LPN Deep Dives: HOSAB / Episode 25: Teleporkin'

Summary

LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City – HOSAB / Episode 25: Teleporkin'

Release Date: November 25, 2025
Hosts: Natalie Jean & Jackie Zebrowski
Book Discussed: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas (Crescent City, Book 2), Chapter 47/Part 2

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Natalie and Jackie return to their Crescent City HOSAB deep dive, dissecting pivotal chapters following a traumatic and action-packed sequence in the book. The hosts discuss how major losses affect the characters, interpret emotional dynamics, and tease out the larger mysteries and themes at the heart of the series. Much of the discussion centers on grief, rebellion, morally grey decisions, and the sexual/romantic entanglements that define Maas's world.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Penny Talk, Holiday Nonsense, and Warm-Up Banter (03:05–11:10)

• The hosts riff on pop culture and holidays, joking about pennies being discontinued, holiday inflation, and Christmas creeping into Thanksgiving.
• Notable comedic improv includes an extended riff on Abraham Lincoln and Scrooge (“You better watch out, or I’m taking slavery away again.” – Jackie, 05:20).

“If you have two nickels together and you rub them together, you got a dime piece of a brain in these two bitches.” — Jackie (03:56)

2. Where We Are in the Book: Chapter/Plot Recap (11:12–15:29)

• Sophie’s death: Cormac is mourning over Sophie’s body; it’s confirmed she did not survive.
• The hosts set the emotional tone: the group is coming down from a wave of danger and loss, with several characters (Bryce, Ruhn, Tharion, Cormac) processing the fallout.

“Regardless of what happened and how she was almost saved, Sophie did not make it, it turns out. Although, who knows with these magical creatures?” — Natalie (12:24)

3. Grief and Emotional Fallout (15:30–19:36)

• Cormac’s devastation: He’s not only grieving but recounts how he met Sophie, emphasizing their genuine connection.
• The tone is alternately sincere and irreverent, with jokes about “teleporkin’” (teleporting sex).
• Discussion of Sophie’s self-inflicted carvings: hosts speculate on the pain and purpose.

“If you try to bring the dead back, it doesn’t usually work out well. But sometimes, maybe it does, but not in the way that you want it.” — Natalie (13:06)

4. Carved Mystery & Trauma Analysis (17:22–19:36)

• Focus shifts to the code carved into Sophie’s arm, its significance, and character reactions.
• Both hosts relate this device to themes in other Maas series (Throne of Glass).

“It looks as though Sophie did this to herself. Possibly. But another mystery. Cormac doesn’t know what the letters and numbers are or what they mean.” — Natalie (18:30)

5. Comic Relief & Costume Commentary (20:14–22:43)

• Extended banter about costumes, office attire, and the imagined politics of Preacher’s Wives (“I have a shell phone!”).
• Comic riff on the sexual symbolism of fish and ocean royalty.

“I just realized… it’s my shell phone. Guys. Are you laughing so hard that you had to stop the episode? Guys. Shell phone.” — Jackie (21:39)

6. Ship Politics and Revolutionary Allegiances (22:43–32:30)

• Cormac vows to protect Emile, raising the question of who will take care of Sophie’s brother.
• Bryce worries the Hind may target their families.
• Tharion interacts with mer leader Sendes, learns about secret marine technology, and that the Ocean Queen may want fair elections (a rare benevolent motive?).

“Sendes tells him that the Queen does not want to be the new ruler. Tharion kind of scoffs at this, which is fair.” — Natalie (28:26)

7. The Bruised Heart of Tharion (32:30–34:18)

• Tharion’s attempts to retrieve Sophie’s body are shut down; hosts discuss the power dynamics and the River Queen's possible motives.
• Brief, pointed commentary on misogyny and ownership related to the disposition of Sophie’s body.

“He realizes with resignation that Cormac will never sign off on giving his love’s body to another lady.” — Natalie (32:30)

8. Ruhn & Day: Intimacy and Storytelling on the Mind Bridge (34:18–46:42)

• Ruhn, anxious and exhausted, seeks comfort in a mind-link with ‘Day’ (mysterious rebel leader).
• Day and Ruhn’s conversation: They debate morality, the cost of revolution, and Pippa’s dangerous extremism.
• Day tells Ruhn a symbolic bedtime story about a witch pursued by a prince, transforming to escape—clear allegory to her own trauma, hunted-turned-monster as survival.
• Intimate gestures—touching hair, lap resting—signal escalating emotional (possibly romantic) intimacy.

“She was a brave agent, far better and braver than Ophion deserved.” — Day (35:34)

“So, the allegory is sort of representing this witch lady who was attacked and prodded by a man for so long that she becomes a monster herself. Obviously, she’s to some extent speaking of herself.” — Natalie (46:44)

9. Transition to Part Three: The Pit (47:46–48:41)

• End of a book section; the hosts predict the narrative will now shift back into Lunathion and new dangers.
• Jackie compares Day’s story to “Lysandra” in Throne of Glass, noting Maas's recurring themes of women forced to change for survival.

10. Back in Lunathion: Threats, Codes, and Schemes (49:04–59:56)

• Bryce, Hunt, and Ruhn regroup in her apartment, still stuck on the mystery of the arm code and worried about Hind's next move.
• Baxian reveals himself as a rebel sympathizer—or does he? He wants “in,” arguing he’s already risked himself for them.
• Debate: Can he be trusted, or is this a long con?
• Hunt and Bryce’s romantic chemistry flairs until Hunt presses Bryce about the missing Emile and the revelation that he’s currently with the Viper Queen.

“How about you tell me what the fuck you know about Emile?” — Hunt (59:13)

“Are you fucking insane? Sending that kid to the Viper Queen?” — Hunt (59:35)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Grief:
  “Cormac is with… the body of Sophie. Sophie is deceased. And not, like, in the fun way.” — Natalie (11:10)

• On Teleportin’ and Teleporkin’:
  “You can’t stop love. Or at least you can’t stop wanting to get in those pants.” — Natalie (16:05)
  “Teleportin’ Porkin’. Yeah, teleportin’.” — Jackie (16:44)

• The Allegory of Day’s Story:
  “She doesn’t want a prince or a kingdom, only wants to be free… Are you trying to say something?” — Jackie (42:57–43:09)
  “So the allegory is sort of representing this—this witch lady who was, you know, kind and had, like, a good heart, who was attacked and prodded by a man for so long that she becomes a monster herself.” — Natalie (46:44)

• On The Hind:
  “Hunt thinks it’s because the Hind is playing mind games with them.” — Natalie (51:46)
  “She’s waiting to see what they do next... she wants to know where you will lead her to essentially let them hang themselves.” — Baxian recounted by Natalie (56:27)

• Comic Relief/Meta Moments:
  “I just realized… it’s my shell phone. Guys. Are you laughing so hard you had to stop the episode? Guys. Shell phone.” — Jackie (21:39)
  “Anything can be a chess piece if you stick it on a board.” — Jackie (57:59)

