]

But I know I. I like. But I like where your brain is coming. It's like it is the worst of the worst person that you could summon there.

[Natalie Jean]

And she didn't tell him she was going to do that.

[Bryce]

Thanks, Bryce.

[Natalie Jean]

Thanks a lot. And yeah, he's blonde, he's got bright blue eyes and his white. His quote, two white teeth are in a big grin.

[Bryce]

I was kind of thinking, I was like in my brain, I was like, you know, Aidas has veneers and. Because I've been thinking a lot about just like the idea and the process of veneers. Not for myself, just like. No, no, I'm just, I'm. No, I'm actually more. I guess shouldn't say this aloud into a microphone, but I'm like, I'm terrified of the idea of people choosing to get veneers. So I just imagine Adas has like really big veneers.

[Natalie Jean]

You think they have dentists in hell. Yeah.

[Bryce]

He's got big chompies. I feel like he can just make it happen.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay.

[Bryce]

You know, like, he'd want that big, perfect smile.

[Natalie Jean]

Got about it. I. Okay, all right.

[Bryce]

I see it.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, he makes me think of as Lanthus from A Quarter Silver Flame.

[Bryce]

Oh, yes.

[Natalie Jean]

But we'll see if he's as evil as Lanthus was, because if you remember, if you ever read that book, he's badminton bad. We learned through Hunt's thoughts that Aidas is the prince of the fifth level of hell, which is called the Chasm. For what it's worth, the fifth level of hell and Dante's Inferno is wrath and sullenness. So I don't know if that's a direct reference to the that, but the wrathful fight each other on the surface of the sticks while the sullen gurgle.

[Bryce]

Beneath it keep gurgling. I feel like he definitely has the sullenness, though. He's a little bit of like. But I guess he would be if you were prince of the Chasm. Like, you would definitely have a little bit of like. I'm not like the other boys.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, probably. We'll see if he has wrath. And did I get distracted looking through the nine levels of hell for 45 minutes while I was writing this? I did.

[Bryce]

I bet you did. What's your favorite? Do you remember there?

[Natalie Jean]

They don't. Okay. A lot of the levels don't make a ton of sense to me.

[Bryce]

Okay. All right.

[Natalie Jean]

But I will say I was pleasantly surprised to see that lust was, like, at one of the top levels, because I feel like we're so sex shamed now in our culture that I was like, oh, probably like, oh, people who have sex are going to be, like.

[Bryce]

At the bottom with levels. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Stalin and shit. And it was up there at the top, and they only. I think they only had cold winds blowing on them forever. Yeah. But there was some. There was like, you know, false prophets and stuff. There was actually a bunch of criticisms for fake religious, like, leaders, which I feel like we don't focus on enough. And they had to do stuff. Like, one of them was, like, buried upside down with fire, A ring of fire on their feet. So they're just like, heads in the Joel Osteen level. Yeah.

[Bryce]

Wow. Allegedly whole level for him.

[Natalie Jean]

That doesn't seem to stop them.

[Bryce]

No, no, no, no, no, no. But, man, they. They've got things to say.

[Natalie Jean]

Everybody anyway, on mid.

[Bryce]

Put them upside down in the ground. What. What do you do? You bury their heads.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Bryce]

Look, cover them in hands.

[Natalie Jean]

Look at this fun image I found of all the different.

[Bryce]

I want to see how bad they're buried. Oh, limbo. Oh, it's right under lust is right under limbo.

[Natalie Jean]

Wait, where's this guy? Oh, see, this is right here. He's buried.

[Bryce]

Oh, he is buried underneath. And it seems like his feet are being set on fire.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's a ring of fire on his feet.

[Bryce]

Yeah, dude. Oh, yeah, man. Anyway, thank you for that layers of Hell conversation. I'm glad you got lost for 45 minutes, though, because I feel like this is something I would also get lost for 45 minutes doing. Just being like, I just got to look into this. I lost a bunch of time earlier because I didn't realize that velociraptors have feathers. And then I started reading them. I was like, what else don't I know about dinosaurs? Cut to an hour later. And I was like, jackie, you've got things to do.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, right, because birds are supposed to be their closest descendant, right?

