LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City / Episode 4: End My Bloodline, Daddy

Summary

LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City
Episode 4: "End My Bloodline, Daddy"
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Hosts: Natalie Jean & Jackie Zabrowski

---

Introduction

In Episode 4 of LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City, hosts Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski delve deep into the intricate world of Sarah J. Maas's acclaimed adult science fiction series, Crescent City. This episode, titled "End My Bloodline, Daddy," offers a comprehensive analysis of recent plot developments, character dynamics, and the expanding lore of Midgard. The hosts blend insightful commentary with engaging banter, providing both seasoned fans and newcomers with a rich understanding of the narrative's complexities.

---

Character Analysis: Hunt Athalar

The episode opens with a lighthearted discussion about their attempts to embody Hunt Athalar, a pivotal character in the series. Natalie and Jackie humorously navigate the challenges of replicating Hunt's iconic look, highlighting the character's distinctive features:

• Hunt's Appearance:
  "Not only is it a face tattoo, which you know, think about before you get one, but also, it's a constant reminder that he's not as powerful as he could be."
  [02:08] Natalie Jean

  The hosts dissect Hunt's barbed wire tattoo, interpreting it as a symbol of his internal struggles and perceived limitations. They speculate on Hunt's emotional state, considering how such a tattoo serves as both a literal and metaphorical marker of his journey towards empowerment.

• Hunt's Relationship with Bryce Quinlan:
  "Hunt expects her to cower, as most people do when he looks at them. But not Bryce Quinlan, because she's not like the others."
  [13:22] Jackie Zabrowski

  Natalie and Jackie explore the evolving dynamics between Hunt and Bryce, noting Bryce's resilience and refusal to be intimidated by Hunt's presence. This interaction underscores Bryce's unique strength and sets the stage for their complex relationship.

---

Plot Developments: The Murders and Investigation

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the unfolding mystery surrounding recent murders in Crescent City:

• Bryce's Encounter with Archangels:
  "The meat mark is another section of the town, and it's the seedy kind of section of the town."
  [08:09] Jackie Zabrowski

  The hosts summarize Bryce's role as she navigates her professional life while grappling with the implications of the murders linked to her past. Bryce's reluctance and skepticism towards the archangels' intervention highlight her internal conflicts and the overarching tension in the storyline.

• Introduction of Micah Domidus:
  "Micah looked at her. To her credit, Quinlan didn't lower her eyes."
  [40:29] Jackie Zabrowski

  Natalie and Jackie introduce Micah Domidus, an enigmatic archangel whose arrival adds layers of complexity to the investigation. They discuss Micah's imposing presence and the immediate discomfort he evokes in Bryce, juxtaposing his alluring appearance with his formidable power.

• Micah's Proposal to Bryce:
  "If you can't trust an angel, but you don't have a choice."
  [40:09] Natalie Jean

  The discussion delves into Micah's proposition to Bryce—teaming up to solve the murders in exchange for reducing Hunt's draconian kill count. The hosts question Micah's motives, pondering whether his offer is genuine or a strategic maneuver within the celestial hierarchy.

---

World-Building: Midgard's Hierarchy and Avalon

Natalie and Jackie take a deep dive into the societal structures of Midgard, particularly focusing on the Fae hierarchy and the influence of different houses:

• The Fae Cast System:
  "They’re also part of this biological hierarchy that runs Midgard."
  [50:23] Jackie Zabrowski

  The hosts explain the cast system governing the Fae, detailing how different houses exert control and influence over various districts. They highlight the tension between House of Breath and Sky and House of Flame and Shadow, emphasizing the power struggles that drive much of the plot's conflict.

• Introduction to Rune Danaans and the Autumn King:
  "Rune. Ruhn Danaans, Crown. And we are meeting the enigmatic Autumn King finally in this scene."
  [47:42] Jackie Zabrowski

  A thorough analysis of Rune Danaans, also known as the Autumn King, is presented. The hosts explore his strained relationship with his father, the Autumn King, and the pressure to produce an heir. They dissect Rune's reluctant compliance with his father's demands, revealing the personal and political stakes at play.

---

Themes: Power, Control, and Freedom

Throughout the episode, Natalie and Jackie discuss overarching themes such as power dynamics, the struggle for autonomy, and the quest for freedom:

• Power and Control:
  "No one man should have all that power."
  [40:09] Natalie Jean

  The hosts critique the concentration of power within celestial beings like Micah Domidus and the Autumn King, questioning the ethical implications and the potential for abuse inherent in such structures.

• Freedom and Autonomy:
  "He wants the carbon copy of him because he's egocentric. But I bet he doesn't want him to be as strong as he is."
  [60:52] Jackie Zabrowski

  Discussions revolve around Hunt Athalar's yearning for freedom from his servitude and the broader struggle of characters like Rune to break free from oppressive expectations. The theme of autonomy is mirrored in Bryce's resistance against arranged contracts and societal pressures.

---

Notable Quotes and Insights

The episode is peppered with memorable quotes that encapsulate key moments and character motivations:

• "Micah is really willing to release his servants just to have this case closed."
  [40:03] Natalie Jean

• "Sometimes you look, 'my boobs are Sparkly right now.' It's the way it is. However, even though his dad has more power than him, Ruhn has a little something special that his father doesn't have."
  [54:25] Jackie Zabrowski

• "Lord knows Daddy doesn't care how uncomfortable it is."
  [65:07] Jackie Zabrowski

These quotes highlight the intricate interplay between personal desires and imposed duties, illustrating the characters' internal and external conflicts.

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Natalie and Jackie reflect on the depth and complexity of Maas's world-building and character development. They commend the author's ability to weave multiple threads seamlessly, enhancing the narrative's richness:

• "I like that there are the ebbs and flows of the things I like about each one of them. Almost like it makes them three-dimensional."
  [37:26] Natalie Jean

The hosts express anticipation for future developments, teasing the continuing unraveling of mysteries and the deepening relationships between characters. Their enthusiastic engagement encourages listeners to immerse themselves further into the Crescent City series.

---

Key Takeaways

• Complex Characters: The dynamic between Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar, alongside the introduction of Micah Domidus and Rune Danaans, underscores the series' focus on multifaceted character development.

• Intricate Plotting: The investigation into the murders reveals deeper conspiracies and power struggles within Midgard, setting the stage for heightened tension and dramatic revelations.

• Rich World-Building: The detailed exploration of Midgard's societal structures and magical hierarchies showcases Sarah J. Maas's ability to craft a vivid and immersive fantasy world.

• Thematic Depth: Themes of power, control, freedom, and autonomy are intricately interwoven, providing a thought-provoking backdrop to the narrative's action-driven plot.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "No one man should have all that power." — Natalie Jean [40:09]

• "He wants the carbon copy of him because he's egocentric. But I bet he doesn't want him to be as strong as he is." — Jackie Zabrowski [60:52]

• "Lord knows Daddy doesn't care how uncomfortable it is." — Jackie Zabrowski [65:07]

These quotes encapsulate the episode's exploration of character motivations and the overarching power dynamics influencing the story.

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Final Thoughts

Episode 4 of LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City successfully navigates the complexities of Sarah J. Maas's expansive universe, offering listeners a nuanced and engaging analysis of recent developments within the series. Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski's insightful commentary, combined with their charismatic delivery, makes this episode a must-listen for fans eager to delve deeper into the Crescent City saga.

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Transcript

[Natalie Jean]

Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts, Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski. And I was Arabin. Someone's like, the lights make her look like she's dirty or she has a beard. I'm like, I do have a beard.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That idiot doesn't know anything.

[Natalie Jean]

Idiot. You're an idiot. So leave your fucking comments at the.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Door or leave them under our posts. Let us know.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I just tried to do 5 o'clock shadow on my. My Hunt costume. I am gonna make a hunt that I can be proud of before this series is over.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I do feel like I need to, like, actually give in and buy a Hunt wig.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I can't figure out how to do a long, masculine cut black wig. I can't find one. I don't know how to make it look well.

[Natalie Jean]

I even worry it was like, even. I'm like, do I get a straightener? But that's not gonna help you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

For my own hair.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. I feel like using a straightener might help in some of the wigs, you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Know, I'm saying I think Hunt's hair is, like, at least slightly wavy. I don't think it's straight.