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Important Timestamps

• 03:05: Ocean Queen/Ween song riff, intelligence as ‘one man’
• 11:12: Beginning Chapter 47—Sophie's death; emotional fallout
• 16:44: Teleporting/Teleporkin’ joke and Cormac/Sophie’s relationship
• 18:22–19:07: Carvings on Sophie’s arm discussion
• 34:18: Ruhn and Day’s midnight “mind bridge” conversation; themes of trust and guilt
• 40:05–45:45: Day’s allegorical fairy tale
• 47:46: End of Part Two; shift to “The Pit”
• 49:04: Back at Bryce’s apartment, regrouping, code investigation
• 54:21: Baxian confronts group, reveals rebel intent
• 59:04: Hunt presses Bryce about Emile’s location—meat market reveal

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Episode Takeaways

• Grief and Loyalty: The hosts highlight Cormac’s heartache and the depth of connection in Maas’s world—all with the irreverence only LPN can bring.
• Revolution and Rebellion: Conflicted allegiances, deep cover agents, and ethical ambiguity rise to the forefront, especially in the Day/Ruhn dynamic and Baxian’s surfacing as a supposed ally.
• Romantic Tangling: Romance gets tangled with secrecy (Day & Ruhn; Bryce & Hunt), often providing both tension and comic release.
• Comic Flair: Jackie and Natalie maintain LPN’s signature humor, balancing serious literary analysis with jokes, innuendo, and wild improv.

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Next Time

Read up to Chapter 52 for the next episode. The unraveling web of secrets, danger, and sexual tension continues…

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Summary Prepared For:
Fans who missed the episode or want a recap before diving into the next explosive Crescent City deep dive!

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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

[C]

If you're nasty and you can too.

[B]

Join us in spring of 2026 at the Dreamers and Readers Festival. A three day event chock full of choose your own adventures.

[C]

Multiple Fae balls, fashion shows, photo shoots, hotties, Everybody. At least F15 different events at the otherworldly Gaylord Texan Resort that you can customize to make the perfect trip fit your Fantasy Dreams.

[B]

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[C]

Not only that, but if you use our code faybays at checkout for those events you can. You will receive an exclusive swag bag from the Weeknd.

[B]

I'll do anything for a swag bag, Natalie.

[C]

Swagbag. Give it to me.

[B]

Yes, that's right. Use our code Faybase F A E B A e [e-mail] to get your $10 off of any of these events.

[C]

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

[B]

Gimme gimme. Give me that sweet. Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski. Oh, shouldn't we not take me by the hand until the land going on Understand I'm an ocean queen. Yeah. A lot of ween fans do we have a lot of Is there a lot of do you think there are a lot of Wean Crescent City crossover.

[C]

Honestly, probably Ocean Queen.

[B]

And now you can sing that to yourself as well. And do I not know any of the other words to the song? No, but I do know Ocean Queen, which is Ocean man, and it's not Ocean Queen.

[C]

Oh, I don't know what you're talking about.

[B]

It's a ween song. Ocean Man.

[C]

The one I can think of is Curry Beyond Queen.

[B]

Now we're sharing the same dream and our hearts will beat as one Know my love on the run. Uh oh. You better watch out. We're gonna get dinged. People are gonna think it's the actual song.

[C]

Because we sound like a man.

[B]

Yeah. Voices combine with our voices combined, we.

[C]

Sound like one man. Just like how our intelligence together is one man.

[B]

Yes. Thank you for reminding everybody. If you have two nickels together and you rub them together, you got a dime piece of a brain in these two bitches.

[C]

The penny just stopped being made.

[B]

They've been talking about that for a long time. Did they actually stop? Because I keep seeing pennies, and I think that they're liars.

[C]

The last penny, apparently was minted yesterday.

[B]

Wow. Sayonara, sense. It's not like the country had much of it before.

[C]

If you were worried that the billion slash trillionaires were hoarding all the wealth, don't worry. They're taking away your pennies too. I think we should. Because of the. The wealth hoarding, we should bring back hay pe.

[B]

Oh, just made out of hay.

[C]

The half pennies.

[B]

Oh, so you. It's not just a penny. You go, hey, hey, hey. You're a penny.

[C]

A.

[B]

You're a penny. Abraham Lincoln, bitch.

[C]

I don't think Lincoln was on the a penny.

[B]

Oh, but he's on the regular penny, so it's not just half of his face. Just like, half of his dick. And he'll be like, you can't show the bullet through this. Hmm.

[C]

You know, I'll have to check the records on that.

[B]

I'm not sure. Through my penis.

[C]

What is that?

[B]

You better watch out, or I'm taking slavery away again.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

That was my Lincoln impersonation.

[C]

That was your Lincoln.

[B]

Policy. I could never go to a ploy ever again. Isn't that what Daniel Day Lewis did? And then he was talking like that all the time, and everybody's like, stop. Could you not. You're not Lincoln.

[C]

It sounds a little bit more like a creaky door. Like an animated creaky door voice.

[B]

Ooh.

[C]

Okay, maybe a little bit of the. What's the doorknob's name in throne glass.

[B]

Oh, God. Hey. No, I'm over here. I'm just down here. Lenny. I'm gonna call him.

[D]

When?

[B]

Don't remember.

[C]

Oh, man. You know, I know these books so well, and yet the density of characters means that I forget people's names quite often. Especially Mort. Mort. I was close. You weren't off very much. They both sound like. What is it called? Oh, my God. What's his name?

[B]

Cogsworth Lumiere.

[C]

They both sound.

[B]

Fucking idiot Chip.

[C]

They both sound like what? Oh, my God. The guy who fucking did Christmas Carol.

[B]

National Lampoon?

[C]

No.

[B]

Scrooge. Charles Dickens.

[C]

People sound like Dickens characters. We got there.

[B]

I think that we could credit National Lampoon with the Christmas Story. I feel like we, you know, I mean, as in Merry Christmas. Holy.

[C]

Where's the Tylenol? I could use some right now.

[B]

Oh, yeah?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And I could use some nog. I could get thick with nog right now.

[C]

Yeah. I'm at the stage in my life, in my comfortability, that I now see Christmas stuff come out and I'm like, aw, that's pretty. I'm excited to see, like the tinsel and the fucking. Give me this. The. The nog flavors and the. The creams.

[B]

So you're not. You. You don't get angry Because I feel like a lot of, you know, a lot of us out there, we see the early putting out of the holidays. I will say I am here to support and not to support to get rid of the Thanksgiving erasure that Mariah Carey tries to do with her Sephora ads now. And I won't allow it.

[C]

I think you need to be a decoration influencer. So you need to make more Thanksgiving centric decorations that go about the house.

[B]

Yes. And also, like horny Christmas Story jokes instead. Like, there's more gravy than I've grave about you, but it's me talking to my vagina that I guess. Oh, look at that sleeping slide. More gravy then, huh? I don't think it's dead. I think it's just cushion.

[C]

That's Thanksgiving.

[B]

Yeah, that's what that. Like, that's screwed. Like, we never see Scrooge on Thanksgiving, you know?

[C]

Oh. Like he. He was just being a bad man at that time there. No ghosts came.

[B]

Exactly. And like, so he's really just talking to himself. I'd love to see the prequel, like.

[C]

Where he's spiraling out, becoming the monster that he is.

[B]

Or just a couple weeks earlier when. Yeah, I just want to see him peak. Bad boy.

[C]

You know, he was going to be in the files. He was one of them.

