LPN Deep Dives: HOSAB / Episode 32: Herds of Curds

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City
Episode: HOSAB / Episode 32: Herds of Curds
Hosts: Natalie Jean & Jackie Zebrowski
Date: January 13, 2026

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Overview

In this high-energy, humor-filled episode, Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski dive deep into Sarah J. Maas’s House of Sky and Breath (HOSAB), Crescent City Book 2. The pair dissect recent chapters with their trademark mix of detailed analysis and offbeat banter. This week covers the immediate fallout from Ethan’s failed mission, Bryce’s expanding teleportation powers, group tension as secrets unravel, Therian’s messy attempts at court politics, and a shocking revelation about Danika at the episode’s end.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cosplay and Podcast Vibes

[02:36 – 06:27]

• Jackie and Natalie open with playful descriptions of their outfits and pit viper family sunglasses (“We don’t look like the kind of people that should wear pit vipers.” – Jackie, 05:04).
• Light teasing about personal style, cosplay, and wigs sets a laidback, silly tone.

2. Where We Last Left Off

[06:27 – 07:41]

• Recap: Ethan fumbled a mission; the crew is facing increased danger. They crack up about Italian demons and being stuck hungry while discussing literal and metaphorical food fights.
• Commentary on coffee/chocolate habits, tying humorously into characters’ poor decision-making.

3. Training Montage and Team Dynamics

[13:13 – 19:57]

• Location: Ox training center.
• Key event: Bryce reveals her Apollyon dream to the group, leaving out that Hunt was “bred.”
• Training: Bryce practices teleportation, Hunt juices her powers ("He was bred to be a human vibrator. Oh, yes please.” – Jackie, 14:15).
• Notable moment: Bryce’s teleportation is powered by Hunt’s electricity. Group speculates on the magical mechanics, comparing her to a “gateway/plug,” drawing NSFW analogies.

4. Trust Issues, Truths, and Threats

[21:36 – 26:45]

• Team tension spikes: Cormac, suspicious, puts a knife to Bryce’s throat, demanding honesty about Emile.
• Group trust breaks down: Bryce offers a strategic (half) truth: Emile has no powers and is safe. Cormac appears partly relieved while having no follow-up plan (“He actually goes so far as to apologize to Bryce for the knife and to Hunt for threatening his mate. They shake it all off, and Cormac and Bryce return to the training session.” – Natalie, 27:07).
• Reflection: Jackie and Natalie debate whether Bryce’s actions would inspire more hatred if she were a male character.

5. Comic Relief and Thematic Tangents

[28:03 – 29:43]

• Ethan’s entrance played as comic relief (Ethan beatboxing, misplaced bravado).
• The hosts introduce running gags about Chatroulette, Mad Men references, and “herds of curds,” showing their ability to blend high-stakes plot discussion with absurdist digressions.

6. Meat Market Intrigue & Ariadne’s Fate

[33:02 – 51:22]

• Therian at the Meat Market: Trying to gather info, Therian’s efforts are compared to a hapless temp doing just enough to get by. He overhears talk of a “dragon”—Ariadne.
• Meeting Ariadne & The Viper Queen: Ariadne chooses fighting in the pit over “bro time.” Viper Queen’s line, “I don’t steal slaves,” is brutally dissected in context (“You are the head of the meat market. Okay. You like? Yeah, it's like, oh, good for you. Oh, because you're so rich you can buy them whenever you want.” – Jackie, 41:18).
• Therian’s realization: With a punch of self-awareness (“Oh, she's a person.” – Jackie, 47:35), he finally grasps the problem with manipulating Ariadne as a bargaining chip.
• Viper Queen offers spotty intel only after more manipulation—Therian leaves with more problems than solutions.

7. Urd’s Temple and the Under King’s Trap

[55:54 – 65:23]

• Bryce, Hunt, Rune, and Hypaxia are summoned to Urd’s Temple, reflecting on past wishes and the seriousness of their present situation.
• The Under King sits disrespectfully on Urd’s throne, taunts the group with lore referencing other Maas-verse deities (Acotar's Cauldron is subtly nodded to for lore nerds).
• REVEAL: The reapers attacking them came from the Eternal City, not Apollyon. This is interrupted as Pippa and rebel soldiers crash the temple, prompting Hypaxia’s shocked realization: “They were working with the rebels. Bryce basically just says, well, we were, but we're not anymore.” – Natalie, 64:57
• The Under King’s motivation is revealed: he wants war to feed on the dead (“Death is the only victor in war. Then he was gone.” – Jackie as Under King, 65:42). He had made a deal with Pippa, setting the main cast up for execution.

8. Temple Siege and Escape Sequence

[67:06 – 76:02]

• As rebels attack, Bryce’s group is seemingly trapped. Bryce teleports Hypaxia and Rune out, pushing her powers to the brink (“After just those taking, a second person has done a big old number on her. She pukes.” – Natalie, 68:53).
• Hunt considers fighting their way out—Triari (Pollux, Mordoc, the Hind) arrive to engage the rebels—possibly called by Bryce’s anonymous citywide broadcast.
• As they hide, a massive hellhound (Baxian) appears, leading Bryce and Hunt to a secret exit.

9. The Danika-Baxian Bombshell

[76:25 – 78:25]

• In a tense standoff, Bryce pulls a gun on Baxian, demanding answers for his repeated presence. Baxian shows a tattoo: “Through love, all is possible.”
• Shocking line:
  • Jackie (as Baxian), 78:19:
    “Because Danika was my mate.”
• The hosts flip out: “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Holy moly, my bosoms are heaving.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Honestly though, it wasn’t until his butt got juicy… my husband’s juicy butt. Twat changed me.” – Jackie, [02:36]
• “He was bred to be a human vibrator. Oh, yes please.” – Jackie, [14:15]
• “My religion is don’t be an asshole. And that’s what I subscribe to.” – Jackie, [11:00]
• “Bryce says that Emile doesn’t have powers. He’s just a boy. And that’s just annoying.” – Natalie, [25:54]
• “If Bryce were a male character, we would hate Bryce.” – Jackie, [23:52]
• “It’s waterlogged up there.” – Jackie, describing Therian’s brain, [37:42]
• “He could only gape at her. His clever, brilliant Bryce. Gods, he loved her.” – Jackie (reading), [71:30]
• “Because Danika was my mate.” – Jackie (as Baxian), [78:19]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Training + Apollyon Dream Recap: [13:13 – 19:57]
• Bryce’s Secret & Knife to Throat (Cormac confrontation): [21:36 – 26:45]
• Therian at the Meat Market & Ariadne conversation: [33:02 – 51:22]
• Urd’s Temple – Under King’s Trap: [55:54 – 65:23]
• Siege, Teleportation, Citywide Broadcast: [67:06 – 71:40]
• Hunt & Bryce Hide, Hellhound Leads Them Out: [73:40 – 76:02]
• The Baxian Revelation: [77:22 – 78:25]

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Tone & Style

The hosts blend deep lore analysis with irreverent, NSFW humor—moving fluidly from meaningful character debate to outlandish jokes and pop culture references. Their dynamic mirrors Crescent City’s own tonal balancing act: darkness, violence, and trauma met with unbreakable camaraderie and laughter.

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For New Listeners & Crescent City Fans

This episode is particularly juicy for those tracking the series’ biggest mysteries:

• The limits and mechanics of Fae/magical powers;
• Character loyalty and secret agendas;
• The slow unravelling of Danika’s backstory.