[Natalie Jean]

Right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I think that's an issue.

[Natalie Jean]

This is what I go through with trying to be Hunt, but I think.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That your hair is good for it.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But his hair's really, like, just below his ears, I think.

[Natalie Jean]

I know. I need it shorter. All right, I'll cut it to be Hunt.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Just for Hunt.

[Natalie Jean]

Just to be him. And I'll start, like, slightly straightening it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Okay. And you always have to have, like, one piece, like, dangling in your face or just, like, ugh.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, it's.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, it's brushing hair out of your eyes.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, it's upset. Oh, my God. Especially. How do you not get upset every. Can you imagine how upset this barbed wire tattoo made him? Because it's, like, not only is it a face tattoo, which, you know, think about before you get one, but. But also, it's, like, a constant reminder that he's not as powerful as he could be.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. You think that the visual of it is just, like, a little fuck you every day.

[Natalie Jean]

I hope for his sake that I would get a tattoo of ET on the side of my face to try and take away from the barbed wire.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, to distract.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Cause you can't take that away, so.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Why not add do you think E.T. is from Midgard? Oh, my God.

[Natalie Jean]

E.T. phone Midgard. Yeah, I bet. My bet. Yeah. Yeah, I do think so. Maybe some sort of shifter. I don't know. Maybe, like, in the world of the veneer that we are not privy to yet.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Maybe he's. He is just also deformed for his kind, you know?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God. You think that he's, like, actually like an angel or like a seraphim, and you're just like, wow, what happened?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What happened?

[Natalie Jean]

You get left in the dryer. A. But wouldn't it be cute? It was just like, oh, these insides got too small for his outsides, which is kind of what ET Looks like. Kind of like a Sharpay, where I feel like, you know, they just. Their insides are too small for their outsides. That's why they got so much skin.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, and they're shaped and.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, and they shaped weed. Yeah. Different sharpes. Think about yourself. Also not the nicest of dogs.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know, you're right. Us talking about this. I forgot all about the Thorn tattoo. So I do think it's a good idea to get a second face tattoo of something that's completely different. Something like your, like, a hobby or, like, I don't know, your favorite sunball team.

[Natalie Jean]

That or you get, like, a big, like, butthole on your cheek and be like, well, at least this up here isn't a butthole.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

At least it's not.

[Natalie Jean]

At least it's not this, you know, And I feel like that also. You know, it's like, get. Get a gag for it. Not, like, for your mouth. I meant, like, you have a bit.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt's not the silliest of the boys.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Not yet. We're gonna have to tickle it out of him.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, Bryce, you better not. We are a.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, we don't like each other.

[Natalie Jean]

We don't like each other right now, so get over it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I.

[Natalie Jean]

We have not. We're not flopped. Because you were Hunt last time, and I'm Hunt this time. But also, I dare say I don't want. I don't want to confess this, but I think that we all together know. Natalie, you make the hotter Bryce.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I'm gonna say it.

[Natalie Jean]

You make the hotter Bryce. You know, and I. I. I can give that. I. I'm willing to give you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, you're crazy.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm sharing my hot power.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You looked great as Bryce. You did. She did.

[Natalie Jean]

You know what it is? Bryce, in a lot of the fan art, wears this, like, white silver, oftentimes. And that is a color that is difficult to pull off for a lot of people.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't ever wear this. No, literally, only for this reason did I buy this dress.

[Natalie Jean]

And you look great.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'll take it.

[Natalie Jean]

But but hands off, Natalie. I'm taken.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You are not.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt. I. I mean, Jackie Zabowski.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, Hun, technically, is to. If you count.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, his heart is taken. Yeah. Like, I mean, if you are. If you love that hard and lose that love. Yeah. Like he's not looking at any other. But you can take some for his bin.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I think he does. We learn. He doesn't. He's not been like Cel.

[Natalie Jean]

No, he certainly love it. And just. Even. Just hearing about the little bits. I know we're not even there yet.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sor. I realized that I need to fashion an Artisian amulet because I don't feel complete in this fit.

[Natalie Jean]

You're right. You do need one. I was gonna say something, but.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And I'm really. I just like to offer my apologies to everyone who's watching.

[Natalie Jean]

And if you need to puke, just puke underneath your table. Like I did earlier, before we started. Because, like, I didn't want to let Natalie know what she was doing to me.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, you threw up. Because it was disgusting.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Yeah. Because you didn't have the Arkeesian amulet.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Arkesian, you know.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Is that what they say it is?

[Natalie Jean]

But it's also, you know, you read with your eyes, I read with my ears. And together we read.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We put words into place. Well, we are back. If you recall, we learned a lot about Mr. Hunt Athalar and his background and that his real name is Orion and Hunt is a nickname.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

On top of him having a very tough couple of hundred years.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Wasn't it? Didn't sound like a good time. And I don't know if my brain would be able to handle that. But I guess if you're an angel, it's a little different, because when you get tortured, it heals itself over and over again.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, but then that is. Because then it's just like knowing again. It's what we were talking about last time, where it's like, the end, knowing you're gonna heal every time. Every time you're tortured, you know you're going to heal.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm pretty sure this is, like, a horribly vain thing to say. I think part of it, I would be like my beautiful skin, and then.

[Natalie Jean]

It'S fine because you know it's going to heal.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's sad.

[Natalie Jean]

No, it's good to know these things about ourselves. We have to think about getting tortured until we get kidnapped and tortured. Oh, yeah. That's what I said. Unfortunately, we all have to live in a constant fear.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, God.

[Natalie Jean]

All right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's fine. I already kind of was. So we're back with Bryce because we had been with Hunt in the last chapter. In chapter 10, Bryce is back at work and she's trying to make a sale with the faynance. Bro.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Did it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Who is in the shop trying to impress a supple young Fae who he's escorting about the store. And she is kind of trying to gauge what this couple's deal is. It looks a little bit arranged. It looks a little bit transactional. And she wonders if this is a pairing between Fae families. Because that's really common in the Fae. Especially in the hierarchies of Fae.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That they are forced into like, arranged marriages. And she silently thanks the gods that she isn't held to that sort of contract because of her half human biology.

[Natalie Jean]

It's good for some things, right?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Her loathsome brother can't say as much, whose royal balls are a hot commodity in this world because he is a.

[Natalie Jean]

Prince of the ball. Baron Fay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Mm. His princehood can be used to negotiate and barter with other territories. And so she's just glad that's not her. And he, although he has to deal with at some point, the fabro was never going to buy anything. And Bryce secretly prays for them to tire and leave. So Bryce can have her tranquility in an empty shop. Before that can happen, though, she's got other people buzzing at the front door.

[Natalie Jean]

I've got to do my job while I'm at my job. It's the worst.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Soon she's peering through the technology. Magic technology or whatever it is that is their equivalent of a ring door. Cam, can we get that?

[Natalie Jean]

Can we, like. I want magical qualities, being able to lock my door. I'd like to have curses put on my door. I want anyone that wishes me ill will to have to suffer if they cross my threshold.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Isn't it crazy to think about if you go back to, you know, three, four centuries ago, having a ring camera probably would seem like magic.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So imagine what 400 years from now will be. I feel like in 400 years, we're gonna be able to have wings.

[Natalie Jean]

Natalie, don't say that. All right? We'll live forever and then we can have wings, too. Although I think that in theory, actually flying is probably very scary.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I wouldn't do it.

[Natalie Jean]

There's only one way to find out if you can do it. Flap, flap, flap. And I guess also clap, clap, clap. Depending on if you're like in the, you know, Peter Pan esque atmosphere.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, when you do this, clap, clap, clap.

[Natalie Jean]

And then you start to fly. Because, like, if someone's clapping and believing in me, well, that's one thing, but just jumping out of a tree.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Wait, isn't clapping just for. If you keep a fairy alive.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it brings him back.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But is that what you do for flying? I thought you just sprinkled dust and.

[Natalie Jean]

Believed what happens in you can fly, you can fly.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You can fly.