[B]

Oh, he's in the files. Oh, he was on that island. You think Scrooge wouldn't be on that island?

[C]

Oh, Ebenezer Scrooge would be first in line. He wouldn't even wait in line.

[B]

Think of how many women he had down in those coins. Yeah, I'm talking about the duck one. And you know what the Rouge McDuck was doing? Scrooge McFuck.

[C]

Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure. Oh, a wealth hoarding duck. Get out of here. Your fucking coins. All right.

[B]

Although Michael kind I'd still kiss you.

[C]

Well, yeah, you know, it's not his fault.

[B]

And also the respect he gave those Muppets. I'm not just gonna talk about Muppet Christmas Carol right now. We do have a whole chapter to get into.

[C]

Tis the Season.

[B]

It is. And no Jesus for his mises.

[C]

Nope. And no Jesus for his mises, in my opinion.

[B]

So.

[C]

Yeah. Do you remember where we are in this book?

[B]

Yeah. Where are we? Chapter 47.

[C]

You're just looking at the computer.

[B]

Yep. I'm doing my job, Natalie. That is what I'm doing. Obviously, I know what's about to happen. I'm dressed like the goddamn Ocean Queen. Natalie, do you know who I am? Nah. Some bitch.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah. I said it, and I'm glad I said it. That's what the holidays are all about. This is what. You know, they say it's like, that's when you love someone, you've got to tell them. But also, I think it's when you hate somebody, you gotta tell them, too.

[C]

Ow.

[B]

And I'm not. No, not that you. I hate you. I'm saying there's a whole spectrum.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

You have to say how we really feel, Natalie. I'm ready for it.

[C]

At the Queen or at Jackie? Me. Which? Mitch? Me.

[B]

Depends on what you think. Ouch. I'm ready for you.

[C]

Ouch.

[B]

I'm ready for your opinions.

[C]

I think that you.

[B]

Ah, my crown. I think the world is turning upside down. Oceans are in space.

[C]

I think it's a little insulting. You don't know any of your employees.

[B]

Why would I?

[C]

Well, I'm just telling. You asked me to tell you the truth.

[B]

Oh, okay. All right. And I never will.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

And you can keep saying it now. I'm glad you feel this way.

[C]

We've only learned one name of one employee.

[B]

Yeah. Send us.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

And are you? Send us. That's why I forgot about you.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

Because your sendas. Is that a pigeon on Your shirt. Are you just happy to see me? Oh, it's a fish. It's the double fish that is covered in fish.

[C]

It's the insignia of the boat.

[B]

I'm glad that you didn't have pigeons on you, because that just wouldn't make any sense.

[C]

No, it wouldn't. No, it wouldn't at all. And back to work. Back to work. Thank you, Queen.

[B]

Never look at me on the eye.

[C]

Chapter 47 is where we are. And Cormac is with what we learned to be true. Last chapter, which is. He is with the body of Sophie. Sophie is deceased. And not like, in the fun way.

[B]

Yeah. Not in.

[C]

Like, we're like, she's serving and I'm deceased.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

No, she's. She is dead. She's a dead body. She's body.

[B]

We got rips. We're throwing rips out there. And it is Cormac's heart that has been ripped.

[C]

Wrist up. Wrist up. Wrist up.

[B]

Oh, wrists up.

[C]

I think I was saying rest up, but wrist up also.

[B]

Oh, I thought you were saying wrists up.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Why put your hands up when you could just put your wrists up instead? Oh, yeah, get that twerking going. It's like the twerking of the hands.

[C]

We kind of just look like aunties at a wedding.

[B]

Shake your ass. Watch yourself. It's the ass of the hand.

[C]

The wrist is the ass of the arm.

[B]

Wow. Or sometimes the weenus. Weenus. Ocean weenus. Take me by the penis. Whoa.

[C]

Hey. Good. Good job.

[B]

Thank you.

[C]

So, regardless of what happened and how she was almost saved, Sophie did not make it, it turns out. Although, who knows with these magical creatures? Maybe she'll become alive again through some sort of spell. Or she'll become like an animated flower.

[B]

Don't do this to me. I am in the end of season five of Buffy right now, and I feel like you're triggering me right now in ways that you wouldn't even understand.

[C]

No, I don't know what you mean.

[B]

There's a lot of. You know what? Sometimes the dead have to come back, Natalie. And sometimes we can't bring them back.

[C]

Sometimes if you try it, we've learned historically through many stories, if you try to bring the dead back, it doesn't usually work out well.

[B]

But sometimes, maybe it does, but not in the way that you want it.

[C]

You're going to have a tiny little blonde baby with a knife in his hand, and it is cute and funny, but then he does try to kill you.

[B]

Whoa. Renesmee.

[C]

No, Gage from pet cemetery.

[B]

Oh, yeah, that one. I thought it was like, oh, did you already read the copy of the new Stephanie Myers book?

[C]

Wait, did you?

[B]

No, I wish. Oh, are you kidding me? I'm gonna be screaming from the mountaintops. Unfortunately, child gets to fuck that old werewolf man that waited for her to grow up.

[C]

I am enabling this behavior because I do want to read it.

[B]

Have to, must see it. I can't believe she's writing it. And I'm sorry that I bring it up so often.

[C]

No, it's. It's upsetting. It is because people will read it, even in outrage.

[B]

Yep.

[C]

And they're going to make money.

[B]

And we are part of the problem.

[C]

Part of the problem.

[B]

Yep. And we accept it. But also, I bet we're talking to other parts of the problem. And isn't it nice we're all together?

[C]

Oh, yeah. Other parts of the problem. Who are listening right now? You.

[B]

I mean, we're all in this together.

[C]

I mean, we read the Midnight sun one.

[B]

We did read Midnight sun, so. And I did audiobook for it on the Patreon. So that really. There was a lot of twilight in my life. There really was some time. Why do you think I bring it up so often? Anyway, sorry.

[A]

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[D]

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[C]

We are with Bryce in this chapter. Tharion and Ruhn also are brought up in this chapter POVs as they each process everything that's just occurred. We just went through a massive. A fight scene, almost death scene, sex scene.

[B]

Oh yeah.

[C]

A lot of changes going on. So we're going to be seeing their reactions to all of these things. Bryce watches Cormac as he kneels over Sophie's body. And though she feels conflicted about Cormac, it's clear that his grief and love for her is real, that this is somebody who has real feelings. And he's not, like, just.

[B]

It wasn't just a summer fuck having a blast.

[C]

He clearly had deep feelings for her. Run comforts Cormac, putting a hand on his shoulder, which is this weird, like, frenemy situation they have going on with him right now. Cormac is so, you know, grieved. He can barely speak. He begins to sob and takes Sophie's hand in his. He tells the others about how they met, and it was at a recon report session for Opian. He was taken by her immediately and pursued a relationship even though he knew it was a bad idea. You can't stop love. Or at least you can't stop wanting to get in those pants.

[B]

Hell, yeah. Teleporting. Porkin. Yeah, Teleportin.

[C]

Teleportin. Oh, God. Ugh. Yeah. Whoa.

[B]

Think of the possibilities. Teleporting.

[C]

Get out of here. Was a couple of pigs. A couple of pigs.