If you enjoy blends of crack fan theory, detailed plot digestion, and off-color improv, this episode will make you both laugh and think—just don’t expect your herds of curds to go untouched by the end.

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Next reading: Up to Chapter 67 for the following week – be ready for more plot bombs and deep-dives!

Transcript

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[A]

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

[B]

If you're nasty and you can too.

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[A]

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

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

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Gimme gimme.

[B]

Give me that SW.

[A]

Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski. Honestly though, it wasn't until his butt got juicy that I thought even that I liked juicy butts. It was my husband's juicy butt. Twat changed me.

[B]

Should I get Henry a bbl?

[A]

Do you think that he would be down. We'll have to take him somewhere distant for legal reasons. Yeah, I want to get him one that's, like, off, you know, off brand. Yeah. I want his ass. Yeah. Oh, my God. It's like, Henry, you got sandbags in those ass.

[B]

It's not what I want, man. That'd be a heavy bvo.

[A]

It would be dragging you down to BB hell, and I don't want to go to it. Are you feeling cool right now? You're looking cool right now.

[B]

Thanks. You're not gonna guess who I am?

[A]

I mean, you know who I am.

[B]

Ethan.

[A]

I think I'd look a little more stupid if I was Ethan.

[B]

No, you look very pretty.

[A]

Thank you. I've got my bazangis out. You see them? The bazangis are hidden behind the microphone. Hidden bazangi.

[B]

Did you put the scar on?

[A]

I'm sorry? Is it a scar or is it a gift?

[B]

Good work.

[A]

It is. Don't look too closely at the star, because I did draw it on myself upside down. And I will say it's not the most even thing I've ever done. It's a scar.

[B]

It's supposed to not be perfect. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

It's like a snowflake. So suck on that. I'm unique. I'm not like the other girls. But, you know, I love this wig that I got, but I always have to put on a hat over it because it's one of those lace front that I need to, like, really work on and properly put on. Sure.

[B]

But sometimes for a wig, a hat just helps it look better.

[A]

You got to shove a hat on it sometimes. But, yeah, I don't know. Who are you? Poochie from the Simpsons? Because you kind of are given poochie right now.

[B]

Yeah. No, you. You did bring poochie up.

[A]

No, it's because of the glasses. Are those pit vipers? Because, you know, we're a pit viper family.

[B]

They're not. But yes, mostly my glasses are pit vipers. This is a different company.

[A]

I do like, a while ago, Henry and Natalie decided we were a pit viper family. And pit viper is a kind of sunglasses. And now it is funny pipe. Me and Jeff and Henry and Natalie have all different kinds of pit vipers. But it's fun because we don't look like the kind of people that should wear pit vipers.

[B]

Whoa. Speak for yourself.

[A]

I mean, if you're dressed like this, if you're given snow bunny fuck boy.

[B]

You look like somebody. What are you even talking about? You don't look like somebody would wear pit vipers.

[A]

I feel like I'm not cool enough to wear pit vipers, especially with the. What do they call them? Crackos? Crackles. The thing that you put on the side of your head so they make sure that you go like this and your glasses don't fall off. Croakies.

[B]

I don't even know what that word is.

[A]

I think I. I don't know if I just know it because of stupid Florida boat culture, but, yeah, a lot of, like, the frat boys that all will wear the boat shoes. They would all have. They had to have their Karokis on.

[B]

Ew. That's not what pit viper would want.

[A]

But pit viper does have Karokis. But it's cool. It's cooliokis.

[B]

They're very progressive as a company. Yes.

[A]

And we love being a pit viper family. They're not sponsors. We pay for the sunglasses.

[B]

I mean, they're friends of the network.

[A]

Oh, you telling me we got insider pit viper information.

[B]

Okay, so where we last left off was Ethan fumbling the ball up once again, putting them in danger. They are in an olive field. Olive tree.

[A]

Oh, my God. And that Italian demon was coming at us.

[B]

Coming at them.

[A]

You're just trying to farfalle all over us. And I said, get that bow tie out of here, because. Whoa. Farfalle. Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't you know I was half Italian? I say farfalle instead of bow ties.

[B]

Don't talk about pasta right now. I'm so hungry.

[A]

I know. I'm so hungry. But I was feeding you chocolates earlier now, and they were really good. If we learned anything from Kathy, coffee and chocolate. It doesn't just scrape the bottom side of your stomach when you haven't eaten anything. It also makes you feel sick for hours.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. For somebody who has severe stomach issues, I still end up drinking coffee for breakfast all the time. And then, like, why does my stomach hurt? Right?

[A]

And they're always just like, you really shouldn't drink coffee first. As I'm, like, getting out of the bed.

[B]

Just like, okay, Big pharma, right?

[A]

Oh, what? Oh, you want me to pace it out during the day? Get your control. Pulling hands off me off my body.

[B]

Medical system.

[A]

I'm about to teleport you into Never Neverland.

[B]

Whoa. Consensually, I hope.

[A]

I don't know. With a threat of a telepork. Oh, you can't.

[B]

No.

[A]

Is it fine if she's threatening like, the prince's, you know, Is it fine if you're threat porking up. No, it's not. And we're here to talk about this. It's never okay to threat pork.

[B]

It's not. It's never okay to threat pork or non consensually. No. You can non consensually teleport somebody if they're about to die. I think that's fine. Whoa.

[A]

Missy step. Sorry, I'm a bit of a TTRPG bitch. Missy step. And every time I Missy step, I go Missy step. Even though you're supposed to do it, like, surreptitiously. Missy step is. Is the teleportation of D and D. And if you have the ability to misty step, you could be in the middle of a fight, and if someone's about to come at you, you can and then go, like, within, I think, 30ft.

[B]

Whoa.

[A]

Yeah, it's pretty cool what we do over there. Yeah, it's like whatever your mind can think up. I'm a loser, Natalie. So why don't you kill me?

[B]

Not me. I'm very cool.

[A]

Obviously. Pink hair do care. You're very pink. Did you just short circuit you pink mama? Remember, if you're blue, if you're green, you die. I'm blue. If I were green, I would die. If I were green, I would die. I would green. I would die. That's not the real lyrics.

[B]

Oh, I didn't know there were lyrics to that.

[A]

They're not. It just goes bom by. I feel like you just failed being a millennial.

[B]

I fail at most things.

[A]

That's not true, Natalie. That's not true. We're at the beginning of a year. Natalie, stop.

[B]

Is that I try?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Isn't it?

[A]

And you just keep failing. What? Are you sure you're not dressed as Ethan?

[B]

No. You're not gonna guess it.

[A]

Why are you setting me up for failure?

[B]

I'm not. I'm telling you now. You won't, so you don't try.

[A]

Good. That's what we should be telling every woman whenever they wake up. Yeah. Never try.

[B]

You won't. So don't try it.

[A]

Don't. Because you're not gonna attempt.

[B]

Don't.

[A]

You're not gonna win. You're not gonna succeed. And I'm glad as a new year that we're in, like, I think, you know, I was saying at the end of last year that we should have hope with this new year. Like, if anything, we should have hope. But, like, why?

[B]

I will piggyback on that.

[A]

Don't you jump on my.

[B]

Oh, I am.

[A]

Don't you fucking. You get away from me. My breasts are gonna spill out of my shoit.

[B]

We.

[A]

Can you see them around the corner? Just around the breasty bend.

[B]

I can, I can. We jest. But my thing, my main takeaway for this year is that the absolute most vile parasitic human scum do whatever they want with their lives right now.

[A]

Are you calling me right now?

