LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City / Episode 27: Lightning Crashes, A Head Rolls Away

Summary

LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City – Episode 27: "Lightning Crashes, A Head Rolls Away"

Hosted by Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski from The Last Podcast Network, Episode 27 of LPN Deep Dives delves deep into the climactic chapters of Sarah J. Maas's popular adult science fiction series, Crescent City. This episode, released on April 23, 2025, provides an engaging analysis of the final confrontations, character revelations, and the intense battles that shape the fate of Crescent City.

---

1. Bryce Quinlan’s Revelations and Inner Struggles

Timestamp: 03:15 – 23:34

Natalie and Jackie kick off the episode by exploring the pivotal moments surrounding Bryce Quinlan, the protagonist whose hidden starborn powers are finally coming to light. As Bryce grapples with her identity, Natalie reflects on a particularly emotional scene where "Bryce Quinlan pulls a glowing orb of light out of her chest" (13:00). This act signifies her unleashing her true power, which has been suppressed due to societal pressures and personal trauma.

Jackie highlights the significance of Bryce’s relationship with Danika, especially during their perilous mission to dismantle an animal smuggling ring. Natalie underscores how Bryce's internal conflict—holding back her starborn abilities—reflects broader themes of self-acceptance and the burden of hidden strengths.

Natalie Jean [14:29]: "I am Bryce Quinlan," she said, revealing her serene and powerful presence.

2. The Summit Room Confrontation

Timestamp: 23:38 – 49:44

The episode transitions to the intense scene in the Summit Room, where Bryce's revelation sends shockwaves through the assembly. Jackie notes, "The ground slid out from under Hunt as the light between her hands flared as bright as the sun" (14:50), indicating the immediate impact of Bryce’s display of power.

Natalie elaborates on the aftermath, explaining how the demons react to Bryce’s power, suggesting a deep-rooted connection between the starborn abilities and the demonic forces threatening the city. The hosts discuss the implications of Bryce being the "heir to the starborn fae" and how this revelation challenges existing power dynamics within the Crescent City hierarchy.

3. The Asteri’s Brutal Assault

Timestamp: 55:19 – 66:35

As Bryce stands in front of the Heart Gate, the Asteri make a devastating move to eliminate both Bryce and the demonic threat. Natalie and Jackie dissect the introduction of the Brimstone missiles, weapons that combine Asterian power with dark magic, rendering them almost unstoppable. Jackie playfully comments on the weapon's design, saying, "We'll say it sounds pretty bad ass... it’s a really cool weapon" (59:55), highlighting the blend of awe and horror these missiles embody.

Natalie connects this assault to real-world parallels, discussing how authoritarian regimes often view their populations as expendable, likening the Asteri’s actions to oppressive governmental tactics. This segment emphasizes the high stakes and the impending doom that hangs over Crescent City as the Asteri storm in to level the city and obliterate the remaining threats.

4. Climactic Battles and Cliffhanger Ending

Timestamp: 66:35 – 67:56

The hosts build suspense as they recount the desperate measures Hunt takes to save Bryce. Natalie narrates the dramatic leap Hunt makes, using his lightning powers to intercept incoming bombs aimed at Bryce (67:36). Jackie adds humor amidst the tension, imagining the chaotic scene if animated, ensuring listeners remain both entertained and invested.

The episode culminates in a heart-pounding cliffhanger where Hunt’s lightning power clashes with the Brimstone missiles, leaving listeners eagerly anticipating the next episode to discover whether Bryce and Hunt survive the cataclysmic events.

Jackie Zebrowski [67:55]: "Can the lightning power save them? We'll never know. Except we will next week."

5. Hosts’ Reflections and Theories

Timestamp: Throughout

Throughout the episode, Natalie and Jackie interject personal reflections, humor, and speculative theories about upcoming plot developments. They discuss character motivations, potential alliances, and the emotional toll of the battles on the protagonists. These insights provide depth to the listeners' understanding of the narrative and foster a connection between the audience and the characters.

Jackie Zebrowski [35:17]: "If you thought about literally anybody else besides yourself for a second, maybe you could have figured that out."

---

Conclusion

Episode 27 of LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City masterfully explores the intense and transformative moments in Sarah J. Maas's series. Through detailed plot analysis, character exploration, and the hosts’ engaging commentary, Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski offer listeners a comprehensive understanding of Bryce Quinlan's journey, the escalating threats from the Asteri, and the high-stakes battles that define the fate of Crescent City. The episode effectively sets the stage for the next installment, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the resolution of these dramatic conflicts.

Notable Quotes:

• Natalie Jean [14:29]: "I am Bryce Quinlan," she said, revealing her serene and powerful presence.
• Jackie Zebrowski [35:17]: "If you thought about literally anybody else besides yourself for a second, maybe you could have figured that out."
• Jackie Zebrowski [67:55]: "Can the lightning power save them? We'll never know. Except we will next week."

---

Stay tuned for the next episode of LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City, where Natalie and Jackie will continue unraveling the mysteries and adventures of Bryce Quinlan and her allies in their fight to save Crescent City.

Transcript

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hey, have you met AllModern? AllModern brings you the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place and 4-26-28 you'll save up to 70% during their big sale of the year. Don't miss deals on sofas, outdoor furniture and more. All on sale at All Modern. Then get them delivered fast and free. Zero shipping fees and zero stress. That's modern made simple. Get an early look online before the sale starts April 26th. Then [e-mail] if you have a locked AT&T phone we're here with bolt cutters. T Mobile will help pay off your locked phone and give you a new 5G phone for free. All on America's largest 5G network. Visit t mobile.com carrierfreedom via virtual prepaid MasterCard in 15 days. Free phone up to $830 via 24 monthly bill credits plus tax and a.

[Natalie Jean]

$10 device connection charge.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Qualifying port and trade in service on Go 5G next and credit required. Contact us before canceling entire account to continue bill credits or credit stop and balance on required finance agreement as deal bill credits end if you pay off.

[Natalie Jean]

Dev early hey everyone, I just wanted to jump in here and let you know that we're going to be covering a part of the book that talks about a city being bombed and with everything going on in the world right now and that doesn't feel good to you? Just go ahead and skip this one and we'll see you next week.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We're excited to announce that we're going to Prythian and Valbara and Basgaeth.

[Natalie Jean]

If you're nasty and you can too.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Join us in spring of 2026 at the Dreamers and Readers Festival, a three day event chock full of choose your own adventures, multiple Fae balls, fashion shows, photo shoots, Hoteez Everybody.

[Natalie Jean]

At least 15 different events at the otherworldly Gaylord Texan Resort that you can customize to make the perfect trip fit your Fantasy Dreams.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Visit fantastiquecollection.com and use our code Fayebaes at checkout to receive $10 off of any of these dreamers and readers. Night one and two Mythical Creatures, Masquerade, Fantastic Starfo Ball and the Farewell Fae Bash.

[Natalie Jean]

Not only that, but if you use our code Faybay's at checkout for those events, you will receive an exclusive swag bag from the weekend.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'll do anything for a swag bag. Natalie. Get me yes, that's right. Use our code faybayes F A E B A E [e-mail] to get your $10 off of any of these events.

[Natalie Jean]

Dreamers and readers, baby, I cannot wait for this.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Gimme, gimme. That's swag. Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts, Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski. Oh, vocal warm ups. Don't start crying. Don't stop crying.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't want to, man.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Do you ever have one of those kind of voice classes like that where everybody's crying? You don't realize how much your breathe. Your breath work really gets those emotions flowing? Or am I just talking about my dumb theater school bullshit?

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, I took very casual musical theater acting classes, so I don't think I got that treatment.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, where you were just like the bad guys. Like, it was casual. Whoa.

[Natalie Jean]

Tomorrow.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I thought you were Annie in a past life. And I was like, annie, no, Natalie. I thought you wanted to just stare up the pant leg of a big bald motherfucker saying, daddy, would you like some sausage? But don't say that because a different thing. I think it's a different daddy. Different daddy different.