[B]

Good for them. I hope they're having fun.

[C]

Oh, that's also. You could have. It could be about sex or could be about pigs teleporting, which would be so, so cute. I wish I could tell.

[B]

For one of them, they probably wouldn't understand what's going on, so maybe they'd be scared.

[C]

I think they have to know pigs are smart.

[B]

Yeah. So they have to consent. So you better make sure you get the consent from the pig before you teleport them.

[C]

Exactly. Thank you. He couldn't stop himself with his love for Sophie. And so Tharion, who is also watching, he is sympathetic, but he is in business mode. He needs to do his job. Asks Cormac about something we haven't learned about yet. That there are letters and numbers carved into Sophie's arm.

[B]

Huh?

[C]

What is that about?

[B]

The assortment of numbers and letters had been carved roughly an inch below her shoulder. Left unhealed, cut deep. And I know that this has nothing to do with Sam in Throne of Glass, but. Sorry. That I'm also triggered by staring at the love of someone's life as their corpse is on a table etched with things that they shouldn't be etched with. And I. I think about Throne of Glass, like, that part of Throne of Glass. So, like, too often, there was the.

[C]

One illustration that we did during our Throne of Glass livestream that really makes me so. It's, like, very moving. Pictures.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Really makes me sad looking at it. And this is, again, kind of a similar scene, although it. It looks as though Sophie did this to herself. Possibly. Whoa. But another mystery. Cormac doesn't know what the letters and numbers are, what they mean. They all ponder over what it could be.

[B]

She was in that salt water, too, so that really burns.

[C]

Yeah, it looks.

[B]

I guess she was probably really trying to say something.

[C]

Yeah. Because, like, it seems as though she might have done this in her final moments, which is pretty badass. I don't know if I could spend my last moments alive carving my arm open.

[B]

I guess if, like, so much of what you feel your purpose is, is to share this information, I guess you'd probably carve it into your body.

[C]

Yeah, I. I mean, I get it, I guess, but I don't know if I'd do it. I think I would be like this.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, I never. I'm not meant to be a spy. I'm not meant to endure torture.

[C]

Also, drowning, like, you're. You're.

[B]

While you're drowning.

[C]

While you're drowning. Yeah. No, it's a lot.

[B]

You know, it's the kind of strength. I'm not gonna say that we don't have it, Natalie. It's just really hidden very, very well within us.

[C]

Well, it's just like, my art is important to the cause, and, yeah, look at us.

[B]

Look at our costumes. This is obviously important for the cause.

[C]

My contributions are more about making you think, you know, and that's why I can't save people, if you know what I mean. We. We are here for a purpose that is almost greater, I would say. Wow. Yeah.

[B]

Wow. Is it the hair? Is that what's making you so, like, like, 1950s housewife, but also, like, professional, Like, I trust you.

[C]

Thank you. I was kind of going for that vibe when I came down. I have to have Henry stop commenting on my costumes, because he's trying.

[A]

Nice.

[C]

He's like, you look great. Are you a preacher's wife? And I was like, not what I was going for.

[B]

No, you're a very busy. Like, I'm a business hog in the wheels of rebellion.

[C]

I was trying to be a subtle office baddie. That was. Oh, she is buttoned up and she is professional, but, like, she can, like, get it. You know what I mean?

[B]

Did you, like, just unbutton that button just to get. Show Henry? It's like. Yeah, but she also got the tilts.

[C]

No, because I'm wearing a corset and I have, like, cat smokey Eye on Preacher's wife wouldn't do that.

[B]

Yeah, Henry. Preacher's wife wouldn't do that. She wouldn't be allowed to do that. As she shouldn't. Because then she's a whore.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

And this preacher's wife would have been cast out of their community.

[C]

Yeah. And I would have befriended her. Should be.

[B]

Yeah. And then we'll be friends with her. It'll be just, like two wong food things for everything. Julie Newmar.

[C]

Awesome. Um.

[B]

Has nothing to do with that.

[C]

No. But.

[B]

But small town.

[C]

Small town.

[B]

You look great. And you do look like someone I would immediately forget. Even though you're probably doing a lot of great work for me.

[C]

Ouch.

[B]

Sorry. Hello? I'm sorry. I'm on my cell phone right now. Natalie. I just came up with that. I did. This was supposed to be a purse. And I was. Like I said, Adam earlier, I'm going to use this as a phone. And I just realized I. It's my shell phone. Guys. Are you laughing so hard that you had to stop the episode? Guys. Shell phone.

[C]

I. Yes. I'm. I have to stop the episode now.

[B]

Uh.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

I'm gonna be calling all those undersea porn lines. What? Say where? Under my sea. Where'd you put it?

[C]

You're calling a phone sex line.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, what else is the fucking Ocean Queen gonna do? She's not remembering your name.

[C]

Business things.

[B]

She's got to get finned off.

[C]

Wow. Whatever. I guess. Whatever gets. If she gets her eggs released, maybe she can focus better.

[B]

Thank you. Thank you, Natalie.

[C]

I don't. I think eggs come out right for fish most of the time. We already talked about this. We literally already talked about this. Okay.

[B]

We talk about it often.

[C]

So they all wonder what this could be. On Sophie's arm, Roon tells the room that he's going to employ Declan to begin to try to decipher what this message with his nerd skills. Okay. Cormac says that he needs to find Emile even more now and that he will protect him from all threats, including those in the room with him. Essentially saying, I'm not going to allow the River Queen to have them. And you are also not going to take him. He is my girlfriend's brother.

[B]

Yes, sir. I mean, he's very upset. So I feel like in this case, you just kind of got to go. Okay. Yeah.

[C]

Dude.

[B]

Bro. You're literally laying. You know, you're next to the corpse of the person you love. So I. Whatever. Whatever you got to say to get through the day.

[C]

Sure. But Bryce also does Posit. So are you then now you're a new daddy. You're going to be a dad to. Are you prepared to be the dad to this little boy? And Cormac's like, oh, I didn't really think about it.

[B]

Like, somebody else do that?

[C]

Like a lady come and do that?

[B]

Yeah. Because I think you need to have eggs to take care of.

[C]

Can you.

[B]

I. I'm busy.

[C]

Like, could. Like, you could. Could I find a lady?

[B]

Sorry, my shell phone's ringing. Oh, gotta take this.

[C]

He's like, actually, you know what? You guys can have him. I got a lot going on on my plate right now. And Bryce wonders, allowed, whether that now that the hind knows a bit about their double lives, do they need to warn and hide their families? They don't know what is going to occur once they get. Once they're off the ship. No, because they have now opened several cans of new worms. And she feels worry course through her, realizing they're stowed away here while her parents are sitting blissfully unaware. Is the Hind going to go after them? Cormac feels certain the hind won't attack their families until they themselves are captured, so that she can make them witness what she'll do to the families. Fun.

[B]

Great hunt.