[B]

I think you should live the life you want to because I know you out there are not a harmful person the way that the people at the top are. And they're doing whatever they feel like. And we see that more and more each day. So live the life you want. Just be kind to people. That's it.

[A]

And be good. I do, I say it. I, I, I, I say it to strangers whenever any kind of comp. Like a conversation about like a religion comes up. And I've always said my religion is don't be an asshole. And that's what I subscribe to. It's all in all cases. How about you don't be an asshole? That would be great.

[B]

Do you say that to your butthole?

[A]

Yeah. And it goes, what is Am I supposed to be? And I said, how did you get teeth down there? And he said, stop looking into my. And then it was just.

[B]

I had to go to.

[A]

It was because I had to go to the bathroom. But it was like my asshole didn't want a conversation. But I didn't need like a, you know, an appetizer of talk before my shit explosion.

[B]

Giving your butthole dysmorphia.

[A]

I'm upset because I made a meme for who's the bitch? And it did have human shit in it. And I was told by our social media manager that Instagram doesn't like human waste.

[B]

And have they seen their account? I mean this.

[A]

What I don't understand is that. But all the AI is fine. But human waste we have problems with.

[B]

Make it out of AI.

[A]

Make. Make great again. I'm glad we finally got to that.

[B]

Okay, gotta get into this. So we last left with Ethan bumbling it up again. And then we have also. Bryce had a dream. Apollyon was in it.

[A]

Yeah and it was rough morning. I didn't feel rested when I woke up.

[B]

We got. We got some lore, some thaalore and how maybe the Fae and the princes were fighting alongside one another a long time ago. And oh and Ruhn and Day met. But only Day knows who Ruhn is.

[A]

Daybright. Master of the brain bridge. Seeker of the sun. Except she is the sun, so she's not looking for it.

[B]

We don't know what she is. What is she?

[A]

No, we don't.

[B]

At 63, Bryce is recalling her dream interaction with Napoleon to much of the gang because they are all gathered together at the ox training center.

[A]

Because now this bitch has got to get out of her own way. It's time to work, bitch.

[B]

Yep. She called everyone there during her lunch hour at work to reveal the information that Apollyon had provided in her dream, while she is also practicing her teleporting with Cormac.

[A]

Not with Hunt, though.

[B]

No. Hunt, Rune, Therian, Declan and Cormac seem hesitant to fully believe that Theia was working with the princes. Bryce thinks about how she carefully left out the part about Hunt being bred from telling. Like she didn't bring that part up of her dream because she's like now mulling that over in her. In the aftermath, Hunt tells them all whether or not thay's sided with Hel isn't that important at the moment. It's just that Hel is preparing to invade and they need to decide what to do about it. They return to her training and use Hunt's electricities to get her good zapping around.

[A]

Oh, yeah, we call them little vibrations. Oh, my God. He was bred to be a human vibrator. Oh, yes, please.

[B]

Yes, please. So we're learning a little bit about how she can teleport. And it seems to be getting powered up. Hunt's electricity zapped into her scar.

[A]

And then my heaving bosom goes, I'm.

[B]

Full of electricity and you better be scared. But don't look at my breasts.

[A]

But also you can because.

[B]

But don't. But do. So they.

[A]

She's getting pretty good heaving right now. They're just. I'm worried they're. They're just going to. They're. Oops, my bosom's.

[B]

Nah, they're fine. They look nice.

[A]

It is funny when people watch the stream that I do with Holden. Oftentimes I wear a low cut shirt. And it's so funny how many times people are like, your breasts are going to fall out. It's like, I know where my breasts are. I know how much of them and I know if they're gonna fall out. And if I feel like I can do this and I know my breasts aren't gonna fall out. You gotta trust me.

[B]

Yeah. Also, you probably just know. Don't need to be saying that all the time. That's my. That's my two cents.

[A]

I mean, I think they're worried for me. They're worried for my. You know, they don't want me showing my nipples like I did on the last episode.

[B]

They weren't your nipples.

[A]

They were men's nipples, so those are fine.

[B]

My boobs are slightly out, but you can't really see them in front of the microphone.

[A]

I know. The microphone really harshes our Cleave vibe.

[B]

It's true.

[A]

So, man, nothing makes me hornier than hearing my brother screaming in the other room.

[B]

Yeah, it's great. I'm sure.

[A]

So it's good you're also in the room. And I'm not usually horny when you're in the room either.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Sorry, Natalie.

[B]

No, that's probably good. It would be a whole problem if that was the case.

[A]

If we got to this point and you didn't know that by now, I.

[B]

Feel like we'd also just have to have a family discussion.

[A]

We'd have to go into family therapy, which doesn't. I feel like that might be in our future no matter what.

[B]

Oh, no.

[A]

So it's good. Natalie. All therapy is good.

[B]

Every single one. So she's getting pretty good at the zapping around the room. She plays a sort of game with all the guys there. Each male preparing for her. She fakes them out, almost like playing, like a sport where she's like, where am I gonna go? Where am I gonna go?

[A]

She's playing a sport.

[B]

Oh, I know.

[A]

Like the. Where they juke and basketball.

[B]

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[A]

That I can't. It's like the balls, the fins. To do that in front of Han. Yeah, I mean, and you'd think, like, you'd also be like, oh, he's a male that doesn't hang with that but also, like, why? She was just told that Midgard is going to be invaded by Hell's Armies. Do we have to do this? Where? I'm in the middle of training. You gonna kiss me right now?

[B]

He's just a little flirty bird, I.

[A]

Guess, but I'm kind of annoyed. I'm kind of done with Therian right now.

[B]

I know, but let's see if he redeems himself because he's too handsome.

[A]

I know.

[B]

So she gets tired. She's running out of steam. After a series of jumps, she tells Cormac she can't do anymore. Cormac, in his stern way, tells her that she can do more and she needs to not stop. She's, in fact, using too much energy at the start, when she could be conserving it. He explains that they have a well of energy that's like a battery, and you have to use the juice wisely before it can be charged again.

[A]

Wink.

[B]

I want magic.

[A]

Yeah, it's. It just. I mean, every time I think about teleporting too often, it would be so inconvenient, but also so fun and cool. Oops. Oh, my God. We showed up here in my heaving bosom, and that would get us arrested, and I don't want that. No, but if you telepork in a world where there is magic, do you think that there would be, like. Cause I feel like it's like, officer, I was teleporting.

[B]

Well, also, I think in the world, as in ours, if you're royal, you can do whatever you want and get away with it.

[A]

I'm so glad some things are the same.

[B]

Oh, good. I like the similarities that we share. So the group discusses how Bryce's magic likely works and perhaps is different from Cormac's. She appears to almost work as a gateway for other sources of energy, which is why Hunts seems to work the most effectively on her. But they've learned since Bryce used hypaxias that other sources of power can also work to get her to teleport. So instead of absorbing their magics and she takes them in as, like, a source of power, almost like getting plugged into somebody. Once they pull out, it's gone. And that's a sex.

[A]

Do you think if she's a gateway, do you think she has any connection? Remember the Big Hot Bitches and Neverending Story that would laser eye people when they were. Was that never Ending two? Or is it. No, it's the first one. First one. Do you think that her power. Do you think it has Anything to do with Theia Bryce.

[B]

It's a never ending story.

[A]

Yeah, but it's just like she's a gateway, though. So if you're a gateway, I think it would be fun to be able to go to that gateway, like bridge to there. You know what I mean?

[B]

I could see the Neverending Story world being in Midgard kind of fits.