[Bryce]

Yeah. I don't idea.

[Natalie Jean]

See, we're learning things here, Everybody possibly correct things. So on Midgard, there's not nine levels of hell, there's only seven. So the bigger and greater princes are the Princes of the Abyss, Number six, because if you'll recall, Aidas is number five. Chasm, six levels, the Abyss. Okay. The bottom, the seventh layer is the Prince of the Pit, AKA the Star Eater. Big Bad, feared above all others in Midgard and also used to create the.

[Bryce]

H. I just wonder if they have, like, family Sunday dinners, you know, like all of the, like, princes get together in one of the layers. Like, they always host a different.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, it does seem like they are relatives, because they are. Seems as though they're constantly feuding with each other.

[Bryce]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

So the beings of Hell seem to be quite mysterious to the citizens of Midgard, and they seem to mostly want to avoid them as opposed to study what's happening. I would note that it seems that each level of Hell represents a widening hole of some sort. And the sections of this book itself are also separated by this distinction.

[Bryce]

Widening of holes.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. So it's the same. I didn't notice that actually before, but it is like the same grading system as Hell. So I don't know if that is going to mean something.

[Bryce]

Something.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt thinks about why the Prince of the Pit is called the Star Eater. And it's because. Because he's the only being in recorded history to have ever slayed an Asteri, and it was the one named Sirius. The Wolfstar. The Asteri rule now with an empty chair next to them to honor Sirius. A being powerful enough to kill an immortal. Asteri is not one to trifle with.

[Bryce]

Nah, dude.

[Natalie Jean]

Hun continues to watch agape at the conversation Bryce and Aidas are engaging in. Apparently through watching Hunt watch this conversation. Aidas had also appeared as a cat to Bryce when she was younger. She confirms that this happened when she was 13. Bryce seems to have an amicable relationship with this demon prince.

[Bryce]

Not like the other girls.

[Natalie Jean]

So he. Yeah, I mean she's definitely.

[Bryce]

That is top level.

[Natalie Jean]

Not like the other girls. But he's stunned to see that they have some kind of history between each other. Other.

[Bryce]

God, you imagine how much harder he would get because it just like this, it's like summons not only a demon, but summons a prince of Hell and also has an easy accord with him. I would be slipping out of my boots.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, right now he's kind of pissed.

[Bryce]

Well, yeah, no, he'd be. I mean, yeah, it's also the prince.

[Natalie Jean]

Of Hell, but I do think that that does make him hornier.

[Bryce]

Right.

[Natalie Jean]

He seems to like to get mad at her, so he doesn't understand what's why they know each other. But he hopes that whatever she does and wants to hear from him quick. Because the cold that's brought in from hell becomes deadly in a matter of minutes, even to, you know, like people who've made the drop. And Bryce has not made the drum.

[Bryce]

Nah, dude.

[Natalie Jean]

So she does cut to the chase. She wants to know who released the Crystal Os and killed a pack of devils. Aidas claims ignorance on the Crystalos, but comments on how he'd heard how much Danica screamed as she was ripped apart heart. It's hard to get a sense of who this being is from this conversation. He's being familiar with Bryce, almost friendly, who seems unfazed by him. But he's also tormenting her by bringing up Danika. And he's smiling at her as he's saying it.

[Bryce]

He's still a prince of hell.

[Natalie Jean]

In that same breath though, she reveals that the last time he visited her, he gave her advice, which is he told her not to let them see her cross. Why? That's also something Ran said to Feyre during her trial. She asks again for the information and he tells her, I might have it, but nothing comes for free.

[Bryce]

I wish she did that. But he didn't do that.

[Natalie Jean]

Just a kiss.

[Bryce]

Yeah, just a kiss. Like Aidas. What are we doing here? I'm trying to get information That's a workplace harassment. Yeah, you're right Aidas. Think about about that.

[Natalie Jean]

Suddenly in that conversation, Aidas notices Hunt standing next to her and he alludes to maybe Hun can be the price. He says his quote pets like to tear out feathers. Bryce obviously is like no Adas and points to his tattoo saying he's already owned and it's definitely not because she has a big crush on him.