[Natalie Jean]

You know, Henry is a Freddy got fingered apologist. And I. I get it. I do appreciate it more now than I did when it came out, but I hated that movie when it came out.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Why?

[Natalie Jean]

I didn't understand it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, I completely understand more.

[Natalie Jean]

I think I felt at the time like he was trying too hard.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I get it.

[Natalie Jean]

Which he is. But like, it can be funny.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But he was the, like, the grandfather of all of that kind of comedy. I've been rewatching some Tom Green. I've been having a big of a Tom Green assance because he is as well right now. He's like revamping. He just. He's got a new show out. He's got a doc out about, like, what was going on with him between then and now. And also he's been looking pretty good too.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no, Jackie. Oh, Jeff, watch out.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, he's gonna go. You know, it's like, I know he had Drew Barrymore in the past, but if you could go with someone that looks nothing like her, not anywhere near as successful and. But at least look at my angel outfit. If I showed him the angel outfit, maybe I'd be like, I'm an archangel. Don't you want to marry me?

[Natalie Jean]

Drew Barrymore was like 20 years ago.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, it was a while ago.

[Natalie Jean]

He was very brief, but thankful that he was in Charlie's Angels for no reason. I still stand that movie.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No reason? Why? Because he gave it dignity.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yes, for sure.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's what they usually hire him for. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

To just really make it, you know, for people to take it seriously.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I know. I've got some Tom Greenheads out there. I know. I'm not alone in this.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't hate him. I just. I think I appreciate his comedy a little more now than I did in the 90s.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sure. Especially now that, honestly, we live an absurdist comedy life. I hate to break this to you, Natalie. I know you used to be very cool, and you probably used to make fun of people like us.

[Natalie Jean]

No, I did. I absolutely did not. I swear to you I didn't.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Natalie, I saw how punk cool you were back then.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, but punk is very silly a lot of the time. Like, there is a lot of self deprecation in it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

True, true. But I am still very scared of you and your judgments.

[Natalie Jean]

You shouldn't be. I don't think my judgments mean anything.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ouch. Natalie. No. It takes everything in me not to scream every time Natalie opens her mouth. I'm used to living in such fear beside her.

[Natalie Jean]

It's a big problem. We decided to do a bunch of podcasts together.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I know. We had to go to therapy. Oh, Natalie. How cute would we be in therapy?

[Natalie Jean]

It would be adorable. Let's make it a podcast.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes.

[Natalie Jean]

Nothing can be private.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sisters in therapy. But not real sisters. Which would make it, you know, not as crazy when we start yelling at each other.

[Natalie Jean]

Yelling at each other?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes, yelling at each other. That is what I was going to answer that with.

[Natalie Jean]

I was trying to finish your sentence.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you. And you did.

[Natalie Jean]

Can you tell who I am?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No. I know. I knew you were gonna ask me. I was like, I know she's gonna ask me on the show if I know who she is, and I have absolutely no idea.

[Natalie Jean]

There would be no reason for you to understand.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Is that true or is it just that. Okay, okay. All right. At least. You know what? Honestly, it's usually on me, but this one time, it's on Natalie.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, it is. No, I. I knew it would be hard, and I actually, you know, when you're used to wearing a wig, most of the time for this show, it feels as though my head is too small. Like, it doesn't feel like I'm complete.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Would you like me to climb up there and perch atop you like I'm a bit of a jack parrot?

[Natalie Jean]

I'm good. But thank you for the op. The option.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you, Nerla. Such a good bitch. I won't do that for the entire episode. Don't worry. I'll forget about it eventually.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, yeah. And you'll probably remember and do it again.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, sure.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Who knows? Who knows what will come out of my mouth? That's the beautiful part of never having any control of your brain or your mouth.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, when you talk for a living sometimes, eventually you just have to let.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The mouth take over and the mouth does what the mouth does.

[Natalie Jean]

Got freeze dried strawberries on my teeth.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Whoa. Brag much? Sorry that I don't have a beard snack for later. I'm sorry. I'm looking at Adam and Adam's beautiful beard, and I always am very envious of anyone that has a mustache or a beard because it makes me think of the Twits, the Roald Dahl book, where they had a picture of the character in the book and he had a bunch of food trapped in his beard and he claimed that he would save the food for later. And. And then that was a very.

[Natalie Jean]

That was a journey, you know, journey together.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

There's a lot of space in my brain for journeying.

[Natalie Jean]

Do you really want, like, would you want Jeff to keep food in his beard? Because I think there it would be gross. I think you would not like it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I probably wouldn't like it. But sometime after he eats like a waffle. If we're out at a diner and then you kiss him later and he tastes like maple syrup. You know how I feel about maple syrup. You know that I live a life where I'm just always looking for a conduit to bring maple syrup into my mouth. And so if he's tigasting like maple syrup, I'm saying his beard is a.

[Natalie Jean]

Conduit for maple syrup. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And I suck on his beard every night. I want to make sure that I experience everything Jeff eats in a day.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's marriage, Natalie. And I'm sorry, you're not doing that for your partner.

[Natalie Jean]

No, I can't help it. He is. He is an enthusiastic eater, and it is always on his face. He is very cute.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Watching Henry is my favorite thing to watch him eat. That's a gross thing for a sister to say. But my favorite thing to watch him eat is popcorn. Because Natalie and I both love popcorn to an extent that it might be unhealthy.

[Natalie Jean]

Unhealthy, yeah, for sure.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But Henry eats popcorn. He takes a handful of popcorn and throws it at his mouth, and whatever the mouth catches, he eats. And I have never seen. And I'm not even making fun of him. Him, it's so impressive. But then watching him stand up after a movie where he is absolutely covered in popcorn. Is very, very funny. Because, like, I'll. I'll find, like, an errant popcorn in my titties.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, everybody finds a popcorn in their bra. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, especially.

[Natalie Jean]

Who are you? Oh, you think you're better than me? You don't find popcorn in your bra.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, oh, oh. The kernels don't hurt you throughout the day. And you don't think, I wonder what's trapped inside of my bra. I should probably take it out. You don't. You wait until the nighttime, and then you go to go take a shower, and then all of a sudden you're like, oh, my God, what was in there?

[Natalie Jean]

What was that sharp thing?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, my God, that hurt all day. That hurts so bad. I'll do nothing about it. But I think that for people that wear underwires in their bra, they're just kind of always used to being uncomfortable.

[Natalie Jean]

I think that is a thing. I don't even notice how uncomfortable I am in the breast area. Yeah, until you kind of get ready for bed and you're like, oh, yes, the bird.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank God.

[Natalie Jean]

The burden of womanhood.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, get these out of here.

[Natalie Jean]

But I do like boobies.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, we talking boobies. I'll talk boobies all day.

[Natalie Jean]

We talking boobies. We gotta talk about Bryce's boobies. Okay, well, we're here to talk about.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Boobies and boobies and boobies and boobies and boobies. No, I am dressed as Sandriel. I am evil. Jackie, we're giving evil right now.

[Natalie Jean]

But you could also be Shahar. So if you'd rather be Shahar, because Sandriel is only in the first part of this episode.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

God, I just had a horrible, horrible vision in my brain of, like, her pretending like she's Shahar just so she could bang hunt. And that would be so evil that I feel like Sandriel would have done that.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Horrible.

[Natalie Jean]

Ew, Horrible.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I just yucked myself out.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's yucky. So Bryce is running towards the heart gate, and we're about to get a lot of reveals in these final chapters.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Y'all ready for some plot? Yeah, man. Oh, yeah. It ain't ho drab. I tell you what.