[A]

Yeah. It would be the bridge to Terabitia.

[B]

Oh, she got. She got her.

[A]

They've not happy with it. I'm not. I don't. I don't like what I said.

[B]

Don't take it out.

[A]

Highlight it. Tell everyone what I said.

[B]

Clip it, post it.

[A]

Yes. I'm going viral, bitches.

[B]

Declan points out that she also has the horn and in her back. And he ponders hesitantly, what would happen if someone aimed her power at it. Usually they aim at the scar, which sends her to teleporting. They. They are all like, can we please not test out what happens when you aim it at the horn? Because it's probably going to be like catastrophic. Cormac snaps at her to whatever, keep training. And they briefly bicker about his. Her stunt at the ball and. And how she didn't warn him. He tells her he's only there now because he knows Ruhn will cease contact with Agent Daybright if he doesn't continue to train Bryce. And Ruhn's like, that's right.

[A]

I don't. I would.

[B]

I hate it.

[A]

You don't own me and there's no way. I need to go back.

[B]

No, I never go back there.

[A]

I need her dinii. Her essence just like happening inside of him.

[B]

And you're saying that out loud. Oh.

[A]

Or he's like brain talking to his sister and she's like, can you fucking shut up?

[B]

Like, oh, my God, get out of here.

[A]

Romance singing Bruce Bryce says that she.

[B]

Doesn'T have any other surprises for him. But Cormac catches a subtle glance between her and Hunt as she says it and he demands to know what they're hiding. She tries to brush it off, but then things go to 100 very quickly. He teleports to right behind her and is already holding a knife to her throat. Jesus, dog.

[A]

So he's not playing around and he's pissed.

[B]

Yeah, because he doesn't believe her when she says she's told him all the secrets. The whole room obviously goes on alert, but Bryce tells him to calm down and reminds everyone that she's made the drop and to cool out. He's not going to kill her. Cormac threatens to Cut off her head. I don't think he means it, but everyone's prepared for battle. All of a sudden, Bryce decides to reveal a half truth. So Bryce said, fine, it's about a meal. She goes on to tell one part truth. That the deaths were caused by the Viper Queen of all of those bodies. They were looking for a meal. That she. And that she found him through that. Like, that was her pathway. But then she plays a little jazz with the other part. She says, by the time I.

[A]

It's like, let's put that. Whatever that instrument is, get it out of here.

[B]

The squeaky door.

[A]

But she's a queen, so they have to all be like, wow, she's so good.

[B]

She tells them that by the time she went and found out about the Viper Queen having a meal and she wanted to go get him, he was already moved. He was gone from the meat market. Also, she says the Viper Queen put him somewhere safe, so don't worry about it. It's a terrible lie. But she confuses Cormac enough that he just begins to ponder why the Viper Queen would want a meal and how he can get him from her. Ruhn just says, don't bother. She's a huge. She'll never give him to you.

[A]

It's just this point, though, where I do feel. If I were in the. Like, I feel like if Bryce were a male character, we would hate Bryce. And I know that you can't say that because, like, oh, you could say that about a lot of different characters. It's just that Cormac literally has a knife to her throat. And it's like, I need you to be honest with me. We are all working together as rebels. I need the actual truth from you. And she's still. And I know it's like. Because she can't because of her machinations, but, like, how do you create trust and loyalty within a group if you keep lying to them?

[B]

I agree mostly on that.

[A]

I know. I know that she has things that.

[B]

She has to do. And also, people do hate. People hate her.

[A]

Oh, yeah. And I do kind of hate her. But, like, I also love the book and know why she has to be the way that she is.

[B]

But. Yes, I. I see your point. I almost don't feel bad just for Cormac because he can be such a piece of shit. Yes.

[A]

But.

[B]

Yes, I. I see what you're saying.

[A]

Lost Sophie. He's very upset, and he's just. Now. And she blew his whole fucking cover. So now he has to. It's like he was There for also rebels. Like, she's fudgeing with his stuff.

[B]

Oh, yeah, for sure. So they're trying to, like, defuse this situation. I don't think it's a good lie, but Ruhn goes into Bryce's mind and he tells her that she's full of shit. He doesn't know what happened to Emile. She doesn't reveal that to anyone who. Except for who was there at the moment, which is Hunt and Fury. But he's like, I know you're not telling the truth right now. She tells him mind to mind that Emile is safe and was at the Viper Queens, but now he's just somewhere else. It diffuses the situation enough that Cormac lowers his knife. He wonders aloud why she would let go of someone with a meal's powers. The as in the Viper Queen, Bryce reveals to the room the truth. She let him go because Emile doesn't have powers.

[A]

He's just a boy.

[B]

And that's just annoying. And if you, like, raise the child. Everyone's shocked but Hunt. But Cormac seems to believe her. She tells him that he shouldn't be dragged into this oncoming war. And I think Cormac could be just the tiniest bit relieved that he's not taking on the care of Emile. I don't think.

[A]

Because he loved Sophie. And I bet that if it were tasked to him, he would have done it.

[B]

He said he. That's basically said what? He's gonna find her. Find him for a meal, or find him for Sophie. But I don't think he had a plan. Plan for how to raise and take care of this child.

[A]

No, he was just going from day to day. You know, it's like at that point, it's like, you'll deal with that when you find him. If he found him, you know, she.

[B]

He seems very willing to accept the premise that Emile is safe somewhere.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

It's like, well, I guess then I did my job.

[A]

I feel like if I were. If I were in love with Sophie, I'd be like, show me. Show me he's alive. Show me. I'd want especially. I don't fucking trust this bitch.

[B]

Well, I think it's all that shows how much she didn't want to raise that child. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. That he didn't ask anything else. Oh, oh, yeah. Take it care of.

[B]

So if Bryce says he's safe, apparently that much is probably true, according to Cormac. I mean, he hopes and I think he could also, you could say, well, she definitely shows protective qualities towards the Kids a little bit. So maybe she wouldn't lie about something like that. Whatever. He's just, like, taking it. He actually goes so far as to apologize to Bryce for the knife and. And to Hunt for threatening his mate. They shake it all off, and Cormac and Bryce return to the training session. Bryce notices Hunt looking at her with pride, and when he calls her quote, your Highness, she realizes he might be thankful she ended the scene without violence escalating, like maybe he even thought she was worthy of the title. It hits her heart, but she doesn't say anything aloud. We go to Ethan's pov, who has apparently just arrived at the training facility himself. Well, that's different. We were last left them. They were trapped in a bunch of.

[A]

Wards in an olive grove. Yeah, they were in an air box and being attacked with spaghetti.

[B]

They had to wrap their way out beatbox style.

[A]

Oh, no. And they shouldn't. No one's asking Ethan to beatbox.

[B]

I want to hear it.

[A]

Oh, God. I'm a wolf.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

Where'S my brother? Oh, God. Where's my pack? Why aren't you dancing? Poop. No.

[B]

Oh, is that a record?

[A]

Yeah, that's him, but he doesn't know how to do it, so. Do you like that?

[B]

Well, however they got out, they got out. Maybe Hypaxi was better at it.

[A]

So you know what's nice? SJM every once in a while will cut us a break of like. And they just got out of it. Okay.

[B]

I'm very thankful we didn't have to worry.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

He and Hypaxia have escaped the clutches of the under king, it seems, and have hightailed it over to where the others had gathered because they want to disclose whatever information they've gleaned from this experience.

[A]

I just realized they had, like, a satanic. What was it? Was it called Chatterbait? What was the. It used to be. It was old. I mean, there was a lot of people masturbating on it. But the one where you would chat roulette.