[Natalie Jean]

You can fly, you can fly.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They get sprinkled.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, they get. Oh, they get sprang and they think.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Of a happiest thing. It's the same as having wings.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, they get sprinkled. That's why. Yeah. You know, sometimes you got to talk these things out. And thank you for reminding me that. You know what? I think it may have been thin 30 plus years since I've seen the movie Peter Pan.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

All I remember is I don't know how they still put some of those songs in the movie to this day. Do they still use those songs?

[Natalie Jean]

Very inchy. Oh, wow. Very, very modern.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

In modern showings of Peter Pan, they still have all of the songs.

[Natalie Jean]

You know, hopefully you're having conversations with the kids about what goes on in it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That is a lot.

[Natalie Jean]

But also, you should probably be scared of anyone that doesn't want to grow up and wants to their childhood forever.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I won't grow up.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I won't grow up.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'll never go to school.

[Natalie Jean]

I'll never go to school.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's not from the Disney one.

[Natalie Jean]

No, no. I think. No, I think that's something else.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I think it's the musical version of it. We. We know what we're talking about.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. You know, magical doors.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Magical doors, Right. So that's what's happening at this. At the antiquities shop. Bryce is peering through the magic to, like, look at these. Oh, my God. These alpha holes. They've arrived, and they're gonna bother her. That's right. The 33rd male angels are here hunting Isaiah.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What are they doing here?

[Natalie Jean]

They're kissing on their doorstep, and we're like, what do we do with these hot dudes kissing on the doorstep?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They're not kissing.

[Natalie Jean]

No.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They're standing there all gruff and grim, and she doesn't want to deal with them. And then we cut over to the POV of Hunt in the same time frame where he's kind of grumpily shuffling in front of the store with Isaiah. I rate that Bryce is with them as she tells them to beat it, hit the streets. But I'm not dealing with you right now. So they kind of just cut to the chase because she's. She's toying with them, and she's like, I'm not opening the door for you.

[Natalie Jean]

He goes, she's got that ace.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He goes, there's been a murder. And that, of course, strikes a nerve with Bryce. They don't explain anymore, but she realizes she needs to let them in because they have something they need to tell her.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And Hunt's irritation during this interaction is coloring all of his thoughts.

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce Quindlen leaned against the large ironwood desk in the center of the space, her snow white dress clinging to every generous curve and dip. Hunt smiled slowly, showing all his teeth.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He expects her to cower, as most people do when he looks at them. But not Bryce Quinlan, because she's not like the others.

[Natalie Jean]

She's not like the other girls.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She just stares back at him, unimpressed. He cuts to the chase.

[Natalie Jean]

How can she be this hot and this obstinate?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't know. Maybe because she's already held all of her friends. Mutilated.

[Natalie Jean]

Interesting. I guess it does something to a person.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I guess. So he just cuts straight to the chase. There was a murder near the meat market the night prior. And it's another person who was last with Bryce Quinlan, by the way. I have the map, and I have to just put it together still. But we'll have. I'll be able to display where we're talking about on the map soon. Don't worry.

[Natalie Jean]

That's good, because there are a lot of different places in this world that get referenced.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So the meat mark is another section of the town, and it's the seedy kind of section of the town.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So that person they're referencing who was just murdered was one Maximus Tercius. Tertian. Tercion. Tertius the vampire. Maximus Tertian. Maximum Tertian. That's what it is. So I imagine it's kind of tricky to actually kill a vampire, so somebody to really want to do it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, Bryce seems pretty relieved that it's not someone she gives one rat about.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, and he was a piece of garbage, so fine with ya.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But there's a bigger implication there. She was seen having a fight with him, and then he ends up deee.

[Natalie Jean]

Yikes, yikes, yikes, yikes, yikes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So she brushes this off, and they also want to know why Ruhn was seen showing up right after her argument with Maximus, kind of insinuating that maybe they were in cahoots and something happened there. She revels in the knowledge that Hunt And Ruhn have a history of fighting and hating each other. Because she's just mad at all of these males. And she. She just thinks about how funny it is that Hunt and Ruhn have already hated each other.

[Natalie Jean]

Of course, because they're all alpha holes, according to Bryce. Bryce smiled sharply, as if she remembered that fact, too.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Have fun talking to him.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt clenched his jaw, but she strode for the front door, hips swishing like she knew precisely how spectacular her ass was. I love the amount of times that Hunt, before anything, of course, obviously, like, nothing that he just notices her ass just.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Just because he notices things.

[Natalie Jean]

Notice. He's noticing. And that's okay. He's got eyes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He's got to say. He has to keep his head on a swivel. Okay.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. He needs to know these things about people, to know what she's got, you know, going for her, that she can.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What if she had a weapon?

[Natalie Jean]

I think just the ass is the weapon, baby. It against me.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

For all of his mumbles and grumbles, he does sure keep grumbling in his mind about different aspects of Bryce's appearance. Her dress, her movements, you know, just so. Yeah, he must really not like her.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's because he's paying attention, because he is a. He wants to make sure that she's good. That's why he's doing his job.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. They proceed to pepper her with cop questions, which she does not enjoy. But they're trying to get to the bottom of this murder, and they have to at least address the fact that now it's. Several different people have died right after they saw her.

[Natalie Jean]

It's not a good look.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No. So she just is like, go, get out of here with this. I am not even entertaining what you guys are saying. And she begins to walk away, kind of dismissing them. But Isaiah has some unfortunate news. Micah is also headed over. They don't just want to ask her about her whereabouts the night Maximus died. His death is reminiscent of the way the pack of devils died. He was torn to shreds. This, of course, causes Bryce's emotions to spike and it somewhat confuses her, because after the deaths of the pack of devils, they assumed it was the rebel head, Philip Briggs.

[Natalie Jean]

Which is insane because he's a human, and there's just no way that a human most likely could do that.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, especially because they know it was this demon creature. But then how would a human utilize this demon?

[Natalie Jean]

Control it?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, but it seems like they just wanted it to go away, and they wanted to have a reason to put him Back in jail. And so they just said, it must have certainly been Philip Briggs, the head of the Human Rebellion front, because he had a vendetta against them. They were the ones who put him in jail, and he hates veneer and blah, blah, blah. So he's been in jail since those murders. And so this now makes Bryce super confused, because if Maximus died in the same way, they're kind of insinuating that that wasn't Philip Briggs who killed all of her friends.

[Natalie Jean]

Or if it is, he's able to do something from jail, which, you know, it's like, that doesn't make. A lot of this doesn't add up.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Something is afoot.

[Natalie Jean]

It's a foot.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She immediately realizes they think that they may have arrested the wrong culprit. Well, Bryce knows better than to try to deny the archangel entry the way she tried with Hunt and Isaiah. Oh, yeah, no, there's no chance of that. The archangel goes with the archangel May. But in a quick action, she gets a hold of Jesiba, and they briefly discuss all of the things that need to be done before Micah's impending arrival.

[Natalie Jean]

Which, could you imagine how much if you owned a place that was like, oh, we've got all this magic, crazy, secret stuff, and then all of a sudden, the governor is coming. I think I'd need a couple of minutes to clean shit up.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yikes.

[Natalie Jean]

Yikes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, because she sells a lot of contraband, illegal items, like cursed things, which is awesome, totally badass. And I'm pretty sure, like, they have sort of an understanding where sometimes people probably know she's doing that, but they just kind of let her be because she's scary.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But if the archangel is going to come in, Micah, Bryce, and Jesiba need to do a couple little things before he shows up. Clean him up and also just batten down the hatches. Clean up really quick. Just make everything look on the up and up. So she does so, all the while fear running through Bryce that the actual killer of her friends may be loose on the streets. God. Micah's arrived in chapter 11, and we're still with Bryce. She mentions the ache in her leg at the start of this chapter, and we know it to be the place where the scary monster thing clawed into her leg and she almost bled to death. Jesus. Apparently, whatever went into her system from that creature is still causing her trouble.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Cause, like, they could barely identify the demon creature, let alone how to fix whatever it was gonna do to you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And we don't know what it's done to her. But we know at this point that something is. It's bothering her in some way. And we've all heard about Micah Domidus several times, but this is our first encounter with him. Bryce makes it clear that he is extremely beautiful in her thoughts. And at the same time, his presence, his essence makes her uncomfortable.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, because he's got so much power.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I guess it would just. If a creature could just vaporize you in like seconds, he probably would have.