[Natalie Jean]

A lot of stuff happening. So we're gonna get some reveals. She is running because she is coming up with this plan. And not every. Nobody really totally knows what's going on, but it seems like it's a little bit of an unalive mission. And so Bryce, as she's running, is letting little pieces of her memory filter through her mind in the memories of the day that she was in danger with Danika. So she kind of seems like she thinks she might be at the end of her. The line for herself. And she's like having flashing. Yeah. And so she going to this day who. We've gotten little bits and pieces of this day throughout the book, but we don't really know what happened at the end. But, you know, we know something big and consequential happened that day, but not what. So we're about to learn the truth. And it will tie many of the parts back together from throughout the story. But first, we're with Hunt at the start of chapter 87, and he's watching in despair as Bryce presumably is going to die to save this, something they don't even really understand.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You don't want to say what you wrote in here is presumably committing an unalive bomb. And I love the question mark. I'm like, how do I say it?

[Natalie Jean]

I didn't know if I should say it or not.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I know because I. I appreciate you trying to be sensitive, but it is a time that is what's happening going through your brain that you think that that's what's about to happen.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes, that is what it. It seems as though is occurring. But after only a moment, the whole Summit Room watches in shock as she pulls a glowing orb of light out of her chest as you do and does that really cool looking thing like she's underwater. Her hair's floating all around like a mermaid.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, like the front of the book.

[Natalie Jean]

Like the front of. Oh, yes, the front of the book. Oh, yes, like the front of the book. I always think of rotoscoping because it's my favorite kind of ghost projection in movies. You know, like the ones they do in, like Ghostbusters and stuff like that, where it's like they. They take a miniature and they make it underwater and then.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

That's my favorite.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Kind of like a Muppet Christmas Carol.

[Natalie Jean]

Like a Muppet Christmas Carol, yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They do that with the Ghost of Christmas Past.

[Natalie Jean]

So that's what she's doing right now. And it affects the surrounding street so much, whatever she's pulling from herself, the gravity seems to kind of loosen the debris around her as it lifts up. She seems, in this moment, at peace and unafraid. She smiles softly and the light expands. I am Bryce Quinlan, she said to.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The gate, to the void, to all of hell behind it. Her voice was serene, wise and laughing.

[Natalie Jean]

Heir to the starborn fae.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The ground slid out from under Hunt as the light between her hands, the star she'd drawn from her shattered heart, flared as bright as the sun.

[Natalie Jean]

So it's not Ruhn.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What?

[Natalie Jean]

But Bryce.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Whaaaat?

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce is the Starborn Fae. Whaaaat? We cut back to Bryce's memories of that fateful day with Danika. Not the day of the pack murders, but the other day. She reflects upon a lot. One that may have cemented their bond so permanently. We know from her recollections to Hunt that she and Danika had gotten into some deep poop trying to free some animals from a smuggling ring.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

If you had said the. If you had said S. If you.

[Natalie Jean]

Had brought s. I'm trying to make it more viable for the YouTube algorithm.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, YouTube algorithm. Thank you, YouTube.

[Natalie Jean]

To free some animals from the smuggling ring that her and Danica had infiltrated. So if you recall from her talking about it's a hunt, her and Danica had found out about this smuggling ring that was, like, really abusive to animals. And the two of them, the young bucks, they were like, we're gonna save the animals. And I love that for them.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I do love that.

[Natalie Jean]

But it seems like it was a very, very dangerous thing to do, and it didn't work out very well. So she had ended up pissing off a group of especially dangerous ASP shifters.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you for not saying the A word you were saying. Asp. But also, this reminds me of Pups Without Borders. Marcus telling me about Pups Without Borders, which is where he got Frankie from. And I was busy thinking about pups acting as little puppy doctors, being allowed across the boards. Be like, you must let the pup do the surgery. And they're just, like, trying to like, they're just. They're on the front lines, keeping the puppies safe. At Ameca Insurance, we know it's more than just a car.

[Natalie Jean]

It's the two door coupe that was.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

There for your first drive. The hatchback that took you cross country and back, and the minivan that tackles the weekly carpool for the cars you couldn't live without. Trust Ameca Auto Insurance. Ameca Empathy is our best policy. Moms deserve our very best. Especially on Mother's Day. There's only one place I trust to deliver high quality mom Approved rose bouquets. 1-800-flowers.com this year, 1-800-Flowers wants to make sure all the mothers in your life get the best with double the roses for free.

[Natalie Jean]

When you buy one dozen, they'll double.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Your bouquet to two dozen roses to claim the Double roses offer go to 1-800-flowers.com sxm that's 1-800-flowers.Com sxm. The official florist of Mother's Day.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, the dogs came to protect people. And in Luda.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Stop it. Stop bringing up. When the dogs gave it, they saved and they helped. But the dogs aren't here right now, are they, Natalie?

[Natalie Jean]

No, but you'd think a shifter. Shifter veneer. That they'd have more compassion for the animals that they're smuggling, but I guess they don't.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I guess not.

[Natalie Jean]

They've been caught. Danica and Bryce, that is. And they're kneeling in that very ominous position, one that some people get into before they're shot on their knees, like, woo. No, not shots.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I thought shot. Shot, shot. Yeah, I was like, yeah, usually, like, hands are up, tits are out. I'm sorry. Breasts are out.

[Natalie Jean]

No, different kind of shots. Different kind. Sorry, everyone.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Uh. Oh, it's your jingle Jangles.

[Natalie Jean]

Is that who I am yet? Think of an inanimate thing.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The clock from Beauty and the Beast.

[Natalie Jean]

You're not even trying.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You're right. He was animated. A heart. Oh, heart face. Are you Shadow Heart, the person that Henry's in love with in Baldur's Gate?

[Natalie Jean]

I would maybe lean more towards things happening in the book.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, okay. All right, well, let's keep going.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So it would be. I don't think it would be desperate if you showed up dressed as Shadow Heart because it's the lover of Henry and Baldur's Gate, but I would definitely, probably ask how you're doing. Like, are you okay?

[Natalie Jean]

No, he's allowed to have video game lovers.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's what I'm just saying, if you dressed. If you started dressing like her, I. I would probably ask if you were. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'd be like, what's going on in that brain of yours? That beautiful.

[Natalie Jean]

You don't want to know, thick brain of yours. It's a nightmare in here sometimes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'll never let him love again. I just imagine you just, like, in the shadows, like, trying to be, like, as much of a Gollum as you could ever pull off with. I'm sorry. You're too beautiful to be a golem. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Stop it. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Always a smeagol. Never a golem, Natalie Jean.

[Natalie Jean]

Always a Smeagol. So. Yes. So they're about to be taken down by these shitty shifters.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sucks.

[Natalie Jean]

And I'm sorry. These poopy shifters.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you. My God, I was about to puke everywhere.

[Natalie Jean]

That's making poopy shifters is much gross.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yeah. Don't I? Actually, I think it is worse. I think saying so, too B is worse than shitty.

[Natalie Jean]

I agree.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm more upset at poop.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. I think it's much, much more disgusting.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, gross. I've just yucked out my mouth, and I feel like I can feel my brain being like. Like, girl, you just yucked yourself out so much, you're gonna start saying poopy all the time. And I'm already upset.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know, once I hear a word, it gets trapped in my brain, and then I start saying the word all the time.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's the intrusive thought control.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But at least I'm not, like, you know, cutting off my own hands because I wish my fingers were longer.

[Natalie Jean]

That will not. That'll be the opposite of what will happen. Just so you know, just in case.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Why? You don't want to start trying to see if you can stretch my fingers?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Weights to them. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

You put little weights on them.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I was working on my grip strength. Jeff got one of those things where you, like. Yeah, your grip strength. I don't have a lot of it. Turns out he's got, like, more than.

[Natalie Jean]

Double start coming and doing Ariel.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. I gotta start gripping Natalie. I won't grip you.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay. So they're in this precarious position, and Danika says something she's never said to anyone before. I love you. You know it's serious when Danika says that. We know the other time she said that in the book. Yeah, right before she knew her death was coming.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Through her terror, Bryce is moved beyond words that her friend, who has come to mean so much to her, would open herself up in this way. She makes a decision. With no other way out in sight, she tells Danika to close her eyes. We've seen this scene in the memory, you know, retrieval chapters in the past up to this point. But now we might have an idea of what's coming. Bryce knows there is a terrible risk at revealing this secret. It could alter not only her life, but the lives of her bloodline and even her city, her continent. Because of the ramifications.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The asp shifter finished loading the bullets and pointed the gun at Danica's face. His colleague smirked from a step behind him. Bryce held Danika's stare, did not look away. As she said again, danika, close your eyes. Trembling, Danika obeyed, squeezed them shut.