[B]

Oh, chat.

[A]

Do you remember that? That, like, random actually exists. Really?

[B]

There's a lot of child.

[A]

Don't go on child roulette. God, if it's still exists. But I feel like that's what they did with the under king, where it's like she was just, like, trying to fish out there. And then it's like, oh, that's not the one I wanted. And they had to, like, close the portal. Close the portal, you know?

[B]

Love it.

[A]

It was so many. We used to use that we would be hammered and be like, what are we? And I. I want to say 60% of the time it was somebody jerking off.

[B]

Oh, God, so gross.

[A]

And they'd be like, so you're not supposed to. You're not supposed to on there. Hey, hey, you put those penises on.

[B]

Why they didn't listen. They never did. So they've come over to the Ox training center where everybody else was in the last scene. Ethan can't help but be amazed watching the former wild child Bryce in this training session with such intensity and performing great feats of magic before him. Hypaxia takes the lead, entering the room as Bryce finishes a circuit. The two of them look a fright. And Rune responds first, asking what happened to them? As they are. Hypaxi and Ethan are covered in dirt and sweat.

[A]

Oh, look, a froze. Why are you talking like that?

[B]

They ask if summoning Connor happened. They're like, weren't you supposed to be doing that? She explains that it started that way, but of course it didn't end that way. The under king appeared instead.

[A]

Ethan looks at Bryce and he was jerking off.

[B]

He was jerking off. Ethan looks at Bryce, who has paled. He tells them about the hounds who were summoned by the war to me spaghetti and that uk and then the under king sent them through. Eventually, Hypaxia found a way out. Of course it was Hypaxia and they ran straight here. But Ithan has another message, the reason that they actually showed up at the Ox. The under king wants to see Bryce at Urd's temple.

[A]

Hunt's lightning sparked at his fingertips. No.

[B]

So they apparently, during this entire situation, the Scooby Doo thing that was happening over at the olive grove, the ended up with the Autumn King telling Ethan and Hypaxia to deliver a message that they want to. He wants to meet them at Urd's temple. Ethan, looking sick, tells them they really don't have much choice. The Under King has told him that if they don't show up tonight, the under king is going to shred the souls of the pack of devils tonight. So great work, Ethan.

[A]

It's just there's a lot of. It's like. And I'm gonna take those souls and I'm gonna shred them if you. It's like the under king has so many other things going on. Do you even think he's gonna do that? Like, you think he's gonna remember by tonight? Natalie, put your hat back on.

[B]

Sorry, I'm.

[A]

I will throw up everywhere.

[B]

Natalie, I'm trying Not to.

[A]

We both have wigs that need hats today. Okay.

[B]

My brain's hurt today. It's like hurting my head. Maybe.

[A]

Are you feeling. Are you sure you're not Ethan today? Oh.

[B]

My head is itchy. I think my hair is too small.

[A]

Yeah, I think your hair is too small. Even so. Okay, so he's gonna shred the devils and we gotta bring Bryce to her to sample.

[B]

So. Yeah. So basically, they're screwed. They have to go meet the under king for whatever reason he wants at this temple.

[A]

I hate that.

[B]

On Deck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow, gaps On Deck's loans up to $250,000 help make it happen fast. Rated A Plus by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of five star trust pilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in [e-mail] depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck Celtic bank on Deck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans, an amount subject to lender approval, chapter 64. We're with Therian, who has just left the OX facility and has made his way to the meat market. Over with his thoughts as he's walking through the aisles. He's feigning a shopping trip on this bright Lunathian day. Because if you'll recall the Ox session, it was the middle of, like, lunch. It was like lunch break. So he's going over the meat market in the daytime, which I never think of the meat market in the day. I always think it's nighttime there, but it's lunch time.

[A]

Yeah. Imagine, though. I, I. Oh, it's just like. Honestly, it's kind of like how wonderful Vegas is when you get up early on a Sunday morning because, you know, the entire city is hungover. You know, it's just a beautiful quiet.

[B]

Oh, sure. Yeah. So he's. Yeah, he's over there basically just like he's acting like he's shopping around for somebody's maybe birthday or whatever. And then he's actually, however, listening into people's conversations. There's a lot of crude, rude talk about Celestina and Ephraim's marital bed over in the meat market.

[A]

Not in the meat market.

[B]

I know he's chosen to come here from the Ox because he had to report selective info about a meal to the River Queen. So the stuff that they've just revealed about a meal at the Ox in the last chapter, he's like, I have to tell the River Queen Some of this stuff to keep her off my back. So he's basically told her, oh, well, the Viper Queen had him for a minute, and then she doesn't. So now he's telling her, I'm gonna go look around for him there. She's just, like, walking around me, like, wonder where the meal he makes it.

[A]

It's like. It's almost like he's a. Like a temp in an office. You know what I mean? I feel like it is him just being like, you know, do a little bit. Like, I'll click on the Excel spreadsheet, but I'm not gonna, like, do anything with it, but I'm gonna. It just makes me. I never was a temp, but I knew a lot. Like, Henry was holding. What? Like, I feel like we knew a lot of comedians that did a lot of temp work, and it was usually them trying to figure out how to do as little as possible without getting fired. But inevitably they would. Yeah, they'd usually get fired. So he not made for that life, I guess. No.

[B]

So soft. So, yeah, now he's just trying to, like, put a show on of looking around for him. He tunes into the various raunchy conversations happening around him as he peruses. Mostly the talks are about drinking, drugging, fighting, or until one piece of convo catches his attention. That dragon finish with them only embers. Dragon. I know a dragon. He's thankful for this bit of interesting distraction. He's like, maybe I'm gonna go down this rabbit hole looking for the dragon.

[A]

Or is it like a dragon hole? Thank you.

[B]

He thinks back on the night before. He's like, I need to think about something else. Because he made his life kind of a circus by taking that leopard shifter out of the ball in front of the River Queen's daughter right into the bushes for the old. In, out and out. Right in the garden there.

[A]

Was it worth it, Tharion? Did it make you feel better?

[B]

Well, it didn't even seem to work. It wasn't enough of a show because nothing's come of it. The River Queen's daughter must have been too distracted having fun to notice Tharion sneaking away, because the river queen has not mentioned anything about it when they talked, which is just as well, because now he's like, well, none of my plans have worked. Maybe I could somehow leverage getting the dragon to the River Queen instead of.

[A]

Emile, because I've, like, barely tried anything, so, you know, nothing's working. So I'm just gonna give up this one. Yeah.

[B]

He's like, maybe this is like the dragon's powerful. Maybe the River Queen won't care anymore about the kid.

[A]

I have to remember too, with Therian. Like he does have such Himbo energy. And I have to see him with more of a Himbo where it's like he is. It's like he's. It's waterlogged up there.

[B]

You know, there's only so deep. It goes.

[A]

Yeah, you know, I mean through the ocean though.

[B]

The only thing is in this plan is the dragon is a person and you're just talking about them like an object. Therian. Interesting.

[A]

Like how everybody treats them.

[B]

A little later. And Tharion has called upon Flynn, whom has he has asked to meet him at the meat market to get some help from him. He asks Flynn to appear in low key attire. So not like people don't like necessarily look at them. And Flynn knew enough to not question much more over the phone when Therian called him. So Flynn came. And he is on his phone trying to look casual, texting, looking unbothered as they're.

[A]

Chill Ariadne.

[B]

Huh?