[Bryce]

Ada smiled, looking him over at again.

[Natalie Jean]

A fallen warrior with the power of.

[Bryce]

Adis's groomed brows lifted in surprise. His blue opal eyes narrowed to slits then simmered like the hottest flame.

[Natalie Jean]

What are you doing with a black crown around your brow?

[Bryce]

Hun didn't dare let his surprise at the question show. He'd never heard it called that before. A black crown, halo, witch ink, mark of shame, but never that.

[Natalie Jean]

So that's an interesting comment. Ada seems surprised by something. Could it just be that it's his rare lightning or something else? We won't find out today. But Aidas now he has some kind of thought when he's looking at Hunt.

[Bryce]

Thank you for bringing this up again because I completely forgot about this until rereading it again that like even just this moment because in first reading it I was like why does it mean I was like screaming at the book. What does it mean? Because I I feel like this was such a big like huh? That they pass over that I was like I want to know more about that. Wait, wait wait wait wait. But I know there's so many other things we need to know about.

[Natalie Jean]

You might have to wait for 500 more pages. So yeah, we're not finding out today. And then Ada shifts focus into sort of of I guess I would call like a non sequitur because no one directly asks him, but he informs them that the seven Princes have no interest in dominating Midgard. So I guess maybe he's referencing it's not us sending the crystal out, I guess is what he's trying to do there. Hunt pushes back saying that's crap because his job entails chasing Hell's creatures all over the damn place. And then Aidas drops this little teeny bit of geographical information he posits, well, you know, why do you think everything is all these creatures are from hell. Do you know that for sure? Because the Northern Rift opens to other places, you know, other planets. And then he mentions that Hel is a distant planet bound to theirs by a ripple in space and time.

[Bryce]

Which is awesome as shit. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

But this is sort of news to Hunt. They really have a lot going on in Midgard for people to have never questioned what Ellis. Yeah, but apparently a lot of people think it's just some cerebral plane somewhere, but it is basically telling them it's just a different planet. Yeah, another planet. It's not like, you know, the place people go and they die. You know, because we have. Obviously, our helmet is like, that's where you go afterwards if you are bad.

[Bryce]

Keep jerking off. You're going to hell.

[Natalie Jean]

But just the top one.

[Bryce]

Yeah, it's fine. What's got. What? Cold breezes? Put on a jacket.

[Natalie Jean]

Although I will say that sodomy is pretty low down. They get pretty bad. Hell.

[Bryce]

I'm annoyed by that. That's so annoying.

[Natalie Jean]

It's very stupid.

[Bryce]

All right, fine. Have fun with your layers of hell, then.

[Natalie Jean]

But, yeah, so Aidas is saying that, well, maybe it's because you're just a planet connected to yours somehow. And then he has this bomb. He drops. Your kind fallen were made in Midgard by the Asteri. But the fae, the shifters, and many others came from their own worlds. The universe is massive. Some believe it has no end, or that our universe might be one in a multitude as bountiful as the stars in the sky or the sand on a beach.

[Bryce]

Attention, everyone. Attention. A line has been said that we must pay attention to.

[Natalie Jean]

Will come back. But I love any kind of multiverse discussion. I love it so much.

[Bryce]

Love it. And I mean, you know, I think that we can already say that. I think that we all can tell that there's a reason why we're continuing on in the world of sjm. And I know that we're not saying why just yet, but let's just say maybe this has a lot to do with it.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know.

[Bryce]

I don't know. I don't know. So awesome, though. Really, really awesome. Like, even just you reading that line gives me, like, the Chevies. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce and Hunt don't seem to know what to make of this information. Like us, the reader, Bryce demands to know whether it's true that Hell isn't sending creatures out through the Northern Rift. So she said, okay, so you're saying that none of those creatures that we've been finding are from Hell. And Aidas concedes that the first four levels of Hell sometimes get curious. He kind of, like, shades them. Like, that's what I'm saying.

[Bryce]

Sullenness, right? It's like, ugh, yeah, some people want to go, but, you know, one through.