[Natalie Jean]

She releases the light from inside of her that she fights so hard to hide. It's so bright that the shifters scream. In pain as it scorches their eyeballs.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Tits so bright you gotta wear shades.

[Natalie Jean]

But they won't have to worry about this because soon after, Bryce has their gun and shoots them dead where they stand.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Slowly, carefully, she spooled the light back into herself. Smothered it. The secret she and her parents had kept for so long from her sire. From the Asteri, from Midgard, from Rune. The pure light of a star from another world from long, long ago. The gift of the ancient fae reborn again. Light. But nothing more than that. Not an Asteri who possessed brute power of the stars. Just light.

[Natalie Jean]

So pure light of a star from another world.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Is she not like the other girls or something? Yeah, I guess you're different.

[Natalie Jean]

I meant more.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Okay. You got the pure light of the stars inside you.

[Natalie Jean]

I meant more. This sounds like it could be a reference to other things.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, interesting. Natil. Nati. Interesting.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I feel like that's the classiest way of saying your name.

[Natalie Jean]

So. Yeah. She has starborn power, y'all.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Okay. Okay. And that obviously means I, I, I feel like at this point you can tell because, you know, run just has a small amount of star power that obviously this is chock full of power.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Which is something she thinks about as well as she's running again. She thinks maybe this is her last moments. And so her mind is sort of going further back in time to when she was young. Her love for Rune as a little girl and how she planned to tell him about her secret. The secret her parents had taught her very young to hide because of how dangerous it could be to her. But as a child, she stopped from telling Ruhn. As she watched her bio dad, the Autumn King, degrade Ruhn in front of her every chance he could. She saw that Ruhn's self esteem rested on that little bit of starborn power. She couldn't take it from him. Women always making themselves smaller, always pleasing.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Always giving, not taking the power, letting everybody know how powerful you are. But also, is there not power and not telling everyone how powerful you are?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no, I agree with that for sure, 100%. Also, Ruhn, I feel as though wasn't making her feel like she needed to do that. That was a choice that she decided.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

To make, of course. But I mean, I get it. Especially when things are already kind of estranged and there's a lot between the two of you anyway. It's already like, how are you supposed to get along with someone that's 80 years older than you are? You know what I mean? At that point, right.

[Natalie Jean]

60, I think 60.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

60. And also, I just feel like they're just in different place in their life. But are they. If they look the same, who knows?

[Natalie Jean]

And I mean, she. I think she was cherishing this relationship with her brother so much she didn't want to take. She felt self conscious, almost like she didn't want people to know this about her. Then we return to the present. Bryce, and she's standing in front of the gate. The heart gate. The heart gate.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh. Ah. Natiel, the heart gate. I really. Man, when you're like, look at my face. And I saw the hearts and I was like, what fucking character has hearts on their face? What character has fucking hearts on there? Like, my brain spiraled and I love. They let me sit in the make of my spiral. I like it.

[Natalie Jean]

The make of your spiral?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, man.

[Natalie Jean]

It's a horrible thing.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, man. The juice. The juice that spurts out as you. Spiral.

[Natalie Jean]

Spiral juice.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It is a really good idea to dress as the heart gate, though. And I'm impressed with you.

[Natalie Jean]

Thanks. It definitely wasn't panicked and chosen an hour before.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No. Like the other girls. I'm sorry. You're not like the other gates. And I think that you are the most powerful of all the gates. And wow, impressed.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, any reason to pull out the sequin clothes that I own? You know what I mean?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

For sure. I think. I mean, it is a great reason to use them because everyone should see this capelet of sparkles that you just owned.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I own.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's very small. It's such. What did you use? Use that capelet spark. I'm sorry. Bedazzled. It's not bedazzled, though. It's the long. What are those? It's like huge. They're like.

[Natalie Jean]

They're like. Like mermaid sequins. Like they're scales.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes. Oh, so this is all connected. I know they're not connected, but they.

[Natalie Jean]

Are the same company. This is for my 40th birthday.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ah, makes sense. You gotta dress like a gate for your wardieth birthday. But yes, yes.

[Natalie Jean]

I thought you said a gay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And I was like, yeah, actually, I mean, yes, 100%. I mean, that's me every day.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And I love myself. Yes. It just depends on which kind of day. Like, kind of gay. I want to be that day, you know what I mean?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So Bryce is now standing in front of this gate, her secret revealed to all of Midgard. This is a secret that she knows that she. Because they're all watching this. This Go down. This is it for her. So even if she survives, it's going to change everything about her life. Even with all of the things happening around her, part of her feels a sense of serenity at being able to stop hiding the secret. Secret secrets are no fun. Secret secrets hurt someone.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Wow. Yeah, I'm scared of the.

[Natalie Jean]

It's hard to hold secrets in and it's not good for you a lot of the time. I mean, sometimes you have to hold a secret it. But generally, sometimes the things you think you need to hold secret are hurting you and they. You don't actually need to be ashamed of things. You know what I mean?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's what therapy's for.

[Natalie Jean]

It's true.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Because sometimes it's a secret that you can't tell other people. But that's the beautiful part about therapy. It's true. Just say it there.

[Natalie Jean]

She thinks about how hard it was to deny the pull of the star sword when Run had brought it into the library in the week. Weeks passed. She didn't want to take the sword from Roon, but it merely called her blood was calling for it because of how much power was inside of her that she constantly held down.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's like me and eating a bunch of meat. You know, it's my blood that's calling for it, not just the lust of my teeth.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, blood probably is calling it to an extent.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Everybody says it and everybody's telling me that's why I eat the meat. It's because of my. Oh, blood. Is it bad?

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know what kind of blood I have.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's probably bad. Yeah, it's probably bad.

[Natalie Jean]

How do you find out?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I donate blood. And that's how I found out. And I was like, oh, I'm a good blood. To donate blood, I should donate blood. But here's the thing. You are damned if you are homosexual in any capacity. You are damned if you get tattoos. That's why you are damned if you leave the country. It's like this. They really need to work on the fucking blood laws of being able to donate blood. Can we especially.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, homosexuality is insane to still ridicule.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Truly ridiculous.

[Natalie Jean]

With the tattoo I kind of understand, which is why I actually forget about donating. Because when I used to get tattoos all the time, that was the thing. Like, you couldn't donate blood because they're worried about needle exchange. Like, right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, now it's. You have to wait three months after you get a tattoo. So now Jeff and I are at a place where like, okay, every three Months we go. We donate blood, and right after we go get tattoos, and then you just.

[Natalie Jean]

Do that every three months, we. I should be donating blood. I just literally never remember that. I'm sorry.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I wasn't trying to be a braggart. But, guys, I donate blood.

[Natalie Jean]

I think that that's a good example to make for people.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you. I didn't know if you guys knew. I'm kind of like the Jesus Christ of this network. I'm sorry, Jackie Christ. And you are welcome to call me that at any point, especially now that my wings. I haven't even. Oh, my God. It's like I haven't even slept. My.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, God. Wait there. Oh, they're. They're not working in tandem, so you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Better watch out, because I'm on fly.

[Natalie Jean]

Why is only one working?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Shifting on my back. All right. These ones aren't as good as my mechanical demon wings.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, I know that you don't know the Bible that well, but you know Jesus didn't have angel wings, right?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Why? I think that sucks. You're Jesus Christ, and you don't get to have angel wings.

[Natalie Jean]

No, people don't. Actually. Angels were never humans.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That sucks for them. They should rewrite it. Have they thought about doing a reboot?