[A]

You're not chill Ariadne. Okay, I'm still. I know. You told me not to even try to guess.

[B]

No, I mean, please, please, go for it. So he's like looking on his phone as Therian quietly explains that there may or may not be a recently jailbroken fire lady in the vicinity. Flynn, like all the other males in the situation, didn't seem to have the compassion that Bryce and Hypaxia did for Ariadne abandoning the post. And Flynn's also furious like the other males. I feel like Hypaxia and Brett are like, I understand why she left. She doesn't want to be here.

[A]

We don't own her.

[B]

Right? And all the guys are like, but.

[A]

We helped her though. But like we helped her, so she owes us everything.

[B]

And so Flynn is like, oh, he wants that back.

[A]

He says she just got out of her prison.

[B]

I know. And so he's like, you found her? And Therian's kind of like, maybe. We cut to the two males walking towards the Viper Queen's territory. Tharion knows one of the many discreet doors that if you know about it, the guards guarding it know at least to alert the Viper Queen that somebody was at the door, because it's like a hidden door. So he gets the guards to go get the Viper Queen and she grants the two of them passage. Soon they're in one of the Viper Queen's more lush spaces. Velvet and marble up in here, which is really cool.

[A]

And Talk about texture. Like it's. Oh.

[B]

They see. As they enter the room, they see, aside from the Viper Queen being present here, lounging with a cigarette, there is Ariadne now. She has put clothes on, leggings and a tank top. She's laid out watching tv. She seems both unsurprised and unafraid to see the two males standing in the room. Flynn and Ariadne greet each other tersely. Hello. Hello. Flynn. The Viper Queen finds this amusing and notes that Ariadne is a great fighter. Tharion asks if the Viper Queen captured her. We hear in Therion's thoughts it's not for a noble reason why he's asking. He's thinking on only of himself, wondering if he can somehow do it.

[A]

Therian.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Are you sure you didn't miswrite that?

[B]

I know. So he's just like, if she caught him. Caught her.

[A]

How do.

[B]

How can I do it?

[A]

I can do it.

[B]

Really Great job, Therian. The Viper Queen smirks and tells him she doesn't steal slaves. Which. Okay, are we getting at some moral high ground right now? Viper Queen?

[A]

Which is very funny. You are the head of the meat market. Okay. You like? Yeah. It's like, oh, good for you. Oh, because you're so rich you can buy them whenever you want.

[B]

Is I guess maybe.

[A]

Yeah, it's like, that's okay.

[B]

Great. She explains further that she and Ariadne came to a bargain when Ariadne realized she wasn't safe on anywhere on the continent and needed to seek asylum. Flynn, incredulous, wants to know why she would prefer to find fight in the Pit than live at their friend house.

[A]

I. What?

[B]

It's like, but my house is awesome. Yeah.

[A]

She could like sit there and stare at us as we smoke mirth root and play video games. Why does she want to do that?

[B]

She's like, I kind of rather just fight.

[A]

I'd literally rather kill. I. I would rather go somewhere else and kill things. I don't know. Then look at you.

[B]

Honestly, I kind of get it.

[A]

Yeah. If I were a dragon too, and I were trapped in a ring for a really long time, wouldn't you feel like you had a lot of pent up energy?

[B]

And also she has like. She is stronger than like all opponents and so she's gonna win. Otherwise she can just hang out in these cool spaces and watch TV in peace. Cigarettes.

[A]

Like Betty Draper. You know, just sit and smoke and you just smoke cigarettes all day and.

[B]

You drink all day, like lounge on velvet couches and there's no Boys anywhere.

[A]

Yeah. And you don't even have to take care of your own children. Ah, back in the good old days.

[B]

Are you talking about Mad Men?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay, so it's like, do we.

[A]

It just. It's lived.

[B]

It lives. The dragon of children. We don't know.

[A]

It's like a low ASMR in the back of my brain. We've just been watching so much Mad Men, and nobody cares about Mad Men. And it's not like a hit show that's current. So I just think about it.

[B]

A lot of people cared about it 10 years ago.

[A]

They really cared about it back then, back when it was the hit show. Nobody cares now. But I'm always thinking about it.

[B]

Hey, good for you. Thank you. She goes so far as to call Flynn boring. And, like, I'd rather go, like, rip people in from limbs and sit in this room with this lady.

[A]

But also, she's this, like, hot bitch, too. Saying that.

[B]

I mean, just like, making Flynn furious. So the Viper Queen eyes Tharion, saying, oh, I recognize you. You're the mer with the dead sister. And of course, that very Is very upsetting to him.

[A]

It's like, ouch.

[B]

Can I be labeled by anything else?

[A]

Can I be the head of comms? Like, oh. It's like, oh, even just like, oh, you fucked the River Queen's daughter. Like, I'd rather that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Then you're the one with the dead sister. Oh, man. You remember that sister you really loved?

[B]

Remember when she got, like, extra killed.

[A]

Iced out of the picture?

[B]

Do you remember? He asks her for a few words privately. And the Viper Queen is like, all right, fine. Let's see what you have to say, little Therian. And she leads him down to another spacious room just away from the others. But this one has several piles of drugs laying out a viewing window into the fighting pits. And he notices a couple other people.

[A]

Let's get loud. Let's get Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, and you're just, like, buying drugs together again. Buying drugs. Yeah. And she's singing let's Get Loud. Everybody's having a blast, right? I mean, wouldn't you be like, okay, I guess we're doing drugs if you walked into that room. JLo, Ben Affleck buying drugs. She's singing let's Get Loud. You don't throw down for the rest of the week.

[B]

Let's get loud.

[A]

Who gives a fuck about Emile? Who fucking cares?

[B]

Yeah, it sounds like it's at the beginning of a party, but that's not what happens. Therian's eyes nearly bug out of his head. Let me guess.

[A]

Therian drawled at the Harpy who lifted her head from where a female weighed out the drugs.

[B]

It's not yours. It's for a friend. Well, well, well. Looks like the Harpies got a little light seeker habit.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

She glares at him and they begin to gripe at one another. But the Viper Queen reminds the Harpy that Therian's good as dead if he causes trouble in her space. And so he's not going to tell anybody that he's seen her theory, knows it. And he really doesn't give a if the Harpy wants to get zooted. So like, he's like, okay, of all.

[A]

Of the harp horrible things that we know the RP does, it's like, this is what you're worried about? That you're. That you're snooting some dudes.

[B]

It's like, I ain't got the time for this right now.

[A]

I. I would rather hopefully you're taking something that is like, chilling you out, because I feel like you and your knife play need a timeout.

[B]

I think it's making her more murdery.

[A]

Sorry, I'm mid drug party here. You. I know, sounds fun once I pop funnel style.

[B]

But Therian is not concerned with this. He's like, go off queen or whatever. So the Harpy basically is like, tell anyone. Kill you. And then she beats it. Varian turns to the Viper Queen, asking her. So the reason they're in the room, asking her if she had intel on Ophion or the rebels, if she's consorting with the likes of Ephraim's Triari. So basically saying, oh, so you're like doing deals with the Harpy and these people. What do you know about Ophion? You must hear from them. And she's like, I don't know. How much are you offering, big boy? But not like sexually. She's like, give me money and I'll tell you secrets.

[A]

Yeah, no, she's just professionally scarily cool.

[B]

Yeah, she has a deal worked out with the Dragon. And so if you want some information, here's what you can do for me. I've worked this deal out with the Dragon, who gets a share of the profits made from the fights. And as the Viper Queen is breaking down what she's doing with the Dragon, it takes him a minute, but now he's finally like realizing, oh, I'm asking Ariadne to become a slave in a different territory. Just like the Viper Queen.