[Natalie Jean]

Four, just so basic. And sometimes they get stuffed through because they get curious about Midgard and show up. But even they didn't send the crystal Os. So he's saying the Crystalos is not from hell.

[Bryce]

All right, Right.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt isn't buying it. He challenges Aidas to say that the demons historically have been trying to take over the planet. Aidas laughs this off and suggests the Asteri are spinning yarn. So he kind of mocks this idea that the lore of this world is that hell is constantly trying to get in. They're the bad guys. They're always trying to, like, take the planet over. And. As in. In Aidas is sort of like, oh, okay, that's what they're telling you now. That's free. Funny. And then a riddle, because of course.

[Bryce]

Thanks, Aidas.

[Natalie Jean]

So he says, what blinds an oracle? And this is in reference to Bryce's.

[Bryce]

Disastrous Just tell me, Aidas, with all the puzzles. So many puzzles in these damn books. It's like, we've got enough mysteries to uncover.

[Natalie Jean]

Nope, not enough.

[Bryce]

Now we gotta think about what lines. And all we're going. It's like, off eight.

[Natalie Jean]

This is. You know, again, this is a reference to disastrous visit that Bryce had with the oracle. And we don't learn everything that Bryce knows about that day. Right now, Aidas notes that Bryce's temperature is about to drop too low and tells them that he'll see himself out. But as he's about to leave, Bryce blurts out. She just. Please. She just wants to know if he knows what killed Danika. It seems like he may, but we can't just tell people things, can we, though? Instead, he says, run the tests again. Find what is in between.

[Bryce]

Bro, like, it's just. Again, you just dropped another little puzzle for us. You know the answer. You know the answer.

[Natalie Jean]

I should be answering more things in riddles. See, how long before I got a divorce, Henry divorces me.

[Bryce]

Maybe that's what happened in the Sims. You know, it's a whole under, you know, puzzle lore that we missed.

[Natalie Jean]

If a sock is needed, where would it go?

[Bryce]

Shut up, Natalie.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm just asking where.

[Bryce]

Where my laundry is. I'm sorry. He would never say shut up, Natalie. That is a guarantee.

[Natalie Jean]

No, he wouldn't.

[Bryce]

But it would be funny for me if you only spoke to him in riddles, so I would really appreciate that. Thank you.

[Natalie Jean]

As he starts to fade away, back to wherever the chasm is, Bryce thanks him for, quote, that day wink. His only response is to tell Bryce to make the drop and then find him again. Oh, good, more mysteries.

[Bryce]

It's just like with the cock blocking and the mysteries of this book. Sometimes, like, ah, but it's what makes him so good.

[Natalie Jean]

It's true. Then he's gone, and Hunt explodes in anger. How could she not tell him that something so deadly was coming through? True. Bryce just shrugs it off and informs him that she was confident he wasn't gonna hurt her or anyone with her dorm on it. Then she opens up about what happened that day. So we're seeing this growth in Bryce, where maybe, you know, a few chapters back, she wouldn't have explained anything about what Aidas just told her to hunt. But now she's like, here's how I know him. After being rejected by her bio dad that day, at 13 years old, when she got her reading from the Orange Oracle, she was sitting alone and crying on a park bench when a white cat with bright blue eyes appeared next to her. She doesn't know who called him or how he got there. She did later learn, though, from Jesiba that princes from hell were known to do that to get through the northern rift that is to come in the form of an animal that they're confined inside of. And their magic is dulled. That day, when she asks why he was there, he said suggests that he arrived when he heard the oracle's screams and became curious. He sat with Bryce that day until she calmed down, stopped crying, coaching her to keep her composure around those who hurt her, to not give them the satisfaction. By the time she had pulled herself together and was ready and wanted to thank him, he was gone. So that is the backstory of how she first met Aidas at 13. He was technically, like, helping her. So again, very curious about who this creature is.