[Natalie Jean]

An aura of weird around them. Yeah, probably.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. Even though his skin looks like diamonds.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's pretty hot.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

This is the skin of a killer.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no, don't.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

As if you could outrun me.

[Natalie Jean]

No.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So the brief description of Micah, he's an age unknown but very old male. Mal angel from the house of breath and sky. He has brown eyes, fair skin and shoulder length golden hair. Tall and handsome with white wings. Bryce also says that sex exudes from him. And she does mention how she was drooling over him as a younger Fae because she thought he was such a babe.

[Natalie Jean]

Mycadomattis brown eyes devoured her. His power pressed against her skin, ripped the air from the room. Her lungs filled the space with midnight storms. Sex and death entwined.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I have a picture. This is just not my. He doesn't do anything for me.

[Natalie Jean]

Micah doesn't do much for me either. I think there is something about like a person that is in charge like that, honestly, in the way that like, power like that doesn't turn me on. Like that kind of like being the head and being like in charge of everything, like that kind of thing doesn't get me. Someone that like, has the ability to control a bunch of shit, but like willingly chooses to not use it because they're so powerful. Very, very sexy. And I feel like the way that Micah holds his power over people, not really a turn on for me.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. And it's just the whole like golden Norwegian boy thing is just not necessarily not my thing. After she's kind of contemplating his beauty and then realizes he's capable of these horrible things. Especially when she glances over at Hunt's tattoo and sees, oh, this, These are enslaved beings.

[Natalie Jean]

Think about it, bitch. But also, look at my ET Tattoo. And you can also think about ET if you'd like. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And she went, oh, right.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, wow. Yeah. ET Phone Midgard. Yeah, I remember that.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She begins to feel repulsed by Micah's misleading facade, as though it's a trap, and is reminded of the angels in general, the archangel's cruelty in general because of the fact that they use slaves. Well, they're all sitting here in the room. Jesiba also joins this meeting via a big screen. And she's kind of just in a big, lush bedroom with, like, lovers.

[Natalie Jean]

She's scary sexy. Like, she's powerful sexy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I love Jesiba. Bryce thinks about how Jesiba defected from the witch's house to the house of flame and shadow, the spookiest of all the houses. She's never asked why, because she doesn't really want to become some tiny water creature that lives in the aquarium.

[Natalie Jean]

Because Jesiba's always saying that she's going to turn her into something else. She's not allowed to ask any questions. But also. Oh, my God. What are you going to do to me, Jesiba? What are you going to do to me? I'll follow the rules.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, she. So Jesiba has this weird, secret, mysterious past. And so Bryce thinks it's like something's going on there, but she doesn't question any of it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I wouldn't either.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And Jesiba doesn't fear many things, and she barely bends the knee to Micah, but she does know she needs to at least, you know, cater to him.

[Natalie Jean]

Until a little bit. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She wants to cut to the chase about why this meeting is being called. She's got stuff to do. She's got people to do.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And Micah tells her it's because he wants to combine forces with her.

[Natalie Jean]

Jesiba arched a blond brow with preternatural smoothness.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

To do what?

[Natalie Jean]

Micah said for Bryce Quinlan to find.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The true murderer behind this. Of course. Bryce goes, whee.

[Natalie Jean]

Me?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You're reading what I wrote in the script.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I was trying to. Jesiba's all I know.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

As soon as I was thinking about the scene in my head, I immediately started just quoting. Publicity.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

From Crawl show.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. So a little bit of that. God, I love the Crawl show.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. It's a good one, man. I could watch Publicity all day. But no, we're not here to talk.

[Natalie Jean]

We're not talking about publicity.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's beast of her names. Okay, I'm done. So Bryce is confused. Like, what are you talking about? You want me to find the murderer? And Jesper is also extremely confused. This is a surprising turn of events. Jesiba is immediately dismissive. But Micah knows he really pulls the reins here. She can't say no, ultimately.

[Natalie Jean]

But also, how annoying would that be? Just like, she's my only employee. You're really gonna do this to me? But fine.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, I feel more Bad for Bryce in this situation.

[Natalie Jean]

Sure, sure. Oh, yeah. No, she certainly doesn't want to do it. But of course, I'm gonna immediately think about Jesiba first.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Of course.

[Natalie Jean]

I need to make sure Jesiba's okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Is she okay?

[Natalie Jean]

But she can take care of herself.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He informs them that the Ox has reached the end of all leads on this. This series of murders. They have been trying and trying to figure out what's gone on, and now that this new murder has happened, they feel very confident that it's not Philip Briggs, and they need to figure out what happened.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, y'all fud up, and it's time for you to figure it out.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But it's still done for selfish reasons. It's really more than anything because the aforementioned summit is rapidly approaching, and he will use alternative resources to save face in front of the other leaders.

[Natalie Jean]

Everything just needs to look good. Everybody's smiling. Are we all happy? And I feel like that is kind of what he's doing right now. Like, we gotta close up these loose ends, bitches.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. So he's gonna do whatever he needs to do. And then he delivers another bombshell, at least to Hunt. Sandriel will be participating in this summit and will be coming to Crescent City. That was the perfect. That was the perfect moment to do a spit take, but it would have ruined all of our.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I would have gotten coffee everywhere, and it just would have been, you know, a nightmare for everybody.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But she is.

[Natalie Jean]

I'll do a pretend one. There you go. That was more of a puke, but it's fine.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That was definitely projectile.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm. Some other stuff comes out. You know, when I open my mouth, I don't know what's gonna happen here.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So the. Yeah, Sandriel. The. The infamous, scary torture lady who Hunt has very much trauma from.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I don't want that bitch coming here.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She's coming to Crescent City for this summit, and we are.

[Natalie Jean]

And she looks just like his dead love.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

His murdered love.

[Natalie Jean]

Good Lord. That she killed. Murdered.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. So he's obviously. He's got fear coursing through his body secretly. And we're with him in this POV section. And we feel the full force of dread that courses through him at this news. This is his torturer. Not to mention the lady who looks exactly like we just said. His deceased lover, Jesiba demands to know what Bryce could possibly provide to the investigation. And Micah lets her know that because she is the only known person to have gotten a clear look at the demon creature that she kind of has to be of assistance now.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay. But also. Also she's like, not a detective. And like Micah. Exsqueeze.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I guess they're just in a bunch of dire straits, and only a really sexy woman in a tight miniskirt can solve their problem.

[Natalie Jean]

Don't trust an angel. I don't trust one.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So. So Hunt is quietly having this internal panic throughout this conversation, envisioning worst case scenarios that involve Micah not being able to solve this in time, that the Asteri will be angry that there's a murderer loose, and then give all of the power to Sandriel to control all of Obera, thus putting Hunt back into her claws.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, it's. It might be spiraling, but I understand. And you are valid for the spiral that you are feeling right now. Right now.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Unfortunately, it's not even that crazy.

[Natalie Jean]

No, no. Especially, like, think of what has happened in the hundreds of years he's been alive.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. I mean, they do stuff because all of their limbs grow back and wings grow back, so they. They'll rip them off over and over and over again. So there would be no bargain. Also, the other thing that's keeping him alive is the. The idea that the bargain could end one day. But if he goes back to Sanriel, there's gonna be no freedom.

[Natalie Jean]

No.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She's never gonna let him go. So now Hunt has a horse in this race, but Micah's not done dropping bombs yet. Both murder scenes hold another connection to Bryce.

[Natalie Jean]

Micah looked at her. To her credit, Quinlan didn't lower her eyes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Maximus Tertian and Danica Fendir were friends. This is shocking to Bryce, and she's immediately in denial. There is no way she thinks she would have known that. Not to mention Maximus was a grade A creepazoid. Why would Danika be friends with him? She tries to voice this, but Micah shuts her down. He tells her there were many things about Danika she did not know. Like what and why does he know?