[C]

And Bryce suggests to the others that they try to pitch it to the Asteri that they were actually there to stop Ovion because of their loyalty to the city state. We blew them all up because we don't. We thought they were like, no. We said no. And, you know, you could technically make that work in theory. They did attack in Opion station, and now Pippa is tracking them. So it could be like, because we love you so much, Asteri. That's why we love you guys. You're our favorites. They'll have to deal with all of that when they get back to the surface. Cut to shortly after with Tharion, who is standing with Commander Sendes in a classified mer only section of the boat. He's blown away by this technology and that he, as the intelligence officer of the River Queen, knew nothing about it. And he feels kind of stupid, like, he doesn't actually. His position is just like, he's just a fuckboy. He doesn't actually have any intel. He's not a part of things. The officer Sandez tells him that they have had these ships functioning for two decades, but have been working on the tech for far longer.

[B]

Ooh, sorry, Therian. Yeah, you can't know this stuff. Apparently, you're like, not that in you.

[C]

Would think it Would be helpful to the River Queen for him to know things, but I. I guess she doesn't really care.

[B]

No.

[C]

During the conversation, he happens to notice send us his fatty and gets a little randy for a minute, only to remember he's a servant and also tied to the daughter of his master. So he, like, is seeing her being like, oh, I'd like to hit a piece of that.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And Preacher's wife. Preacher's wife. And then he's like, why I can't think about these things because of my bad choices I've made. Tharion dares to ask if the Ocean Queen is. Is aiding Ophion Send us confirms that she has helped the rebellion. From time to time, Tharion thinks about his own queen and asks of the Ocean Queen's intents on throwing the Asteri out. Is it because she just wants to be the new ruler of Midgard?

[B]

Very interesting that you want to know that. I feel like you're not supposed to know what I'm trying to do. And if my sister doesn't want to tell you, then maybe I shouldn't hear you or send us. Oh, you told me to tell him, Cinders.

[C]

Oh, see, I thought you'd want the good PR.

[B]

I see you don't know what happens in the deep.

[C]

So you're like the old school kind of royalty, where you're just like, off with their heads and shock.

[B]

Let him eat cake, bro.

[C]

He's surprised when Senda says. Unfortunately, she does say beneficial things about the queen. Says the queen is old enough to remember fair elections. Yes. And wishes to return to that. Yes.

[B]

Good P.R.

[C]

Oh, so you're not. Don't. You're faking that. You don't actually want that.

[B]

Okay, yeah, you just look over at the Ocean Queen. She's smiling. This. She just heard. All you have to do is show your teeth.

[C]

Oh, I think she's trying to smile. Oh, she's okay.

[B]

I'm mysterious.

[C]

Yes, she is smiling, she's happy, and she's being warm. So he. So the Senda says that the queen does not want to be the new ruler. Therian kind of scoffs at this, which is fair. It's pretty hard to trust leaders, it seems, generally.

[B]

What are you gonna do about it?

[C]

I don't know. I literally don't know. I don't know what the answer is.

[B]

Kick Finn. That's what the answer is. And my crown keeps falling off because my head's too little, even though I have this huge wig on.

[C]

I think your head is normal sized. I think that you have to get a crown. That's the problem.

[B]

This child's heavy heads the head that has. It's not my head that's heavy, though, it's the crown.

[C]

Well, it looks great.

[B]

Thank you.

[C]

That's all that really matters. So he's like. He's kind of like, oh, sure she does. Sure. She wants free and fair elections. Send us. Looks sadly at Therion and tells him she's sorry that he's been abused to the point that he can't believe a queen would want equality. This is annoying to him. He gets kind of irritated that she's, like, almost pitying him at this point. And he decides to change the subject of why he's actually in the room. He asks if he can take possession of Sophie's body for his queen. Sendes is understandably hesitant to authorize this bizarre request. Like, why do you want this corpse?

[B]

Why do you want to know? I mean, if he loves her, it means he owns her and that means that's his property.

[C]

No, this is Therian.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Not Cormac.

[C]

No.

[B]

Well, then also Tharion owns her as well, just by being a man.

[C]

Even though his penis is inside of a vagina, apparently.

[B]

Yeah, well, you know, when in eggs.

[C]

When in eggs. So Tharion needs this for the River Queen, Right? She wants this body and this is confusing to send as. And she kind of broaches hesitantly, like, does your queen want her because she wants to reanimate her via necromancer?

[B]

It's interesting how you don't trust. Isn't that so sad for you, Send as that you can't trust the River Queen? Maybe it's thrown right back at you. But also, yeah, I wouldn't trust any of them. Yeah.

[C]

Also, yeah, I don't. Why? It's a very strange thing, like, can I have this spare corpse you have lying around?

[B]

Just take it. I know you're like, keeping it here for a reason, but, like, AKA have it.

[C]

I have it.

[B]

But yeah, I feel like it really is. It's AKA habit and.

[C]

No.

[A]

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[D]

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[C]

So Tharion has never even, I guess, considered that his River Queen would be trying to reanimate this corpse.

[B]

Why?

[C]

Disturbed by the idea of it? I don't know. I guess he's just like not thinking about it.

[B]

Open up your brain, bro, to what could be. You're like not thinking about what she's gonna do with it.

[C]

That's because he's thinking about his downstairs clam a lot. He insists that she doesn't have access to to a necromancer, even if that's what she wanted. So he doesn't think that's what the Queen wants the body for. Send Us tells him he should gain permission through Cormac as a high officer in Ophion, as well as something more to Sophie. She is saying it's Cormac's authority. That's Cormac's property now. The body.

[B]

He owns her. Thank you. I'm glad. It's like you don't own her. That other guy does. Hello?

[C]

Yeah. Therian realizes with resignation that Cormac will never sign off on giving his love's body to another lady. Just being like, okay, but like you have sex with her. Like what are you doing?

[B]

Yeah, but like they might torture it like you don't even know.

[C]

So yeah, that's not gonna happen there. It has a miserable expression on his face, apparently, because Send Us looks at him and suggests he could stay on the ship. They could actually use his help if he wanted. He shuts this down immediately, almost in panic, as if the River Queen could even hear this conversation. Send Us seems to read the fear on his face and kindly offers him assistance if he should ever need it. Which is very sad because she's talking to him like somebody who is speaking to somebody who is in a domestic abuse situation. In a way at being like, I understand you're not ready to leave, but when you are, you just reach out to me. Which is, you know, that's a. That sucks. He excuses himself, eyeing the control room they are standing in, where he notes that all of the crew on this ship are very hard at work, but they seem at ease, not afraid, almost content. He feels a bit sorry for himself, having the dread that he's almost back to the river and to his fate. Later on. Ruhn is laying in his ship cot, a room shared with Tharion, who is fast asleep. He's having trouble himself sleeping, worrying about what the dawn will bring. As if sensing his dis ease, suddenly Daybright is calling in his mind. Night. He goes inward and finds her sitting on her couch. His couch is also already present.

[B]

Uh oh, It's a Kiki.

[C]

Oh, they're having a Kiki.

[B]

I love Brainbridge.

[C]

K Kiki. He can sense she's worried about him and he kind of teases her about it because she's gotten some form of intel probably about what happened today. She tells him she heard about the attack and that he maybe had been one of the people who perished. She asked him where he is and he only tells her that he's safe now. He then directs a pointed request to explain how she can approve of Ophion through Pippa killing innocent veneer seemingly at random. Day seems a little like what? Like what do you mean? Oh, he explains and she seems genuinely taken aback that this ally of hers is just going around willy nilly shooting people. Day then reveals to him that she doesn't think of Pippa in a positive light. That even though they both fight for the same side, that Pippa has ostensibly lost the plot.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Ruhn reports that they have confirmed Sophie's death. This also startles Day. She appears emotional.