[Natalie Jean]

I think a lot of people have rebooted it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

A lot.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, keep trying.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Mel Gibson.

[Natalie Jean]

Jody Hildebrandt just tried.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yeah. What are they doing?

[Natalie Jean]

She's in jail. Oh, she's in jail now, so.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, I guess she was really bad at redoing the Bible then.

[Natalie Jean]

Or she's prosecuted, persecuted, and we don't even know.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, you're right. And we're gonna be like. So, like, we're gonna give her.

[Natalie Jean]

We're so sorry. We're so sorry. Anyway, so thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm glad we had our little Bible pit stop.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

From the two people that know this. Oh, baby. If you've been having your McDonald's sausage McMuffin with an iced coffee from somewhere else, now is a great time to reconsider.

[Natalie Jean]

In the Pacific Northwest, it's never too cold for an iced coffee in the morning. Grab yourself a medium caramel, French vanilla, or classic iced coffee for just $2.29. Warning. Beverage may cause craving for McMuffin or hash browns. Prices improve.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Participation may vary. Cannot be combined with any other offer or combo meal. Race the rudders. Raise the sails. Raise the sails. Captain, an unidentified ship is approaching.

[Natalie Jean]

Over.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Roger. Wait, is that an enterprise sales solution? Reach sales professionals, not professional sailors. With LinkedIn ads, you can target the right People by industry, job title and more. We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Get started today at LinkedIn.com results, terms and conditions apply.

[Natalie Jean]

The venom. She thinks also about the venom she kept in her leg and how it helped her stifle that power for those two years that she had it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yes.

[Natalie Jean]

But as you'll recall in the scene from chapter 61, as the Venom is being extracted from her, Hunt leans down and gives her the first kiss that they share. This is from the. This is a little passage from chapter 61.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

A star bloomed inside her. At that kiss, a long slumbering light began to fill her chest, her veins.

[Natalie Jean]

And so that was basically a literal light was filling her veins. She had kept it tampered down. And then the. I think the combination of pulling the venom out and then like her connecting with the. This certain gentlemen really kind of pulled the. The. The starlight out of her. It's what blinded.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I think she wants a little bit of something being put into her, though. Hey, come on.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, they haven't done it yet.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, we're going to stop. Oh, stop. Power is doing it all. Whoa. Whoa. That was me pretending like I had a dick and the dick was getting really big. Man. When you have to explain your improvised act out jokes, that's when you know the joke is, wow, I think it looks fantastic. It was my dick. Oh.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, it was her dick. God. I mean, her penis.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sorry. Yes, that's right, my penis. I am an angel. I have. I should say the right word. Only one of my. These. Oh, you will. Natalie. I'm sorry, Natalie. And I just flew away and you never saw me again.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I'm sure James can definitely.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

James, hook a up. Make me fly away.

[Natalie Jean]

No, you don't have to. I feel like that would take. I think you should spend an entire day of your life doing this in post production. I know you have nothing else to do with your time.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, not all the other very important things in your life.

[Natalie Jean]

It's what blinded the Oracle. And the Autumn King was too prejudiced to even consider a little demi Fae brat would have the power that his son didn't even get. And so, even though technically it seems like the Autumn King was trying to measure whether or not she did have this power, the fact that she basically did have it and blinded the Oracle, he was too, you know, racist and, you know, arrogant to even consider that that was what was happening. But she.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You're right, though. It feels silly to use the term racist. But it's like he. Yeah, like prejudice. You're right. Yeah. Prejudice.

[Natalie Jean]

But it's like.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, but also, it's like. Yeah. The Autumn King just simply thought she wasn't powerful enough and didn't think any more about it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And don't a lot of people say that about us, Natalie? Okay. And we're very powerful. And you should be scared of us and what light we have in our breasts.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no. Are people saying bad things?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Everybody's saying that we don't have light in our breasts. And I want to show everybody's like, I'll blind you with my nipples. Headlight nipples.

[Natalie Jean]

You think Bryce's power comes out of her nipples?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

That's fun.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What do you think the heart comes from? I thought it spewed out.

[Natalie Jean]

I wish that that was the case. That would be great.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Like the end of a genie lamp.

[Natalie Jean]

So she, you know, when she. It blinded the Oracle, she didn't tell Ruhn, even though she had wanted to originally because of what we talked about. But she also didn't care about this power. She didn't want it. She felt burdened by it and didn't want to be this starborn. She didn't want to be the chosen one.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But aren't those the ones that need. Yes.

[Natalie Jean]

Yup. But she keeps Rune's heart from being even further broken and kept this information even from him. Even Danika. No one ever knew this about her through her life until there was no other choice to say than to save Danika's life with the power. So she was the only other person besides Bryce's parents who ever knew. This time, however, standing in front of the heart gate, she does something she's never done before. She fully extracts the core of the light from her chest. This is a level of power she has no practice or experience with. But she seems to understand that this might be her last few moments alive. Anyway, she's glad she was able to speak to Hunt one last time, knowing the horn is activated in her back. The starborn power just might be able to close the portal. Or so she hoped. She knows that the gate should perhaps act as a conduit to her power, the way that Jeff spirit acts as a conduit to my maple syrup syrup habit.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Wow. Close. Bryce whispered, shaking, and she thrust her starlight into the gate's clear stone.

[Natalie Jean]

Back in the summit room. Yes, they are all watching, stunned, as Bryce's apparent power shoots through the crystal gate, Blinding light shooting out four blocks radius wide. The demons scream and retreat, seeming to react to her power. Like they know it well. Even as they marvel. Hunt realizes that Bryce possesses what would allow her to inherit a throne. And looks to Ruhn. Is he become enemy now? Because as you know, Hunt's only concerned with protecting Bryce. And so now he has to question. In the fey world, thrones are chosen through a lot of murder. And so now see an enemy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And is she gonna have a big old price on her head? Especially now that like the Autumn King knows like it's all the. It's not even just Rune. It's just like everyone that does know how powerful she is. Obviously that would be terrifying. I would definitely. Like, I completely get the whole. Like, I feel like some people might be tired by someone that has all the power and like the trope of it not wanting the power of it. But I think it makes so much sense with Bryce specifically like as her as a character. Like I wouldn't want that amount of power. Like, I wouldn't want anyone looking at me. Like I just want to be. I'm just a normal demi Fae. Don't look at me. Don't expect more from me. Don't put that pressure on me.

[Natalie Jean]

I know. It's just a lot of people looking at me.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh my God. Stop.

[Natalie Jean]

No.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

My God. With her capelets. Stop. Oh my God. Model, model pose. Model pose. Model pose. Oh my God. She's just. She's ethereal in her. Upset our dress.

[Natalie Jean]

No, but I understand. Yes. I think that it would be a lot to take. And especially because when you're put into the idea that you might need to be a queen, everyone wants to kill you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I know.

[Natalie Jean]

And time's only going to tell whether or not Ruhn feel. I mean we. As we hear his thoughts, we. We're pretty sure he's not gonna be like that.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But you know, he's a good male.

[Natalie Jean]

But Hunt doesn't know yet.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Right?

[Natalie Jean]

Everyone. Jesiba. Fury. All those oldies in the room seem flummoxed and shocked. Fury didn't even know about this power that Bryce held.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You're calling them oldies when you're the heart Gate. And I feel like you're pretty old. Sorry, I don't know. Freaking gate. Freaking old gate.

[Natalie Jean]

Female dog.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Female gate.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know how they though are the gates. Oh, I guess they are really, really old. They're older than the city, I imagine.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I imagine you're pretty worn out.

[Natalie Jean]

Or honed.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. Okay, you're right. Honed is a better use word to you use.

[Natalie Jean]

As the light recedes, the Shock ripples through the room. The portal is gone. Closed. Only one of six. But she has done it. And the demons are staying away from that still glowing gate as though they know they can't near it. The Autumn King is being a little B word shock. His first instinct is to call Ember and shout at her.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You will never talk to her like that.