[A]

Took you this long, huh?

[B]

There you Go theory. I mean, you know, it got there.

[A]

I can't believe it did, actually.

[B]

He's like, oh, she's a person.

[A]

Oh, that's sad. We're not supposed to own her.

[B]

So Viper Queen is like, talking about this deal they made, and she's bringing up Ariadne because she's the dragons making the Viper Queen really good money. And she wants Tharion to help push the narrative to the astronomer that she's continued to be needed by the royals. Because even though she's the Viper Queen, it's still a problem that the astronomer, if he finds out the dragon's there, he's gonna want the dragon back.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So she.

[A]

It's not like people don't know the dragons there. I mean, she's openly fighting.

[B]

Yeah. So she basically is saying, you figure out a way to make it so that maybe the River Queen needs to have her in the pits for the fire cover. She's an undercount in there. Fun.

[A]

Yeah. She like, let's make her an international spy.

[B]

So therefore having a reason why the dragon can't go back to the Astronomer. Tharion rightly says no one will believe that.

[A]

And fuck, he needed that dragon. He needed her as an exit strategy out of this Emil situation. And any fallout for leaving the Queen's daughter. I need that dragon. Cause he's in trouble with the Queen because I keep putting my penis in the places his fucking penises.

[B]

Almost as if she can read his thoughts because he's, you know, mulling this.

[A]

Over and he is hard as the dickens.

[B]

Oh, I hope she points out that even if he does try to capture Ariadne, because he hasn't said this out loud, but she can tell that's what he wants to do.

[A]

She's very smart.

[B]

If he wants to capture her for the Blue Court, the dragon's just gonna burn him into ashes. Like try to kidnap her.

[A]

Yeah. That's why the Viper Queen is working with her.

[B]

Yeah. He glares at the Viper Queen at this, but knows she's correct. The Viper Queen pushes again that if he can spin a story about why the dragon needs to stay in the meat market, she'll give him ophion intel. He needs to know whether Pippa and the Light Fall Squadron are going to try to sack the city, which is what he's trying to get the info out of the Viper Queen. Well, shit. Instead of coming up with a solution to get the Queen off his back, he's just made more work for himself. Congratulations.

[A]

You realize you're not good at Any of it. Therian like you, it feels like you just. Every time you talk to somebody, it's like you fall ass over tea kettle into another thing you got to do that you're not going to do very well.

[B]

I actually think the most infuriating part is that he could be good at it. He's too lazy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's like, well, I'm handsome. And I'm like, I don't want to do this.

[A]

Yeah. But it's like, yeah, nobody wants to work. You know, that's what. Why it's called work and not play. Whoa.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Sorry. Mic drop.

[B]

So he's like, okay, I will try to figure out how to help you. So can you give me information on Pippa now? Hoping he can at least provide that to his temperamental queen to tide her over. The Viper Queen says simply, go ask your friends. That's all she is going to reveal to him. That was the information that he got.

[A]

That little. That little snake. She is such a snake. But that's the thing. Like, I feel like she's such a snake and yet I'm never angry with her. I know, for being the Viper Queen. And yet I. Look, I don't know why. I expect so much better from Bryce. And maybe it's just like the world of SJM that it's like. But it's like, don't you see? Bryce Quinlan is also morally gray like the other queens. But it's like, it's just. She's not good at it yet. And I guess it's good that, like, she keeps trying.

[B]

I think also we've accepted that the Viper Queen is not good, but she isn't fully bad either. Like, she is.

[A]

Well, she's just self serving.

[B]

She's. Yes, she's self serving. And she also provides a mirror to the other characters because every time they kind of get over it's a lot. Well, often it's like, because they themselves did something stupid. So it's sort of in that way too. But that's all she says. The two of them, Viper Queen and Therian, start making their way back to the original room where the others are. And he's like, okay, I guess I'm gonna start calling all of the inner circle people and trying to see why she said that. No one is picking up. And suddenly he starts to get a bad feeling. He finds Flynn and Ariadne still just in the same positions, glaring at one another. And then he goes to Flynn and says, hey, call Ruhn. I'm not getting answers from anyone. The Viper Queen simply sits back down at her desk and wishes them luck. What fresh hell are we about to face?

[A]

Uh oh.

[B]

Tharion and Flynn go to leave and Flynn tells the dragon he's not done with her yet.

[A]

Oh, wow. Oh, big talk. She's a dragon, you idiot.

[B]

Okay, great. I'll see you later. Tharion curses himself for getting played by the vibe queen. So they're leaving, trying to figure out where everybody is. We cut over to Bryce as they are approaching Urd's temple, which is in Moonwood.

[A]

I'd rather go to Kurds temple.

[B]

No, I'm hungry. I don't want to think about food.

[A]

Squeaky, squeaky cheese. Squeaky, squeaky cheese.

[B]

Or like lemon curd.

[A]

Oh, or yogurt curd. What other kind of curds do we have?

[B]

What other curds are there?

[A]

Curds for days. Curds for years. Curds up your nose, Curds out your eyes. That's the commercial I would make, I guess, for my curd store. Nobody wants to go to it. Herds of curds. Aw. Herds of curds. Oh, that's awesome. I love that. And all the cows are wearing curd shirts. They're curd sharks.

[B]

Is there. Is curd directly related to it being animal protein? Can it be vegan curd?

[A]

Sure, yeah. Curd is a curd. Dad, trust the word.

[B]

I don't know what the definition of a curd is. Are you guys sick of us saying that word yet?

[A]

Yeah, it doesn't mean anything anymore, which is kind of fun.

[B]

So in this moment, as they're approaching.

[A]

I'm sorry. A soft white substance formed when milk sours. That's the most disgusting definition.

[B]

Wait, that's not lemon curd, is it? Is it?

[A]

No, that's just the word. That's just the word curd for you. Word curd. Soft white substance formed when milk sours. Oh no. My herds of curds. They're making it bad in my holes.

[B]

It says that lemon curd is egg yolk based, but it's not. But that's not the same thing as cheese curd.

[A]

It sounds like I was. Did it sound like I was from over there? What sounds like I'm saying, like over there. Like you know Dutch, you know Finland. You know the song over there? Over there. Netherlands. Netherlands over there.

[B]

Is that a real song?

[A]

It is a war song, but it is about the Yanks are coming. The Yanks are coming and they won't stop coming down. Or it's over over there.

[B]

I'm pretty sure that you just made that up, man.

[A]

If I did, whoo. Sell me to the Grammys.

[B]

Sell you to the Viper Queen.

[A]

Yeah. I feel like I'm the Ariadne of the Grammys.

[B]

Ariadne Garntorg. What? What just happened to your Ariadne is Ariadne. Sounds like she came up with Ariana grand day and just combine the two words.

[A]

Oh, okay, okay. All right, I see. Okay, I see. On. On day. Now I see where you were going with it.

[B]

Gary.

[A]

Gary Garian.

[B]

Ariadne grand garndar. We're at.

[A]

We're at. You guys still listen. You listen. You stuck through the curd conversation through the Ariana Grande.

[B]

I did.

[A]

Great. Okay, we're getting.

[B]

We're rounding the bend. So we go back to Bryce. As they are appearing at Urd's temple, which is in Moonwood. She's recalling that she had only ever been there once before in her past. And it was drunkenly with June during college, where they came there in the middle of the night and gave an offering to Urd, asking for epic lives. So far. Kind of playing out. That's why you gotta be careful about your wishes.