[B]

She da's legs curled beneath her.

[C]

She was a brave agent, far better and braver than Ophion deserved.

[B]

Genuine sorrow laced Day's words.

[C]

She tells Run that she admired her deeply and that she embodied everything that Pippa isn't. Bravery, selflessness, etc, dead deadness. Ruhn asked why everyone supports her still then and Day basically says you have to be kind of crazy to stand up to the Asteri.

[B]

We're not saying that you don't. You're right.

[C]

And so crazy people will end up leading the charge. Unfortunately, sometimes those people end up being crazy in a bad way.

[B]

Too cray.

[C]

Too cray.

[B]

Wrong.

[C]

Wrong. Cray.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So though she doesn't condone what Pippa's done, she does acknowledge that fighting for change comes with making sacrifices, sometimes even going against your very will.

[B]

Day went on to be free of this story.

[C]

There are things that we must do that will leave a mark on our souls. It's the Cost so that our children and their children won't ever need to pay it. So that they'll know a world of freedom and plenty.

[B]

The words of a dreamer. A glimpse beneath that hard ass facade.

[C]

Ruhn reveals to her then the prophecy he received. That the royal line ends with him.

[B]

Wow. We're sharing big things on the brain bridge. Okay. This is really. I know that it's like, well, they've already opened up about a lot, but this is okay. They're.

[C]

They're kind of getting very intimate with each other in a certain way. He tells her about this prophecy at that moment, saying like, well, I don't need to worry about that. He doesn't know if that means he will die before it happens or he's infertile, but in any case, that he won't have kids, but that he will still fight for the future of all of his loved ones, their children. All children. Crazy concept, right? She tells him she thinks he'd be a good father, which he brushes off. She asks if he's okay and he tells her that he's still reeling over everything that happened today and he can't sleep.

[B]

Nuts. That's insane.

[C]

Yeah, like, get over it.

[B]

It's like I have a regular work day and I have too much anxiety to go to sleep that night. I can't imagine replaying this day over and over again.

[C]

Yeah. And having unknown numbers of these days.

[B]

In his long life and not knowing what is going to happen. Like that the hound saw them. And not knowing what's going to happen with like, all of it.

[C]

That's why he has to drink and smoke and get tattoos and be hot.

[B]

He has to murthroot and chill.

[C]

He's got to. He. So he's having trouble sleeping. She then asks him if he'd like her to tell him a story. Thinking that she's joking, he's like, sure. She's like, bet. Okay, bet.

[B]

Then to his shock, he was like, are you a zoomer? Are you a child that you said bet like that? Oh my God. Are you doing the different heart thing that's actually more difficult to do than the original heart thing with your fingers? Then to his shock, she came and sat beside him. Brushed a burning hand through his hair. Warm and gentle, tentative. Whoa. Okay, we're touching on the brain bridge.

[C]

What we doing here?

[B]

Day.

[C]

He lays down next to her and closes his eyes as she begins a tale. I thought we should hear the tale because it is sure sort of indicative of what I think that's sort of what we're learning Day is projecting her own thoughts and feelings onto this story she began. Once upon a time, before Luna hunted the heavens and Solas warmed Kathona's body, before Agenis blanketed Midgard with water and earth twined our fates together, there lived a young witch in a cottage deep in the woods. She was beautiful and kind and beloved by her mother. Her mother had done her best to raise her, with her only companions being the denizens of the forest itself. Birds and beasts in the babbling brooks.

[B]

Sounds like you need to get some friends, bitch.

[C]

She's a little bit different and she.

[B]

Can speak to water, so that's why she doesn't have any friends.

[C]

Yeah. As she speaks, she begins to run her hand through Ruhn's hair. And he is pretty much, you know, jello. He's smitten at this point.

[B]

Also, it's like, it's who you're around. I feel like he's not flirting with anybody outside of the brain bridge. It's not helping. And then you're just like, oh, well, my girlfriend's on the brain bridge. I'm not gonna try. In real life, it's.

[C]

It's literally like, no, I have a girlfriend. She's on a bridge.

[B]

She's on a bridge, and the bridge doesn't exist. And she's made her see her, but she's really hot. And no, I don't know who she is. And I'm pretty sure she's human, but I don't know.

[C]

Yeah. So she begins to run her hand through his hair, and that is very intimate. But my cynical brain would also say, is this a way to identify him and compromise his position?

[B]

I already feel like it's given a lot him talking about his line and his lineage, even. It's like, why do you care about any of that? I feel like even that alone. I know it's like. Or is it like a veneer and that's why they're what? Like, I don't know. But I feel like it is adding a lot more questions that you don't really need on the brain bridge.

[C]

Yeah, Especially. I mean, his hair is very unique. And so I feel like if you were trying to.

[B]

His hair, though, as night, maybe he doesn't have, like, this shaved side of his head.

[C]

I don't know. I feel like he does. I think it's just made out of stars.

[B]

But then maybe she wouldn't be able to feel the difference. She's like, is that a buzz cut or is that just like a comet?

[C]

Maybe I don't know.

[B]

She doesn't know what the fuck she's touching, right?

[C]

So he desires to be near her, and it makes him make a risky kind of decision. And he lifts his head up and scooches over, places it in her lap.

[B]

The fire did not burn him, and the thigh beneath was firm with muscle, yet supple. And that scent.

[C]

Oh, boy, we got some troubles going here.

[B]

Talk about that supple thighs.

[C]

Yeah, you don't think about your friend's supple thighs, I'll tell you that.

[B]

Oh, no, no, no, no. I'm thinking about some supple thighs right now.

[C]

Which ones?

[B]

My husband.

[C]

Oh, that's nice. In her story, the witch is so spotted by a passing prince who desires her so he can. She continues on with the story. This witch doesn't want a prince or a kingdom, only wants to be free and live in the world and run through the forest. Are you.

[B]

Do you got something to do with this story or, you know, is this. Are you trying to say something or.

[C]

So she is.

[B]

She doesn't need you. That's what she's saying. She's saying she doesn't need you. I'm ripping my crowd off. She doesn't need.

[C]

Need you.

[B]

She is the forest of the birds and the beasts.

[C]

She's also expressing that. She tried to say clearly she doesn't want those things, but the prince does not care. It's giving 500 days of summer. Little manic pixie dream. It's a little Zoe Dashel and then a little Joseph Gordon Levette following her around, going, no, but you have to. Please.

[B]

You have to. And inspiring a whole generation of but you have to.

[C]

And Joseph Gordon Levett's defense. Joseph Gordon Levitt. Joseph Gordon Levitt's defense. He says that that character is the villain in the story. And I agree.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

So he continues to chase her as she runs away from him. And as she's running, the princess begins to beg the magic of the forest to help her escape this fate, this man. So it begins to transform her into different animals. Every time she turns into a different animal, the prince knows how to trap it or catch it or shoot at it. Each animal she transforms to, she has to change again. Ruhn realizes he's being lulled into sleep as she speaks, and he drifts off before she can finish the story.

[B]

Wow. This story is also really giving Lysandra.