[Natalie Jean]

You also just. With everything else going on, that's your first thing to do, is to yell at her, Your ex wife.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, it makes sense. Who can he. He's so upset. All this stuff that is happening without his control. But what can he control? How Some.

[Natalie Jean]

How yelling at him?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I mean, obviously it's like. Well, he knows that will immediately make him feel better. And isn't that fucking sad for you? You?

[Natalie Jean]

It is sad, but it's good for us, the reader. So we get some exposition. Ember bitterly explains to the Autumn King that he was just basically too arrogant and dumb to realize her power. Because he's like, why did you keep this from me? You knew this secret the whole time. She was the starborn Fay heir. And Amber's like, I didn't keep it from you. You should have figured it out. If you weren't such a prick.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

If you thought about literally anybody else besides yourself for a second, maybe you could have figured that out.

[Natalie Jean]

He's furious that this information was kept from him. In fact, Ember joyfully tells him that baby Bryce was actually the one who saved her and Randall from his men, whom he sent to chase after them when Ember ran away.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Mic, drop it.

[Natalie Jean]

Because her light, even at that young age, kicked in when she sensed that her and her mother were in danger. So she had. Ember had to teach Bryce very young to protect, you know, Bryce from ne'er Do Wells who would want to use her or kill her. Ember spits out to the Autumn King that Bryce wanted to tell him when she was 13, but that he immediately proved to be a total scumbag who threw her out on her ass when her power rankings didn't show anything exceptional. At least her power rankings according to Bryce's parents. So they knew about what was inside of her, but they didn't tell him that, basically, essentially, at age 13. So when he. He ditched her after the Oracle reading, she felt even more self conscious and never told another person. Until Danika found out. Ember calls him a fucking asshole and hangs up on him. You're a fucking asshole. Yeah, you get him, Ember. You get him.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Jack Barrett. Where'd you come from? I know. Jack Barrett doesn't like the Autumn King either. No, I wish he had no power.

[Natalie Jean]

I was thinking Jack Rot, but that doesn't sound like parrot. That sounds like Jack Rot. Sounds like. Oh, go to the doctor.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Seems like. Like something like. What is it? Necropsy. What is the. As it starts to get dead in on you. Necker. Necro. Necro, not mancy. I know it's not that.

[Natalie Jean]

No, that's.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's.

[Natalie Jean]

That's a Roman romancing.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Necropsy.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I think that's close.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I can't hear anyone correcting me, so it's obviously necropolis and I've got it. And it's scary, but. Yeah, that's not Jackrat. Thank you very much.

[Natalie Jean]

The Autumn King is incensed and shatters a vase. He throws it against the wall. The news in the general Malay causes enough destruction in the room, so. Excuse me.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh. A necropsy is a post mortem examination performed on an animal.

[Natalie Jean]

So, not that it's not that, but.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It'S different than autopsy autopsies on humans. Necropsies are on animals.

[Natalie Jean]

Interesting.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Wow.

[Natalie Jean]

I wonder why.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you, Jackie. Thank you, Jackra.

[Natalie Jean]

I wonder why that's different names.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I don't know. So I guess you'd have to know a lot of different stuff. Well, sure, sorry, we don't need to get into that. I just. Now I'm curious about the world of like animal autopsies. Is that something that happens a lot? Is that something like.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm sure that has to happen.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Do we have to ask, like, are your dogs organ donors?

[Natalie Jean]

Well, I think it's more like maybe attached to murder scenes and things like that. Or things where an unexplained death happened. That an animal gene.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ackman.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, honestly, they probably did do a necropsy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Necropsy. We're learning here, guys.

[Natalie Jean]

So there's a lot of Malay going on in the city and in the summit Room as everybody's going, holy. One of them's gone. She's got starborn. What are we gonna do? How do we fix this? And through all this, suddenly Hunt feels a hand on his and it's hypoxia.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Whoa. Someone proven to be a badass witch.

[Natalie Jean]

Remember when she asked him chapters back what he would do if she removed his halo when he jokingly said, can you do it? She seemed to understand through merely his look when she asked that question that he would be willing to take out his oppressors. Not willing. Wanting to, desperately.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh my God. It's almost like he was tampered down in the way that Bryce was tempered down. And maybe both of their powers need to be released.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, so they can finally have an orgasm.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, so they can. Jeez, I be talk abouting how many hundreds of pages of blocking this book is gooning.

[Natalie Jean]

They're goning.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh yeah, I'm feeling gooned.

[Natalie Jean]

They're edging. So it's time to pay the taxman. Tax woman. The tax witch. Shh. The tax witch.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Should I start calling my accountant that?

[Natalie Jean]

Isn't it Anthony?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Anthony the tax witch. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know if he'll understand.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He might like it.

[Natalie Jean]

He might be just like sad and not tell you why.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He might love it.

[Natalie Jean]

Hud looks at Sandriel, who is nearby, and then to Bryce, already exhausted, leaning against the gate. So he sees Sandriel kind of doing her thing. And then he thinks for a second, looks at Bryce voice, you know, through the camera, just barely alive. And then to Hypaxia.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hypaxia's power flowed silently and unnoticed into Hunt.

[Natalie Jean]

Run growls at Sandriel.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, me.

[Natalie Jean]

Who is smirking as she gets off of the phone call she was on. She merely says that she was taking care of a problem when Run says, what was that call about? And they all know what the problem is. She's tattling to the Asteri that Bryce has the fae power.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, no, I say, because it's like, it's like my job. I I.

[Natalie Jean]

You like your job a little too much. A starborn Fae with that amount of power could serve as a threat to them all. All of the Asteri. At least that B word can open portals. And that's the whole reason Micah was trying to control her in the first place, if you'll remember.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So I'm just an angel? I'm just.

[Natalie Jean]

You are not a good one. Because the other angels aren't trying to tattle to the Asteri. You're a simp. And you are one of the bad people.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, but I'm beautiful.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh yeah, you're beautiful. It makes it the evil even worse. Unfortunately.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's almost like you can't trust beautiful people either.

[Natalie Jean]

Rage courses through Ruhn at this, but Sandriel is unbothered and says that she's not going to be able to close the other gates anyway. They can't use her to help close the portals. She hasn't made the drop and she's barely survived closing one, so they must know about it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hunt's fingers curled. Hypaxia met his stare again. And smiled slightly. An invitation and challenge. Her magic shimmered through him over his forehead. And he rose to his feet as Hypaxia's magic dissolved the halo from his brow. Oh.

[Natalie Jean]

A flurry of action occurs. Heads are gonna roll. Kind of literally, yeah. Because Hunt realizes that Rune had kept talking with Sandriel in that moment to distract her as Hypaxia went against the law, knowing her own life is also on the line by doing this.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

There was nothing but cold death in Hunt's eyes as the halo tattoo flaked away from his brow. The true face of the umbra mortis. Goosh, goosh, goosh, goosh, goosh. He's got a lightning up a lighting my buzzy lightning power.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt's got his full lightning power, the likes of which have not been seen in 200 years on this planet.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What?

[Natalie Jean]

The building shakes with his fury. Sandriel is all, oh, like, I'm beautiful.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Did you notice that? Like, I look like Shahar. Like, have you thought about, like, maybe you could. Like, not. Can we.

[Natalie Jean]

Like, you're, like, probably shouldn't have tortured him for 200 years.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Okay.

[Natalie Jean]

In this moment, Sandriel's also had. She had sent her Triari away to do some other dirty business. And no one's here to protect her against the Umbramortis. Not even Micah. Not after she threatened his girlfriend, roommate, Partner. Mate. We're with Ruhn here in pov. And he again feels time slowing as Hunt charges towards Sandriel. And you know what that means when the time slows down. Lightning and dust from the crumbling walls around them block the view of what's going on. And they all take cover as Hunt charges. And then, before long time returns, before the air even clears, Ruhn knows what he'll see.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Her gamble had paid off. Blood splattered Hunt's face as his feathers fluttered on a phantom wind. And from his hand, gripped by the hair, dangled Sandriel's severed head. I guess I lost my head.