[Bryce]

But also, I will say I understand where he's coming from about that, like, telling her to not cry in front of other people. But I do need you to know, outside of this story, crying is not a weakness. And it doesn't mean that you can't cry, because sometimes you gotta cry it out. And maybe I'm just coming at this from someone that cries all the time, but. And I understand that sometimes you have to keep your composure to show your strength. Strength. But crying is not weak.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. So you can only. I mean, it's okay to cry if you're in, like, a series of tests where you. You could be crushed or, like, eaten by a worm or something. Like, then you. You can probably, you know, you want to, like, refrain from crying.

[Bryce]

Yeah. Because you don't want to, like, give them that satisfaction. I understand that section of it you know, I get that if you're in like murder games, I guess, try to keep a trap.

[Natalie Jean]

Like, don't.

[Bryce]

Like, don't let him be like, oh, I don't know, should I cut off my leg? Like just cut it off. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

And you throw it at him.

[Bryce]

Yeah, throw it at him. Knock him off his little tricycle.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes. So she reveals all this and then without wasting any more time, she pulls her phone out in the the hopefully warming back up apartment and gets a hold of Declan. She tells him what Aidas just told her, that they need to run the tests again. Again, she takes this advice by Aidas to mean test the bodies and crime scenes again from the past two years. She asks if Declan has any thoughts about what they should do or what they could retest. And he says that they should run scent tests. Bryce is confused. Assuming they ran scent diagnostics two years ago. Through this back and forth conversation, Bryce learns the truth, that there was a fancy Fae technology called a Mirmer test, which is a reference to a character in Norse mythology, just FYI. That would have given better results. So they did run a scent diagnostics test, but it was like a subpar one. And it's revealed during this conversation that the Fae actually had this other thing called a Myrmuhr test, which is much more effective. But the Autumn King declined to let them use it, saying it it wasn't their Fae business to deal with.

[Bryce]

I just feel like, didn't. Like, couldn't there be somebody that's above the Autumn King to be like, hey, but he's the head of the Fae, and so therefore he is in charge of the Fae business. So no one could make him use that. Which is ridiculous.

[Natalie Jean]

It's like having a country's leader be like, no, you can't have our resources. So Bryce is shocked, but also not shocked by this information.

[Bryce]

Not.

[Natalie Jean]

And she's pissed. Her stupid father could have helped her with very little effort on his end, but intentionally chose to not help them solve this murder of her best friend.

[Bryce]

Thanks.

[Natalie Jean]

She hangs up with Declan and storms out of her apartment to confront Daddy.

[Bryce]

Daddy, we've got things to talk about.

[Natalie Jean]

That was a lot of info. So let's like stop here because there was a lot of.

[Bryce]

It was a lot story. It was a lot. There was a lot in these chapters. Natalie, you navigated it so well. You did a wonderful job.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Bryce]

There is so much going on with these because this is where, you know, talk about the meat of the story. We're really getting in.

[Natalie Jean]

She's Gnawing.

[Bryce]

I love to gnaw, but I don't put the slime into my mouth. All right. It says on the outside do not eat it.

[Natalie Jean]

I think you should. Shouldn't.

[Bryce]

All right. Even though it keeps getting stuck in.

[Natalie Jean]

My hair, it's covered in dirt, you know? You know, what do you think I.

[Bryce]

Do with my slimes? What do you think I put my slimes in? My hands are back in the thing covered in dirt.

[Natalie Jean]

Dust particles get on it.

[Bryce]

Yeah. You don't want to lick it? Nah, I'll try not to. Even though the holly jolly it's given me a call.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, that's why they made plants non toxic because kids always be putting it in their mouth. It looks like freaking cookies.

[Bryce]

Yeah, but then also you get all of the like baking oven kitchens and you make it look like food. Of course they're eating it. I'm sorry. We don't need to scream about slime and play DOH at the end of this. But I am very curious as to where this is going and I'm very, very excited for next week. Thank you, Natalie.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's fun to remember all of the things that you forgot because so.

[Bryce]

Much happens and I am digging it.

[Natalie Jean]

I gotta get this all off of my head. I'm. My brain is being crushed by the number of things on top of my head right now.

[Bryce]

Sounds like you need slime. Please read up until chapter 56.

[Hunt]

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