[C]

Yeah, right. Oh, yeah, I see that. Definitely. Interesting, interesting. Run. Wakes up sometime later and finds himself still on the bridge. Only day has now returned to her couch and is asleep. He can't help but see her and think that she reminds him of a story of a sleeping princess surrounded by a ring of fire, waiting to be rescued by a brave warrior. A little reductive there, Rune.

[B]

Because she's asleep, and it's like she's asleep in one. In the other thing.

[C]

And the other thing.

[B]

It's like the one. Wow. He's being a real Ethan right now. A little bit.

[C]

I think it's because he wants to touch her so bad.

[B]

He's horny. Yeah. All the blood's in his dick. Yeah.

[C]

But. So we forgive him. We. He finds himself walking towards her, and just his nearness to her seems to awaken her. Her eyes shoot open and she darts up. He tells her that he was just hoping to hear the end of the story. She rounds the couch away from him, putting it between them as though trying to shield herself. He worries that he crossed a boundary and didn't realize it. She tells him the way the story ends is that the forest, in a last attempt, turns the witch into a monster to escape the prince. One with claws and fangs. That monster rips the prince to shreds. And that's it.

[B]

Run. Demanded. That's it, Day said. And walked into the darkness, leaving only embers drifting behind.

[C]

Oh, Days. Being a little emo?

[B]

You talking about now?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Wake me up. You know, Day is all about that Evanescence, y'.

[C]

All. Oh, yeah. So I feel like this would have been me in my 20s just being like, I don't know. I'm not a girl. I'm a monster. They turned me into one. I can't. And I, like, frolic down the street.

[B]

I'm just a princess that's a monster. But I'm a princess. And I'm hot. And everybody wants to fuck me, but I'm gonna rip them apart, because I'm not.

[C]

I don't know if everyone wanted to me, but I did act as though I can't be held down.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[C]

Because of all my trauma.

[B]

Your freedoms.

[C]

So the allegory is sort of representing like this. This witch lady who was, you know, kind and had, like, a good heart, who was attacked and prodded by a man for so long that she becomes a monster herself. Obviously, she's to some extent speaking of herself. Is this her way of telling Roon, I want to love you, but I'm too broken.

[B]

Oh, girl, I think the everything about your everything screams that. I don't think you need to be nailing that nailed down into that hole.

[C]

But I want you to love me.

[B]

Yes, of course. We know.

[C]

And she's like. She's like protesting too much to be chased now. She's like, don't chase me, you'll never catch me. But then also, unless you can handle a monster.

[B]

Well, she's a monster and she feels this way. But then also think about, like, the last time they were on the brain bridge and how that ended and how I imagine he feels such a. Like wanting to protect her and all that shit.

[C]

Yeah, that's true. She. He saw her being sort of attacked.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And that is where we reach part three, the pit. Oh, what is that deodorant on doesn't turns out.

[B]

Sounds. Thank you.

[C]

So it's an interesting place to end part two. And we're not. We're gonna read another chapter. But like it suggests, we're about to have major plot shifts of some sort, because the end of that part was not cliffhanger. It was like this sort of. Okay, well, this seems like we're going to shift into something else right now. Just leaving this. These two at the end of the bridge is like, that part ending is an interesting way to go for me. But it seems like the gang is going to be in extreme danger when they return to Lunathian. So what is about to shift? Part three returns to Bryce's apartment. She is laying gross style, new couple, gross style on the couch with Hunt. You know, we're just like, laying across.

[B]

Each other, like, kind of sucking on each other and kind of not.

[C]

All right, guys. Jesus, gross.

[B]

Unfortunately, Jeff and I do kind of fall into that every once in a while, but we try to not do it in front of other people.

[C]

Well, no, I didn't. You do it at home. You do it, but, like, it's when you're like, in a room of people.

[B]

And you're just like, sucking. Yeah, I know. Get it. So sometimes the spirit done took home.

[C]

Sure. So we're in Bryce's apartment. She's playing with Ruhn. They have made it back, apparently safe, returning to Bryce's apartment from the depth charger. So this is, you know, the day afterwards. Bryce and Hunt are watching Ruhn pacing as he's on the phone. Hunt is also in his phone with Isaiah as Bryce lays on him spinning some sort of tail. Both males, as well as Therian, apparently, who had immediately headed for the Blue Core to ask his queen, are also trying to find information out about the numbers and letters carved into Sophie's arm. Declan, who Rune had employed to help, has found nothing and it turns out that's who he's speaking with on the phone. He confirms, sorry, bro. Didn't find anything. This doesn't mean anything to me. And then Ruhn hangs the phone up. As Bryce waits for Hunt to get off of his phone, her mind is racing with all the variables that are at play at that moment. She needs to give her parents some sort of warning, but doesn't know how exactly.

[B]

We have to do everything in our power to save Ember and Randall. No.

[C]

Cormac is at the Autumn King's house currently trying to convince him and his own father that they were, in fact, doing something different than what they had been doing for the past two days.

[B]

We were like, just. We're effing off, dad.

[C]

We were looking. We were looking at plate charger styles for our wedding.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know how hard it is to plan a wedding, especially with Bryce.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[C]

She's also tensely waiting to see when the hind other shoe will drop. So far, they are just kind of confused. It doesn't really give them peace to know that nothing's happened. No one seems to be notified about what went down on the water.

[B]

Yeah, but, like, I feel like that's not good.

[C]

Like, what game is the hind playing? Because obviously it's something that's not. She's not gonna forget about it.

[B]

No, but, like, so what is she waiting for to reveal it then? If it doesn't happen, that. Which is just even scarier.

[C]

It's like when one of them wins an award. They go up on the stage, and then she just drops, like, pig's blood on them or something.

[B]

Oh, my God. I thought you were gonna do more like a J Law where she, like, falls going up, and everyone's like, oh, my God. People's princess.

[C]

People's princess. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, no, that's not happening yet. So far, nothing's happening. She hears Hunt lying to Isaiah about the trip they just took to Bryce's parents for the weekend. As you remind, as a reminder, it's why he was given leave, because he had been punished. Then Bryce went to Celestine and said, can I go take him to mommy and Daddy? I'd want my mom to like him.

[B]

And that's how lying to Celestina about this. That is a dicey situation, girl.

[C]

It's not a good idea. But Celestina says, just take him home. He's moping around and annoying everybody. And so then he has to pretend Isaiah, like they went on this trip. He gets off the phone and Confirms that Isaiah seems to have no knowledge of the activities that went on. Very curious. Hunt thinks it's because the hind is playing mind games with them. His wings curl around Bryce in protection, and she leans deeper into him. She thinks about their sex on the ship and how it broke her brain. She needed him again.

[B]

Issa. Oh, my God. You know, send us was listening. How much did you listen to? Did you like? I mean, especially where there were tell that is teleporting. I can't believe we didn't call that teleporting.

[C]

I thought that's what you were calling teleporting.

[B]

I mean. No, I was just thinking about pigs.

[C]

Oh, I love it.

[B]

Nope, just. I've got a simple brain. Natalie. I don't know if. I don't know if you've heard Simple Jack before.

[C]

I don't know. I'd call you kind of complicated.