[Natalie Jean]

Like what and why does he know? Never trust an angel.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I. I won't. And I wouldn't. And I never did. Foreshadowing, perhaps, Micah continues on, that Bryce might be the only person who can gather the intel needed to retrace Danika's steps that day. And one final thing. Han Athalar will be on security duty during this little endeavor.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

None of the party seem specifically especially thrilled at any of this news. But Hunt does think with relief that maybe being on this task will force him to miss summit business. And perhaps he can avoid Sandriel with these commands from Micah decreed, the angels begin to make their way out of Griffin Antiquities. As Hunt is about to exit, he stops in the doorway, in the front doorway and tells Bryce to start a list of potential suspects and possible last locations of Danika.

[Natalie Jean]

Meanwhile, like her. Her brain is blown right now of even just thinking of, like, when you, like, talking about a person that you've lost that you are still grieving over, and then finding out information about that person that you're like, oh, was there a part of their life I didn't know anything about while you're like. Like, she's reeling about all of this. And then he's like, all right, we gotta get into this because now Hunt's all business. Yeah. Oh, business.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No pleasure. Don't worry. No pleasure happens. So he kind of stops in the door and is like, hey, you don't.

[Natalie Jean]

Want me to do it, right, Natalie? Yeah, you'd be scared. Don't you? High five.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, you're doing the.

[Natalie Jean]

Don't you. Yeah, it's me. I'm hanging in. Okay. Hey, why don't you. Hey, why don't you go and get me a list? Hey, did it work?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He's not flirting yet.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, he's uploading.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Scary.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't even know that I'm flirting. Like Hunt. I'm as hot. Like, I'm just so sexy that, like, you just melt for me. You melt for me, Natalie.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Not today.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So he tells her these things and she responds by sending us.

[Natalie Jean]

That's also how you should take being turned down. You go, okay. And then you stop just letting everybody know.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Modeling good behavior.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She responds by sending a spell through the doorway. He's gripping that burns under his hand.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa, baby where's this heat coming from? Whoa, baby, whoa. Sorry. I think he's also Elvis in this situation, but like, late Elvis, he's kind of sweaty. Okay, I'll give me another big. Oh, someone humble.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Unfortunately, consent with Elvis was a little. It was a little vague.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, was it dicey?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He did marry a 13 year old or whatever.

[Natalie Jean]

You know, 13 was different back then. Oh, yeah. I don't know if it was.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It was not.

[Natalie Jean]

No. Yeah. So I'm glad that you did that, Bryce. But Hunt jumped back, his lightning flaring, defending against an enemy that was not there.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Stop flirting in the dialogue.

[Natalie Jean]

The door shut. She purred through the intercom.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'll call you. Don't bother me until then.

[Natalie Jean]

Urd. Fucking spare him. No, it's actually very cute where he's not trying to hit on her, and he's just trying to talk about business things.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, God, you've got to talk to her about it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. But, oh, Bryce is so frustrating. She's. I feel like Bryce Quinlan also is. And maybe, God, do I feel this way about all of SJM's leads. That at first I was very annoyed by Bryce Quinlan, and then the more I got to know her, the more I liked her. Cause at first I was like, okay, I understand you're upset, but this act is annoying to Hunt.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But also, she is probably the lead character that most people find irritating. Yeah, I like her, but I understand why people feel that way. But I. I still like her.

[Natalie Jean]

I'd rather a lead character have flaws that I find annoying, but I still overall enjoy the story of. It's like, you don't have to love a character at every moment of a book to love a series.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And the protagonist shouldn't be, like, the most perfect being on Earth.

[Natalie Jean]

No, because if they were all. Because also, if all of her leads were the same, all of the leads would be the same. I like that there are there ebbs and flows of the things I like about each one of them. Almost like it makes them three dimensional. And I appreciate that. Sjm.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, that was my ghost. My ghost was exciting.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, there was the go. Oh, is that the ghost of, like, of leads from the past? Okay. It's for the best that I didn't like you. These are things we have to understand and grow with about our lead characters. Characters.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's true.

[Natalie Jean]

That's all I'm saying.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So then we cut over and we're with Hunt, Isaiah and Micah on the rooftop of Griffin Antiquities immediately following this meeting. Because they are, of course, angels with big ass wings. So that's how they take off from where they are.

[Natalie Jean]

And big old beds. Oh, Jackie, can you warn me? I'm a big old angel. I'm mean, and I'm like, ah, can make you a lasagna. What do you want from me, baby? You want a little bit of rookie? Got just cover myself in ricotta cheese.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Are you talking like an old pirate?

[Natalie Jean]

I just, you know, I feel like that's like, pirates are always sexy, right? They're not.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Okay. Hans analyzing. Micah, when we get some more detail about the city and Micah himself, who people describe as quote, unquote progressive because of his allowance of technology to thrive in Crescent City. Some cities in Midgard forbid that, and they live an old timey lifestyle. Micah makes it clear that he needs this crime solved. Asap at just about any cost. Hence the reason for bringing in. For bringing in Bryce. And then Micah shocks Hunt. If he can solve this in a timely manner, he'll reduce Hunt's debt from over 2000 kills to 10 assignments.

[Natalie Jean]

10.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Just 10. Hunt is correctly suspicious of such a generous offer. Why would Micah offer this?

[Natalie Jean]

But you can't trust an angel. But again, what do you do when you don't have a choice?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And he's left to ponder as well as we are as readers, is Micah just trying to become a more progressive of thoughtful, empathetic leader who wants to help Hunt? Or is there some reason that solving this case is so important that he's really willing to release his servants just to have this case closed?

[Natalie Jean]

I don't trust anyone with that amount of power in any situation.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Nobody should have that much power.

[Natalie Jean]

No. Because they can do anything to you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No one man should have all that power.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And he should have listened to his own song because he went crazy.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I thought that was a quote from Dr. Seuss.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's a Kanye song.

[Natalie Jean]

Ah. Oh, yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So we don't know the answer to these questions. Maybe we won't know. Maybe we will. But Hunt doesn't know right now either. He seems really unsure. But the idea of freedom is enough of a potent temptation for him to immediately agree.

[Natalie Jean]

Because that's the thing. Cause you think, like, all of this is being too nice for Micah. Like, because he didn't have a choice over whether or not he could help Bryce Quinlan. Because again, slave. And for him to not only have not have a choice, but then to get something good out of this. How could you possibly trust this fucking angel?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You can't.

[Natalie Jean]

But then he's got to kill no matter what.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So he's like, if I don't take this, I'm still. He doesn't want to kill 2,000 people. He doesn't want to have to do that. And so, I mean, he's been through worse. Bring it on. I guess he's already been tortured for centuries. So he says. Okay. And not only that, but Micah makes it clear he is to tail Bryce at all times. To keep tabs on her, maybe protection, but also mostly to spy on her. Not so fast, though, Hunt. Keep your dick and your pants and your hands to yourself or you'll find yourself without either for a long while.

[Natalie Jean]

I hear you loud and clear, boss. Alright, boss. But with that ace. Oh, and I'm watching that ass swish through. But we keep our hands to ourself, right?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Because Micah is referencing There what we were just talking about, which is that angels can grow back body parts, I think anything but their head. So you can think of all the different things that can be cut off and grown back.

[Natalie Jean]

God, and the amount of torture as JM is so good at writing. Torture. It's so upsetting.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So upsetting. But Hunt has zero interest in pursuing Bryce. All he can really focus on is freedom and the concept that he could get away someday.

[Natalie Jean]

Nothing. Is that hoodie? Yes, but you have to like, again, he has to do these things. And Micah said this to him, so he's gonna do. Because he's a man of his word.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ain'T an ass so spectacular that you.

[Natalie Jean]

Don'T get your freedom, but don't mean you can stop what goes on in the old mind zone.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I tell you what, that's okay. It's what you let it run free in there. You know, they come to. They come to an agreement and understanding. And then Micah zips into the sky on his pearly white wings, leaving Isaiah and hunt him all over what just happened. Isaiah points out that Hunt going to, at the very least, get to miss most of the summit because Hun's sort of just like not feeling great about any of this. But Isaiah's trying to come for him, say, look, you know, you're not gonna have to deal with any of this other shit. So this is. This is great.

[Natalie Jean]

And then they start to kiss.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, no, not yet.