[Natalie Jean]

Bye.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bye. And if, you know, we had the animation capabilities, I imagine my head had floated off off my body and was spinning over us as that happened. So I just want everyone to just feel it, live it, dream it inside of your brain.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. All of the angels in the room drop to their knees before Hunt. This is getting messy. All. So Hunt has defeated Sandriel. Two archangels in one day, baby.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Dudes. Yes.

[Natalie Jean]

We need a hypaxia. And Hunt over here on Earth. Earth, please.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, my God. The things I would do to a hypaxi. On a hunt. Good.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, I meant just sexually, but otherwise.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. For the power. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

For the. You know.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, that's what I meant. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Run. Is marveling at this. That the two archangels dying one day and they're, like, killed by his besties.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Maybe.

[Natalie Jean]

We don't know what Han is thinking about Ruhn right now, but we know Ruhn doesn't give a care about any of this starborn stuff that Bryce had tried so much to hide from him. He wishes that she would have told him he wanted a relationship with his sister, not a crown.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, my God, he's such a good male.

[Natalie Jean]

The reason he's my favorite.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I get you.

[Natalie Jean]

The Autumn King pales as Hunt slowly smiles in his direction, seeming to mark him.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But then Hunt looked to Fury, who was pulling debris from her dark hair, and growled, fuck the asteri.

[Natalie Jean]

Get your goddamn helicopter over here.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Fury. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

We switched to Hunt's POV as he's.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sorry. Sidebar. I would love a whole book about Fury. Do you think we'll ever, like, I need so much more. Or do you think that living in more of a mystery, obviously, is better for the character?

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, I think we're going to learn a lot more about Fury. I do.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sure.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. I think. I think that there's going to be some reveals that I told you my.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

My.

[Natalie Jean]

My theory on.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yeah, I love your theory.

[Natalie Jean]

So I think we'll learn.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I got a bunch of hair in my mouth. Got a bunch of my wig hair in my mouth. And then it just kept floating around and just make a little Wendy noise.

[Natalie Jean]

We switch to Hunt's pov as he's experiencing his full power for the first time in centuries. It rolls through him, and his anger at what has been done to Bryce makes even Fury tremble.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Cool.

[Natalie Jean]

He steps into his old role as commander easily, and the room is more than willing to oblige. Going against the Asteris order, they plan a siege on the brutalized city. Pretty much everyone's in, other than the usual suspects who don't want to participate.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Shock.

[Natalie Jean]

Even Amelie jumps in to the shock and anger of Sabine.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes, Sabine. You can't control all the wolves.

[Natalie Jean]

No. It seems like maybe Amelie is questioning some of her life choices.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Think about it.

[Natalie Jean]

I think we should all have that option. Not all of us. I think some people shouldn't because they're that bad. But I think Amelie is a redeemable character.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She is. And I think that she's just a little misguided. I think she Needed more information. I think she honestly needed to see a lot of this and also needed to, like, undo those braids a little bit. I feel like maybe part of her problem was her braids were just so tight.

[Natalie Jean]

Very tight braids.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, she need to let it out a little bit. Maybe she just had a headache.

[Natalie Jean]

Her empathy was in there in this braid somewhere.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, let it out.

[Natalie Jean]

Jesiba and Hypaxia remain with Declan to monitor from the summit building and to keep an eye on the potential dissenters in the room. Because of course, you know, Autumn King and then, you know, basically they're gonna stay there and so somebody's also got to keep an eye on them in case they're gonna try some. Some stuff. You know what I mean? So Hunt barks out commands like a boss. And the crew that's going to the town, the crew that's going to Crescent City travels to the roof, where they find that Fury has prepared a full decked out military copter, saying that she likes to be prepared at these summits in case something goes sideways. Which obviously it did.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes.

[Natalie Jean]

As they are getting prepped to take off, even with everything going on, Hunt quietly asks Fury if she knew about the roof with Bryce and Juniper as she had alluded to it in her goodbye call that happened in the previous chapter. Fyeri doesn't answer the question, instead saying that Bryce had become a ghost over the last two years and that Hunt had awoken her. Just like Mary Lennox at Misselthwaite.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What's that? Who's Mary Lennox? Where's Mistlethwaite White?

[Natalie Jean]

You don't know Misselthwaite?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No.

[Natalie Jean]

I know some of you secret garden stands.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I didn't know the name of it. All I know is he. All I know is that he's cold in the tub. Put the kid cold in the tub.

[Natalie Jean]

Colin Craven.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, put his little legs in the tub.

[Natalie Jean]

Mary Lennox. That's really scary, Misselthwaite.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It scared me when I was little, though.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's supposed to be a little scary.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I think they should reboot it, but it's like she never left the garden, you know what I mean?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, so now she's creepy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, dude. You know, make it a little Gray Gardens esque. But like, who knows what happened to her afterwards.

[Natalie Jean]

I think Colin is a little bit. He might be a little queen. So maybe they're together.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I hope he was allowed to be a little queen.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I hope so.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Still in that tub to this day.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no. Chapter 90 were with Bryce briefly Who was leaning against the gate. Her body nearly shut down from closing the gates. The one gate.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

How do you feel about being closed?

[Natalie Jean]

I didn't want. I didn't want the demons coming out of me.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, okay. So you were fine with this as the gate?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Okay, great. I just want to make sure.

[Natalie Jean]

I didn't consent.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I just realized I haven't checked in on you and your feelings.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, thank you, but nobody asked me to open the gate in the first place.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You're so right. Sometimes we perfume. We refuse to open the knee, but sometimes the knees are glued shut.

[Natalie Jean]

So sorry to everyone out there. If you're hearing flaps, it's my giant sequence.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, you want to hear flaps? Oh, you wanna hear flaps?

[Natalie Jean]

I've activated her. Oh, God, she's knocking the stuff down here. Jesus, those are some big wings.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you. Full of star power. They're not. I'm dead.

[Natalie Jean]

They're not.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm dead.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. So we're with Bryce in the beginning of chapter 90, and she is, you know, she's trying to survive this last bit. She's hoping that either somebody is going to come to get her or, you know, she's. She's going to die in hopes that the closing the one gate helps them defeat the demons in the end. Then we cut over to the copter heading to save Bryce and the city. They have eyes on her and know that the gate is keeping the demons away from her for the moment. Hunt's relief, though, is short lived. As Declan comes in over the communication device in the helicopter that they have spotted three Astarian war vehicles heading to the city. And at first that sounds okay, then they're here to help. But before Hunt can celebrate, Hypaxia joins in on the feed with worse news than they could have ever anticipated. The Asteri are moving in and they are going to take care of the problem by leveling the city.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The blood in Hunt's veins went cold. The Asteri had sent someone to deal with the demons, and with Bryce, they were going to blast the city into dust.

[Natalie Jean]

Yikes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's like, I feel like, guys, there's like, other ways we could deal with this problem. Like, I feel like we. Oh, you're just gonna. Oh, you're gonna come in and kill everybody? Okay. I feel like, sadly, maybe this is a reason why I'm not a leader of a country. Like, I feel like, like sometimes you got to do something more difficult and, like, save a lot of people. Right?

[Natalie Jean]

Well, I think it more alludes to the fact that some of the leadership, maybe most of the leadership in any government sees their populations as insects that they can just sort of take and move around as they please stamp out the ants. So that's what we're seeing here. And maybe other places that I can, you know, relate to you a little bit more than. Than in Midgard. But yeah. So I think that the Asteris essentially going like, just get rid of them. It doesn't matter, whatever. They're just my little chess pieces to move around. And so they have a weapon known as a Brimstone missile. And it combines the Asterian power with nature and magic and all sorts of nasty stuff. Dark sided stuff.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We'll say it sounds pretty bad ass. And I know that we're supposed to be anti the angels, but this is like a really cool weapon.