[B]

Thank you. It's just because I'm an ocean queen right now. Yeah.

[C]

She returns to the now in this moment, because she's trying to, like, she's thinking about the sex, but, like, they got to deal with a lot of this stuff. And also her brother's in the room. So, like, get your together.

[B]

Right.

[C]

She looks at Ruhn, how he is now. He looks so. So tired and kind of defeated, as if they. They need to know what this is. He is. He has dealt with the stuff in the mind bridge that she doesn't know anything about. And also he's got to deal with all this stuff coming. Going on out here. And so she's like, trying to help him think. And, you know, they all ask if they think the code is something to do with the intel that Sophie and Danica shared. Remember that?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So Danica is connected to Sophie as well.

[B]

Got so much happens in the second book. Yeah. It's like. So it's crazy. It's like you forget all about the first book at this point. Right.

[C]

I think, like, we need to do a. I need to make a visuals chart, and then we do a video on it or something for people because it is through. And people have made really good guides online as well. So they're like, was this something to do with what they were speaking about in this email exchange? And they don't know. There's a knock at the door at that moment, and Ruhn goes to answer it. In the moment of solitude they have, Hunt whispers to Bryce that he's ready to go whenever she is. She teases him that she's glad he can keep up with her in his Old age. Before he can retort, Ruhn returns and he appears again, telling them that they had better hold on to their britches because Baxian is at the door.

[B]

If it's not one thing, it's another.

[C]

What is this guy's deal? Vaccine barrels into the room after Roon. Before they can say anything, Baxian is demanding to know how they called the ship that let them escape the entire situation. That happened because, remember, Vaccine was there in dog form, kind of pointing them away from danger. So he. He was there. They didn't have any time to think about that because they were in the middle of something. But now back scenes here, and he's like, where did the ship come from? How did you guys get out of that situation? And then he tells them he wants in. They all stare at him, but try to play it cool. They're like, in me not know what me think, you say if we can trust it. Well, yeah. What does he mean? Like vaccines just like, cut the shit. Whatever you're a part of that had you blowing those suits up. Let me in. Bryce tries to tell him that they were just doing the Asteris bidding, and Vaccine laughs in her face. He's like, without backup or telling anyone you were working for the Asteri. Bryce is like, yeah, we didn't want to tip off any rebel sympathizers. There are some of the 33rd, you know. I know.

[B]

Baxian replied with equal. Cool.

[C]

I'm one of them.

[B]

He's a good boy. He's not a bad boy. He's a good boy.

[C]

Allegedly. He's saying he is saying he is. They all are like. They all keep their poker faces. However, Bryce tries to act as though she might need to report him to Celestina, kind of gauging what he's gonna do, being like, you know you just told me a very bad secret, right? Baxian's not buying it. He tells her that even if she did try to report him, that she'd end up telling on herself in the process, and she don't want that. He. And so he's calling her bluff. Another poker reference.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

Five card stud up the auntie. Instead of conceding, she asks Baxian why he thinks the hind hasn't shown up yet or reported them. Vaccine says that she's waiting to see what they do next. So his idea is that the hind is waiting to see what else she can learn by their movements, that she's most likely tracking their every second and she wants to know where you will Lead her to essentially let them hang themselves in the process. Baxian repeats that he wants in on this mission. Hunt shuts him down. Vaccines like, hey, Screwball.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

Yeah. I showed up and helped. Helped you save your ass.

[B]

We're scared of you.

[C]

Back scene.

[B]

I don't know.

[C]

I was trying to come up with a different insult.

[B]

Yeah, I like Screwball.

[C]

I showed up and helped save your asses on the island. I could have told any number of people about all your lies, and I haven't because he has covered for them multiple times now.

[B]

He. I feel like he has proven a couple times that he is trustworthy or.

[C]

He'S playing 70 chess. We don't even know what the other D's are.

[B]

No, these nuts.

[C]

Oh, the other. The other two are his balls.

[B]

Yeah, got it. And they're on the. Like, they keeps using them as pawns, but people keep telling them it's your balls. They're not chess pieces.

[C]

And anything can be a chess piece if you want it to be.

[B]

If you stick it on a board.

[C]

Stick it on. You just plop it on there. So Hunt isn't convinced, however, and says, yeah, right, dude. You're kind of plays Game of Thrones for decades. This is. This is some strategy right now. But no matter, because they aren't rebels. So I don't even know what you're talking about. Vaccine. We are rebels.

[B]

I don't know why you're telling us.

[C]

Baxian rolls his eyes and gets up from the stool he was perched upon, tells them to get a grip and come find him when they want the real intel. So he doesn't. He knows that they're about rebellion people. And he's like, I am too. But if you don't trust me, you go find me when you're ready.

[B]

Go on.

[C]

Then he's gone. They. Before they can even like, process any of this, Rune gets a message that Flynn needs his help back at the house. And he leaves. Bryce turns to Hunt. Even with all of this information, she turns to him with mischief in her eyes, asks if he's ready to take a tumble in the sheets. Now.

[B]

Hunt chuckled, leaning to brush a kiss on her mouth. He paused millimeters from her lips, close enough that she could feel his smile.

[C]

As he said, how about you tell me what the fuck you know about Emile?

[B]

Bryce pulled back.

[C]

Nothing.

[B]

His eyes blazed.

[C]

Oh, Spetzos practically blabbed it, didn't she? With her talk about snakes.

[B]

Lightning shimmered along his wings.

[C]

Are you fucking insane? Sending that kid to the Viper Queen.

[B]

Whaaat Snakes got him. Snakes got him in a nest.

[C]

So apparently a meal is with snake is in the meat market.

[B]

Yep.

[C]

And that's not where any babies should be.

[B]

No, no, no, no. I feel like anytime we find out someone gets sent to the meat market, it's usually not great for them.

[C]

No.

[A]

Overall.

[C]

So we have in this section, we have day and night getting a little bit intimate. Something's going on there.

[B]

A lot of hair touching.

[C]

We got the Therian doesn't. He can't get the body for the river queen. We don't know what's going to happen there. We need to figure out what these carvings are. Then they get back to Lunatheon. We learn that Baxian apparently is a rebel.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And we also learn that apparently Bryce knows where Emil is and he is.

[B]

With the fucking viper queen.

[C]

What?

[B]

I guess we got to do something about this, so.

[C]

Well, you're a queen. You go.

[B]

I'm not doing it. I'm. I'm peace. Me. I'm peace. I can't Abyss. But I'll help, I guess every once in a while if I can use something from it.

[C]

Nothing peaceful like the ocean. That.

[B]

Is that a dig? Send it.

[C]

Yeah, I think I remember the Titanic.

[B]

And what? And that was the problem? I believe it was the iceberg that was the problem.

[C]

The iceberg is a part of you.

[B]

Oh, I don't think so. I'm not just water.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm not just water. Say that to my river queen sister.

[C]

All right, let us know. Is the iceberg. Are the icebergs part of ocean or is it different?

[B]

Or is that a separate queen?

[C]

Iceberg queen.

[B]

Yeah, man. I mean, I've heard of an ice queen before. They don't get it up very easily. That's where.

[C]

That's it.

[B]

Yes. That's where we're ending the episode. Please read up until chapter 52 for next week.

[A]

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