[Natalie Jean]

Will I continue to ask almost every single time they have a scene together? Yeah. I'll forget eventually. But for now, if it keeps you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Recording the episodes, sure.

[Natalie Jean]

Let me dream. Let me again. You can't stop what happens in the mind space.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He. He's. He is. Hunt agrees. He is happy he's not going to have to be at the summit, but he isn't thrilled about trotting after Quinlan for the mm. He also doesn't trust her, which is true. In fact, he hasn't moved her from the potential suspect list in his mind.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, it is interesting that she is involved in the last person to have seen the deceased in two separate instances.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And he doesn't know much about her. In fact, his few interactions involved her being completely gacked out on a bunch of party drugs, being a complete maniac, and then now where she's being kind of rude and flippant, and they still think she's just raging all the time and doesn't give a shit about anything.

[Natalie Jean]

Right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They part ways as Isaiah goes to confirm Bryce's alibi with Ruhn the night Maximus was killed telling Hunt not to come visit Ruhn with him, since they have gotten into fist fights before and Isaiah clearly does not want to deal with it. Back with Bryce at the same exact time this is happening, she and Jesiba are processing everything. Jesiba's losing her main employee for at least part of the time, though she makes it clear to Bryce that she is still responsible for her appointments.

[Natalie Jean]

A lot to get put on her shoulders. This is just so much. And like, of course, how does she deal with it? By being flippant, by being silly? By being a little, like, vain and a little, I don't care.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Give a shit about any of this.

[Natalie Jean]

But she does give a shit.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She gives many shits. Bryce doesn't mention anything to Jesiba, but in her mind, she is thinking about how she's been putting an application together to try to get another job. So she tells Jesiba, yeah, I'll keep my appointments, of course. But in that same breath, she's thinking about how she can't wait to leave this job. She wants to go somewhere else, man.

[Natalie Jean]

Doesn't it always make you feel like a double agent when it's like you're already looking for other jobs, but you have to pretend like you're at your current job, that you're not looking for other jobs? So you have to go up like, all of a sudden, like, why do you love to help? Why do you love to do these things? It's just because, you know, you're on your way out and you're just counting down the moments before you put in your two weeks notice. It's a beautiful kind of hate that's.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, that a lot of people wouldn't do that. I think that you're a very responsible employee.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She doesn't actually know what the heck she wants to do with her life, which is fair. She's in her 20s.

[Natalie Jean]

I get it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But she knows she wants to get out from under Jesiba's thumb. Bryce.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, what? You don't want a boss that keeps threatening you all the time or that you're genuinely actually scared of, and you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Have to go do things like flirt with a vampire to make a bunch of money?

[Natalie Jean]

All the things I just said, I was like, yes, would do, would do, would do. But, you know, to each their own.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce is also reeling with this strange command from the archangel. She and Jesiba end their video call and we watch Bryce compulsively check the last texts she received from Connor. So after she's Already just kind of reeling over this news that maybe Philip Briggs didn't do this and the killer's out there. We watch her do sort of a compulsive move that she's been doing for the last two years, where she pulls her old phone out and starts repeatedly looking at the text from Connor like she had done hundreds of times since that night. She angrily mauls over how Fury didn't even bother to tell her the news about Briggs not being the killer, even though she knows Fury most certainly already knows because she works as an assassin. Tragedy does funny things to people. And then we're swooped over to a new brain, that of Rune Danaans, Crown.

[Natalie Jean]

Prince of the Valbaran Fae.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And we are meeting the enigmatic Autumn King finally in this scene. We don't actually learn his full name in this first book, so I'm going to continue to refer to him as the Autumn King. We are at his palatial home run. Is clearly not happy about it, but I gotta say, I think his house sounds pretty sick.

[Natalie Jean]

Dude. Yes. Bookshelves rose two stories on every wall, crammed with tomes and artifacts both old and new, magic and ordinary. A golden balcony bisected the rectangular space, accessible by either of the spiral staircases at the front and back.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, it's not that bad Rune, you know?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. I mean, I just. Oh, God, think about that. Oh, where it's like autumnal and then you're just reading a big book and just. Oh, just the. Like the feel of the wind coming in as you're just. Just sitting there.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And I know you've had a bunch of childhood drama there, but what if you just hang out in that library and think about how cool it is?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, God, it's gotta suck if you've got Bad Daddy and Bad Daddy is immortal, because it's not even like, well, someday Bad Daddy will be gone. Then I won't have to worry about it anymore. And then I get this awesome house.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Not unless you make him gone, Daddy. So we gauge from their first interactions that they do not have a good relationship and that the Autumn King comes across as extremely cold. So what we've learned of the Autumn King so far seems to be checking out. He is the bare minimum of what we know about him, which is he is quite old, over 400 years. He is a fey male of house and breath and sky. He is tan, tall and muscular, long wine red hair and amber eyes. And he is doing science, which all.

[Natalie Jean]

Of that is very hot. Like, thinking about this hot dude just Doing science in this big book room. Yes, it does make us want to slip out of our seats. But hold your slip, because my slip is still very much far inside. Yeah, suck it right back in those lips. Because we don't want the Autumn King.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, He's a bad man. Runes here on official business as the King and Ruhn are also part of this biological hierarchy that runs Midgard. We've talked a little bit about it before with the different houses and if you know, for example, Danika was sort of forced to be a Wolf Police. Wolf Cop because of her heritage. And so they're also sort of Wolf Cop.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes. I need that. Like, what. Where's that B movie?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm sure that exists.

[Natalie Jean]

Wolf Cop.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

There's no way that does not exist list. I'm sure somebody will send it to us.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm looking it up. Wolf Cop 2014 horror comedy. Yep. Immediately.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I actually remember. I remember this Wolf Cop. I remember this coming out well.

[Natalie Jean]

Now I want to watch Wolf Cop because apparently it's great.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

There's also another Wolf Cop.

[Natalie Jean]

The sequel called Another Wolf Cop. If you were wondering. We're not making that up. Yeah. I want. Starring Danica Fender. Yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God. Meld the worlds. Give me a horror comedy out of Crescent City.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, my God, that would be incredible.

[Natalie Jean]

Please.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So they're. They're sort of stuck in this. This hierarchy as well. This cat. What do they call it? A cast system.

[Natalie Jean]

Cast system?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, the city heads report to the governor, but they lead their own districts and they have their own OX division. So Ruhn heads the Fae Ox division, which is probably one of the reasons that Hunt and him are butting heads all the time. They're both, like, having a pissing on us, right? Not that they. Any of them had ch. Any choice, but he was trained his entire life to be a lethal killer for this role. So he's another guy who can just chop you right up.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, no. I'm so scared of him.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, but you don't want to get chopped up.

[Natalie Jean]

No, Like, I don't like. I definitely, like, don't want to get.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But you want to, like, see him have a sword and be like, why your sword's so big and sharp.

[Natalie Jean]

And be like, I want to be like, go chop up that person. Wait, jk, don't.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't want to see it.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't want to see it. But wait. Also do. Yeah, I'd be into it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So, of course Ruhn then has to. He feels the need to share this sort of Important information with his father. And he tells him about the meeting that he just had with Isaiah, which we saw the before of in one of the previous chapters, which is Isaiah going over to check on the alibi that of Bryce, because Ruhn saw her go into her apartment. So good thing that he was watching her because now she has an alibi. Yeah, and because of all this stuff.

[Natalie Jean]

You need protection, Bryce. All right, I know you feel like you don't, but you do.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And now that he had this meeting with Isaiah, now Ruhn's telling his dad about it and that he's updating him about Maximus's murder and all the updates about Briggs not being the killer. The Autumn King is kind of being a dick like he is. And just like always. Yeah, I know, you idiot. But he doesn't say idiot, but he just says, yes, I'm aware already. Which is like, oh, cool. I guess you weren't going to mention it to your son who's love to talk about it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, really would love to talk about it because especially Ruhn is again the head of his ox. So he's the one that needs to like muscly take care of the Fae. Muscly take care of them. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And he kind of just says as much as, oh, well, you've been told. I guess I don't need to tell you. It's like being like sort of sarcastic and shitty and a little bit more of their pot. Their power hierarchy is they've obviously, as older adults have had the drop already. And Ruhn ranks slightly lower on power ranking than his father, which made him less of a threat or a contender. So he doesn't necessarily worry for his life around his dad, but his dad still treats him kind of like trash.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. And also it's no good for their dynamic because then his father, who's a piece of shit, is like, oh, I'm more powerful than you though. Do you remember? I'm more powerful. I've got more power. Do you remember? But also it definitely just caught on the camera that I just looked at your breasts. But I will say it's because you went like this and it just happened.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I'm asking for.