[Natalie Jean]

It's like at the level of like an atom bomb, though, you know what I mean? Like it probably shouldn't exist.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. Something about human nature, something about science. Yeah. There's something in there, what we're supposed to do.

[Natalie Jean]

Take away from it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. Like, you know, or you could kill a lot of people in a cinch. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

So there is especially up. Because there's magic in them to slow the healing of veneers. So likely more casualties. Fury makes a futile attempt at contacting the Asterian guard, demanding that they stand down. But they all know that they can't stop them, that the Asteri are well aware what the weapons will do. Hypaxia screams for all the house leadership to pull their people out of the city. But they can't reach Bryce in that way. With no way to stop what's about to happen, they hover far enough away from the city, but close enough to. To see that they can find. They find the tanks appearing on the horizon.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The Brimstone missiles shot from the launchers and arced over the walls, blazing with golden light. As the first of them hit, he prayed that Bryce had left the gate to find shelter. You know she didn't. You know she didn't.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, she does. She does suck.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I know, but I just. I feel like at this point I would be like, I don't trust this bitch. I don't know where she's gonna go. I don't know what she's gonna do. What other secrets you got in there?

[Natalie Jean]

That's true, Rusty secrets. But I do feel like Bryce would. If she could keep herself alive, if she thought she could help people, she would.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes, you're right. You're right. And she does all of it to help people. And I feel like sometimes, even though I want to give a little bit of a roll of the eye when she's not like the other girls every once in a while where it's like. But you're right, she wouldn't, wouldn't. She would definitely do anything to help people.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. We cut over to Bryce in the immediate aftermath of the bombing. She's experiencing the aftershock of something so sudden and so extreme and is trying to pull her senses together. You know that this is such a traumatic and awful thing to have happen and really hard to explain. This is a weird side tangent, but it made me think of as a little girl my American Doll Molly book looks.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Because you had red hair. So you had the lighter haired one.

[Natalie Jean]

No, I didn't have red hair.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, when you were younger. I don't have lighter hair.

[Natalie Jean]

I have. My hair's brunette.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Whoa. I had no idea.

[Natalie Jean]

Really.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I didn't know your actual color was brunette. Yeah, I guess I thought you were more reddish.

[Natalie Jean]

No, no, not at all.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So you just got Molly just because you got Molly.

[Natalie Jean]

But Molly's got brown hair.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, that one. See, I had the Samantha. I thought Samantha was the only one with the dark hair.

[Natalie Jean]

No, Molly's got brown hair.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Myself.

[Natalie Jean]

She's specifically. Molly always hates her brown hair and she thinks it's boring.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, it's a hard void.

[Natalie Jean]

But it takes place. Her. Her storyline takes place during World War II. My grandma was really like. That was my most special toys I had was all the American girl stuff. And in one of those books they take in a British girl whose city was destroyed by bombs and she accepted like basically they explain trauma about being hit with bombs in that book. And I have such a strong memory of. Of it as a little kid because I think it's really good to try to appropriately age kind of describe the devastation of war.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I forgot. I wonder if the dolls still come with the traumatizing books because they all come with the story. Because I forget what happened with Samantha. I don't remember because I didn't really care that much. But I remember I had all the books, books that went along with it. And I thought at this point that it was just like a. Oh, the, the kid dresses like the doll. I thought it was more, oh, girl.

[Natalie Jean]

No, there's an entire American Girl doll like subculture because they were. I was obsessed with my Molly in my books. I loved her and I still love American dolls. I think they're great. They were basically explaining different, like really Difficult parts of history. American history.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes. And you got cool outfits, but. Yeah. So I remember that as a little kid. And how. You know, that's such an insane thing to try to explain to a child, but, like, we have to, because people are evil. They do horrible things.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And also, you know, history is. Is going to. It is repeating itself. So, you know, there are just times when you just have to be aware of what happened in our history. And I do need to put this down, because I will still. I'm trying to read through the history of Samantha, trying to figure out this story. Something about working class, something about turn of the century. I'm sure it's sad. She's an orphan. All right.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm sure I never read Samantha.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So.

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. If you were a Molly, I mean, you can't come over to the world of Samantha. Like, what are you gonna cop? My style. Well.

[Natalie Jean]

But also, man, that was pricey. You can't really just.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, certainly. I know. My. My parents couldn't afford more than one. They had to save up for the one. And the clothes were so expensive. Sorry.

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce had recognized the sight and sound of the bombs going off due to the war coverage that she had watched so much of, and had managed to make it to a nearby building in time for the hit, though the building still crumbled around her. She's pinned, but alive. The nearby gate, filled with light, seems to have offered some level of protection to her and the things closest to it. But the bomb struck just a neighborhood over, and it had incinerated many buildings around her. She sees her small wounds healing rapidly, maybe from the horn. But she can't get her leg unpinned from the concrete. Bryce realized what the rest of them already knew. The Asteri are going to kill everyone. To end the threat of the demons. She rips her fingernails on the concrete, trying to free herself, but cannot escape.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I could read about a head being severed off, but the thought of fingernails coming up as you're.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's the worst.

[Natalie Jean]

Absolute worst. Absolutely. I'd rather my head be cut off, honestly. We cut to the copter as they all watch in horror, realizing the Asterian guard is reloading their machines. Rune whispers in disbelief that they're not done yet, that they're going to refire. Declan has eyes on Bryce, confirming to the the craft that she's still moving, but appears to be pinned. They watch the launchers aim skyward again.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

As if they knew Bryce still lived. They'd keep bombarding the city until she was dead, killing anything in their path. Perhaps hoping that if they took out the gates too, the voids would vanish.

[Natalie Jean]

In that moment, Hunt becomes calm, realizing what he can do. This last bit that he can offer Bryce in this moment, it brings him peace. He tells Fury to raise the helicopter as high as she can get it. He can't fly on his own still because his wings are growing back, but that's not what he was planning on doing anyway. Fury understands. She takes them over the walls of Lunatheon and goes as high away from the bombs as she can. As Hunt unstraps himself from the gunner sea where he was placed, Ruhn looks at Hunt with love and gratitude at what he's about to sacrifice. Hunt leaps from the side of the copter with no time to spare. His angel sight spotting Bryce and his little wings helping him angle directly towards her. The bombs launch. He can gauge that they are looking for her and they're going to hit down just a few blocks from where she is. He flings himself downward in a race against the impact.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The brimstone hit the entire city, bouncing beneath its unholy impact. Block after block ruptured in a tidal wave of death. Wings splaying, lightning erupting. Hunt threw himself over Bryce as the world shattered.

[Natalie Jean]

Uh oh.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Can the lightning power save them? We'll never know. Except we will next week. We'll find out next week. We will find out next week. What a cliffhanger. Oh, what a little cliffhanger you left us on there, Natalie. Howie and I. You know, I appreciate you. I appreciate you, you know, drumming up my thirst over here. That sounds aggressive and mean, but I meant it in a way. Thirst for the story. I'm thirsty for the story, Natalie.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, I guess you're going to be parched until next week. Even though you've read this book many times. Fly away, little parrot.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Goodbye. Please read up until chapter 94 for next week. If you've been having your McDonald's sausage McMuffin with an iced coffee from some somewhere else, now is a right time to reconsider.

[Natalie Jean]

In the Pacific Northwest, it's never too cold for an iced coffee in the morning. Grab yourself a medium caramel, French vanilla or classic iced coffee for just $2.29. Beverage may cause craving for McMuffin or hash browns.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Prices and participation may vary. Cannot be combined with any other offer or combo meal.

[Natalie Jean]

McCormack knows unbeatable flavor starts with the right spices. It's why we created Flavour Seale. So anytime you peel back the seal of McCormick herbs and spices, you can be confident they will pack the same amount of flavor as the day they were packed. The kind of flavor that brings out the best of your favorite recipes and keeps everyone coming back for seconds or maybe even thirds. McCormick flavor sealed for unbeatable flavor.