[Natalie Jean]

I will say you were asking for it. But also I didn't mean to and I got caught on camera.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm sorry.

[Natalie Jean]

So I needed to say something about it. But you're not. It's like I'm not blaming. I just want everybody that when you see it happen, it was just, it was natural. Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sometimes you look, my boobs are Sparkly right now. It's the way it is. However, even though his dad has more power than him, Ruhn has a little something special that his father doesn't have. So Ruhn is one of about a dozen Fae princes across the planet. And and most of the others he's known in some way, shape or form. He doesn't obviously like them very much most of the time. But he stands alone as being what we learn is called Starborn. All of the princes alive in his time frame. Nobody else is Starborn but him.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And we're gonna learn more about Starborn power.

[Natalie Jean]

God, I forget how much in the top of this book is just, just sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle and everything unfolds as time goes on. But I just remember, I completely forgot that Ruhn was Starborn. I wasn't even thinking about it as a portion of just because so much happens in these books that man, she builds out this world so quickly and yet so slowly and lets it unfold in such a beautiful way. I had really nothing to say about it. I just think it's great and she.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thinks it's neat and so do I.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ruhn does not like this about himself.

[Natalie Jean]

But Baby is special.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Not about the necessarily the starborn power side, but the fact that he is a prince, that he has this position in the world that he has to behave in certain ways. But it doesn't stop him from using the royal money to buy a flop house on the other side of town. Because anything to get away from mean daddy.

[Natalie Jean]

Right?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So if you're going to be stuck in this role, I would also use the money. Yeah, they.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, because the money is not like essentially that's never ending for them. Like for that family. You may as well use it because it's not like it's going to help or hinder your bad daddy anyway.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He's not allowed to really go get a different job. So you have to have money somehow.

[Natalie Jean]

Yep.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They have a brief argument about Bryce and it's because the Autumn King really is very disrespectful to his daughter. Even though he doesn't really even call her his daughter. And Rune reminisces about the ill fated few meetings that Bryce had had with their shared father. Because of course Bryce was raised by her mother amongst the humans. She was 13 and Rune at that time was. Was already over 60.

[Natalie Jean]

Isn't that crazy? Like I feel like we have conversations about like oh, big age gaps between siblings and like imagine man, 60 years of an age. I guess that would be 47 years, which is conceivable. It's.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm sure that's happened many times, especially in like, I'm covering Mormonism for my other show. And that happens in those families because the men just keep.

[Natalie Jean]

They could just keep making them.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They keep making young brides have their babies.

[Natalie Jean]

That's why. That's all you gotta do. Just get new young ones. Right? Is that what you're learning from the Mormons? Yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You take away all their autonomy. It's cool. So Rune witnessed how poorly his father treated Bryce. And it changed his entire view of his dad. Because he had maybe had slightly better relationship with his dad before he learned he had this half sister. And when he watched how his dad treated Bryce, he vowed to never, ever turn out like his father. Even though the Autumn King and Bryce didn't have a relationship after those brief interactions, Ruhn had continued to spend time with her and her parents with the humans for another three years. And he really cherished that time. He loved having her as a sister. And I would imagine if that age gap was there, he would almost feel like a dad to her.

[Natalie Jean]

But also to like feel family for the first time.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Right. Yeah. To have like loving even. Even Bryce's mom was like. Treated him like family. Even though they weren't related.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And because of course Ember would. Oh, Ember. So they had this relationship for three years after that. So. Till she was 16. But then they had a mystery fight. We don't know what happened just yet, but something occurred between them and they completely stopped speaking to. To one another. His memories only go so far into detail right now, so that's about all we can gather. But they never really recovered their relationship, hence their terse interactions. Regardless, Ruhn feels protective over Bryce and clearly loves her. The same can't be said of their father, who speaks of her with disdain and disrespect.

[Natalie Jean]

We hate you, Autumn King.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Boo. This causes Ruhn's shadows to appear, which likely irritated his dad even more.

[Natalie Jean]

Beyond his starborn gifts, the bulk of his magic skewed toward his mother's kin, the Fae who ruled Avalon, the mist shrouded isle in the north, the sacred heart of Phaedom. His father would have burned Avalon into ashes if he could. That Rhuhn did not possess his father's flames, the flames of most of the ball bearing Fae, that he instead possessed Avalon abilities more than Ruhn ever let on. To summon and walk through shadows had been an unforgivable insult.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So they are very. They are literally like night and day. Where Autumn King has flame power. Flame power.

[Natalie Jean]

It's all the light. It's the. It's destruction but it's light. And then there's the shadows of the Avalon Fae.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So I assume his father feels irritated that he's not an heir who's taking after him. But also a guy like the Autumn King. Wouldn't he be more happy that it wasn't a carbon copy of him because he's egocentric?

[Natalie Jean]

I think that he does want the carbon copy of him because he's egocentric. But I bet he doesn't want him to be as strong as he is.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Right.

[Natalie Jean]

And he doesn't always have control over him.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

In many ways he is strong and has different capabilities than his father. So here's yet another world expansion by bringing Avalon. Is that how they say it?

[Natalie Jean]

Avalon. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Avalon. I was always saying Avalon. Avalon is ruins Mother's land. And it seems like faeborn from different types of Fae would favor one over the other. If they were born to like you know one of the parents. Just like genetic things like one of the parents powers would over would be the more dominant one. And his. His is more towards his mother's powers.

[Natalie Jean]

God. It's gotta be so crazy that I feel like if I was the kind of person that needed to have a biological child just because I would wanna see it look like me. Can you imagine if you had powers? I feel like I'd have to biologically have a child to see what kind of powers they would have. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That'd be pretty fun. So we have this idea that of this land. Even though we don't have a map for it or anything. We are just. Just the map that we have to go off of is just Crescent City right now. But runes. Ruhn's mom is a bit of a sad figure. She's chosen for breeding and basically kept in a house nearby. She holds no authoritative power and Ruhn does what he can for her. There's no love between her and the Autumn King. But he had to basically want. He wanted an heir. He just kind of like went this one.

[Natalie Jean]

This one.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And it was due to her heritage that afforded him the abilities to retrieve the Star Sword. He is starborn. And that was what made him be able to retrieve the Star Sword.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes. Sidebar question that like outside of all of the books. But I can't remember. Autumn King only has the two. Right?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Mm.

[Natalie Jean]

I feel like that's interesting too.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And reference of other things.

[Natalie Jean]

Hundreds of years of spewing your seed about the town. Not that he seems like the sexiest kind of guy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I do find he's banging though.

[Natalie Jean]

You know, he must have been. But I feel like it's like that air and a spare kind of thing. Like, I wonder if it is that. You know, that like also that hatred towards Bryce being who she is. Because then like. But then why would you have a child with a human? Sorry, these are many questions about that. I know with what we're talk about. I'm just. I'm just curious.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But could it be because he accidentally caught feelings for the human and that made him angry? And then she left, which made him even more angry because he wasn't controlling the situation. Because he's kind of vocalized that he didn't give a shit about having kids. He just wanted an heir.

[Natalie Jean]

Right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But having that second kid reminds him of his failures or his lack of control over that situation or something. But so the Starborn power that Ruhn has, this. He brings up this. He attained this thing called the Star Sword. And it's a special item that only responds to one Fae per generation. That there is a special sword being introduced brings me to mind Some Acotar stuff. And maybe a lot of other people agree with me. His father commands him forward and basically demands he produces starlight for him. So Autumn King's working on this. He's. He's experimenting and he demands that his son come forth and produce some starlight. Which is something that can happen for like a starborn Fae. But even as a starborn fate, he's kind of on the weaker side. And he can only produce a tiny little kernel which kind of, I guess, comes out like juice.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. I feel like it is like a little. It makes me think of like in Little Shop of Horrors, the movie. When he squirts out just a drop of blood for Audrey.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. So he does that and he produces that for his dad, Audrey too. Excuse me. I'm so sorry that you. I feel embarrassed.

[Natalie Jean]

I was embarrassed.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So he does what his father asks. Even though it's kind of uncomfortable for him to. To produce the Star Light.

[Natalie Jean]

Lord knows Daddy doesn't care how uncomfortable it is.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No. And he doesn't even really explain why he needs it or what he's doing, but he's using it for some kind of experiment. And then he comes out of left field and tells Ruhn that guess what he needs to begin the process of marriage. Which is like Ruhn came over to help warn him. And suddenly he's like, give me your Star Power. Give me you gotta go up married. And his father explains that he is owed an heir. And then we need to explain some more Midgard sociology.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So he. His father reminds him that the Oracle described Rune as becoming a fair and just king. The Oracle visit is something that happens to Fae when they turn. When they turn 13. Which we will learn more about in a bit. But it's another rite of passage where they receive what is essentially a fortune.

[Natalie Jean]

Kind of cool.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, it's fun. It's like a piece of information about their future. And it's usually in some kind of riddle. So Rune also mentions. And so what we know, according to the Autumn King is that his Oracle fortune was that he was going to turn into a fair and just King Ruhn also mentions the ritual known as the Ordeal. So we have two things we needed to learn about. Yeah. Yes. We've got Starborn, we've got Sarsau, we've got Oracle, we've got the Ordeal.

[Natalie Jean]

There's a lot of. Okay. All right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So the Ordeal is another ritual. And it'll get explained more later. But the long and short is that every young Fae will experience some large and grueling trial that will result in some sort of reward.

[Natalie Jean]

It's like a crazier battle college, you know, kind of. Yeah, just like it. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Fae don't choose their Ordeal. The Ordeal chooses them in some cosmic decision making process. The Ordeal happens to them.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

If that makes sense. And they don't always know it's happening until it starts happening. So in essence, the Autumn King is inferring that he needs Rune to go through the motions befitting a prince. To serve his father, give birth to an heir, and then serve as a just and fair king.

[Natalie Jean]

Whatever. Off, Daddy cakes. Get out of here. Daddy cakes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And there is no love or concern in these commands from his father. He simply wants his demands his only son do his bidding. Yeah, Ruhn says he's not going to do that. I'm not getting married. Then the Autumn King, classy as ever, tells him that a marriage is just a contract that he cannot the ins. The assigned veneer lady up and then go back to quote whomever you please.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, thanks daddy. What guidance we're receiving from our paternal figure. Thank you so much.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, but that's not what Rune's concerned about. And his dad would know that if he ever tried to know his son.

[Natalie Jean]

I know that I'm in my 60s, but you treat me like I'm 11.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But then his father does one worse. This marriage is about creating alliances and I know I just told you that you needed to start thinking about marriage, Rune, but I actually already chose somebody. And you're getting betrothed to somebody, and her name is Hypaxia, and she's the newly crowned witch queen. Surprise. I know you came over here because you thought it would be nice to help your father. Instead, I'm gonna fuck you over.

[Natalie Jean]

But also, how awesome would it be if someone told me it's like, all right, you're getting forced married. I'd be like, oh, boo. Yuck. But then you're being forced to marry the newly crowned witch queen. I would certainly change my tune.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It depends on the kind of witch, though.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Because what if it's, like, a horrible witch? Oh, and he's got, like.

[Natalie Jean]

Banger for the power. I was talking about this on Tears of a Clown monster fucking the other day. Even though witches were included in monster fucking, which don't get me started on how that's not. They're not monsters. But talking about, I was like, I'd even bang a crone because, like, just think of the power. You know what I mean? Like, I'm down, man, if I know that, like, God, the power of the earth lives inside her and that, like, we're going to have, like, a great time.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And listen, Crohn's need bones, too.

[Natalie Jean]

You're right. Thank you, Natalie. Hear, hear.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, they deserve it. Hypaxia is the newly crowned witch queen, which, surprise is now Rune's fiance. Hypaxia's mother had just died, which means that she was given the crown, like, by descendant. So the Autumn King wants the connections to the witches, and now that means Ruhn will be doing that for them. But, dad, I'm only 75.

[Natalie Jean]

That's the problem.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

To add to the insult, the witch has never even been photographed, so he has no idea what she even looks like or anything about her as a person. And she's also only 26 to his 75.

[Natalie Jean]

That's a lot. That's a lot to take on, you know?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But the Autumn King ain't done yet. There's another thing. Remember Luna's horn from earlier in the book?

[Natalie Jean]

And he's just like, I just came over to tell you something.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

This is why you don't try to help. Help Autumn King. No, don't ever do it.

[Natalie Jean]

I thought you're gonna say, just never help your parents. I was like, wow, that's bold. Never ever. They ask you for help, say, no, no, we.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We must.

[Natalie Jean]

No, we help.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We help the parents. So remember, that Lunasaur and the thing that disappeared at the beginning of this whole tale, well, it's never been found since then.

[Natalie Jean]

What?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But out of the Blue Rue knows that it's never been found and it never has. Autumn King has shown no interest in it. It was just some piece of, like, historical relic and whatever. And suddenly his father says, you must find it. And Rune is confused. Why now? But he's not really given an answer. He obviously doesn't feel that his son deserves many answers. But he. His father points out that the horn was originally possession of Pole, the first starborn prince. You may find that light calls to like, merely researching it could reveal things to you that were hidden from others. And the two continue to get heated. But Rune's thoughts reveal that he still holds fear for his dad, who, we learned through his memories has physically abused him as a child. This Curtis.

[Natalie Jean]

I want to help him. There's so. There's so many. If you have that feeling of like, oh, I just want to feel. Fix them. Let me fix them. This book is for y'all.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But it's not like, fix them. Because a lot of times that's like a toxic. The person likes. Is a huge piece of.

[Natalie Jean]

Right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, these are the.

[Natalie Jean]

This is the sad side of it. It's the sad trauma side of it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So which.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I love a sad. I love a sad.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

After a while, you're gonna like, shut.

[Natalie Jean]

I know. But also, like, let me make you smile.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So he essentially, again, in essence, this courtesy visit to tell his father political news has not gone well fare. Lots of bullshit has just been piled at his front door.

[Natalie Jean]

Find the horn like calls to like, an appropriate marriage. Produce an heir. You owe it to our bloodline.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The degradation and dismissal of his father's words swim through his head. He leaves fantasizing about a stiff drink, even more so because the oracle fortune that his father thinks he received is bullshit. Ruhn lied to him all the way back when.

[Natalie Jean]

With every step out of his father's villa, Ruhn could once more hear the oracle's unearthly whispering, reading the smoke while he'd trembled in her dim marble chamber? The royal bloodline shall end with you, Prince. What? Man. But I also. Isn't it nuts that even at 13, Ruhn was like, I really shouldn't tell my father.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

He's like, I really shouldn't bring this up. So the royal bloodline ends with Ruhn.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yep. So I imagine even as a kid, you understand that. That you're supposed to provide an heir.

[Natalie Jean]

Heirs especially. I mean, as a prince, it's like almost your only duty, especially according to someone like the Autumn King.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. So he doesn't tell his dad. And his dad still thinks that the oracle said that he was simply going to be a fair and just king. But he has a secret and he doesn't really know what to do with that information. But we know it now, too.

[Natalie Jean]

Yep. And.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And we're gonna have to find out what that means on the next one.

[Natalie Jean]

And will we find out on the next one or will we find out in thousand times now? Don't worry, it'll keep you hanging on. Thank you guys so much for hanging out with us this week and I'm excited to continue on un like, ooh, unpuzzling this story alongside you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I hope you remember all the definitions of stuff from today.

[Natalie Jean]

There will be a sexy quiz at the end. This show is made possible by listeners like you thanks to our ad sponsors. You can support our shows by supporting them. For more shows like the one you just listened to, go to last podcastnetwork.com.