[A]

Whoa.

[B]

It hurts her heart to think of June. Now's not the time. Something dangerous is afoot. I was expecting a foot joke that didn't happen.

[A]

Don't take a picture of him.

[B]

According to Ethan's message. Oh, boy. According to Ethan's message, the only four who were commanded by the under king to appear in this temple were Bryce, Hunt, Rune, and Hypaxia. We don't know why. Nothing sus going on, I'm sure.

[A]

No, but don't worry. Ethan's not there, so hopefully it won't really be destroyed. But we don't know him with his gun in this supernatural world.

[B]

Yeah, so he want him and Cormac really wanted to go, but they knew it was better to not to try to double cross the under king. They don't know what he wants, but they're now apparently going to have to protect the pack of devils even in death. Even though Bryce didn't want to appear combative and bring all the their. You know, basically saying, I don't want to show up to the under king, like we're trying to fight him. The others are like, no, we need to bring the weapons, including the Star sword, the only known weapon to kill reapers, just in case.

[A]

A pyre smoked atop a black stone altar in the center of the temple. A stone throne on a dais loomed at the rear of the space. No statues ever adorned Urd's temple. No depiction of the goddess had ever been made. Ah, fate took too many forms to capture in one figure. Oh, so this is your fate form I'm heard. Oh, can't tell me I'm wrong. You're right. You're. You are right. This is. I mean, what do you say? It's like, this is fate.

[B]

Everywhere she goes, this song is playing.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Is it because you're stealing your father's car and not going to school? You do look like a bitch. That wouldn't do that, would.

[B]

The king appears in the temple. As they walk in, he's in fact sitting on this sacred throne, which is kind of a. No, no. So Rune and Mancy get off the throne because it's this sort of disrespectful thing. Urd is this old God, and he challenges their religious beliefs, the under king does, in asking if they know their old gods. And when he does that, his references sure sound a lot like what you'd hear in Acotar. He, you know, kind of suggests. Well, I thought you guys bowed to Luna. Maybe you remember the old days from a time where Urd was not a goddess, but a force what winding between worlds where she was a vat of.

[A]

Life and very comfortable, a mother to all in a jumpsuit.

[B]

No, I'm talking about the vat and the mother.

[A]

Oh, Whoa. Oh, I thought you were. Oh, you mean the cauldron. I thought you meant. I thought you were talking vagina. Yeah, I don't know what herd's got you talking vats. Talking about what you got.

[B]

You couldn't handle what I got.

[A]

I bet I could.

[B]

Hod wants to get this over with. So, like, the under king is sort of taunting them and. But the reference to the old gods is interesting. And Hunt, just like, I want to know what we're doing here. What do you want?

[A]

Let's get it. Let's get it going.

[B]

He tells them that he wants to inform them that the Reaper they fought in the sewers. The Reapers they fought in the sewers that he thought Apollyon sent. Because, again, Napoleon denied that in Bryce's dream. He's like, I came to tell you I was wrong. Those reapers weren't from Apollyon. They came from the Eternal City, which is where the Asteri are, which is like, okay, why?

[A]

Like, why? Yeah. Were you lying before?

[B]

Did you know also, why are you calling us here to tell us this?

[A]

Why are you telling us this? You could have just told me in the fucking direct, like. Or when. Like, you were. Look, you know you didn't want to tell Ethan, which, let's be real, we get it.

[B]

It's like, he's not gonna get it, right?

[A]

Yeah, he's not gonna understand anything Bryce wants. It's gonna be like a game of telephone. He'd be like, oh, they said you.

[B]

Had to play Monopoly, eat spicy food.

[A]

I think the show called Hot Ones, but, like, you don't have to like all the hot sauces, Ethan.

[B]

What?

[A]

What are you talking about? Write it down.

[B]

Bryce wants to know why he's telling them this. The under king says he doesn't want his territory, quote, infringed upon, which is why he's telling them. Okay, Ruhn calls complete bullshit on this. What do you mean you. Oh, we don't want the Asteri sending reapers. And why does that have to do with us? Why are you calling us in? Bryce wants to know if the under king has spoken to Jesiba, which is an aside. When he doesn't recognize the name Jesiba, Bryce describes who she is, and Under King says he knows her by another name. Okay, tell me more. Tell me more. So he then looks at Hypaxia.

[A]

Jesiba's so cool. I want to be Jesiba. I want to kiss Jesiba. I love Jesiba. Sorry, that's. I just.

[B]

That's it.

[A]

Nothing. Nothing.

[B]

There's going to be more lore about her for sure, guys. More lore for sure. So then he looks to Herds of curds. Herds of curds. He looks to Hypaxia and tells her that she did well in his quote test the previous night, which is the night before when they put her in the maze.

[A]

Right.

[B]

That she would be welcome to the house of flame and shadow. Okay, didn't ask. Appreciate it, I guess. I don't think Hypaxia was auditioning because she levels a stare at the under king to make that makes Bryce shiver. And her queenliness. No matter. That's it.

[A]

I love Hypaxia. I love Jesiba. I'm just sitting in a little horny puddle over here. Sorry. Yeah, go for it.

[B]

No matter. Hunt cuts back in, asking, why the hell would he call them here? To give this random piece of information and to congratulate Hypaxia. Like something that's not the mathing math.

[A]

In Leave a voicemail.

[B]

Bryce decides to use this moment to ask if the under king knows what the sequence is from Sophie's arm. I guess she's just asking everybody now. She's like, here's the secret. Do you know what this is? Why are we here?

[A]

That was carved into a corpse that I'm not supposed to be talking about. But I guess if you're talking about it to the Under King, it's like, well, the Under King probably knows. But do you know that he knows? Oh, you want me to read it? The Under King blinked. I don't know. He smiled again, wider. But perhaps you should ask them. He pointed behind her to the doorway, the world beyond, where Pippa Spetsos was marching into the courtyard of the temple, flanked by Lightfall soldiers.

[B]

Oh shit. You little fucking.

[A]

Oh my God. Gunder King, what is it? January 7th?

[B]

6Th.

[A]

Get out of here.

[B]

Storming the Capitol. God, you little shit. We cut to Hunt's POV at this moment, and as they realize they've been sold out, he looks so what we.

[A]

Thought was a trick was.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, they did not. They trusted the Under King a little too much.

[A]

It's the. You know, Bryce thinks that like, oh, all the princes love me. Emmy King's gonna love me. Eren's gonna love me. Look at my tits. And not that she's using her tits for that.

[B]

They all agree to go. Just saying. Wasn't just Bryce. He looks over to see Ruhn has darted over to the temple door, slamming them shut, keeping Pippa and her squadron out, but now locking them in with the Under King. Pippa and her squad end up right on the other side and she begins taunting them, telling them they'll get what they deserve for turning on the rebels. Hypaxia is. This is news to her. She looks at them with a dull realization. They were working with the rebels. Bryce basically just says, well, we were, but we're not anymore. They're like so. We don't know what Hypaxia has to say about that.

[A]

My bad.

[B]

They look back to see the Under King who has been there with them in the room, is fading out and Hunt realizes he was never there. Corporeally, he was just a projection of some sort. As he fades out, he tells them with delight that helping starting this war means that he and his creatures get fed delicious souls.

[A]

Sorry, I was just hungry.

[B]

He also tells them, as he's about to disappear, that Pippa visited him bowing before before him and struck a bargain. Gah. Pippa, you crafty little bitch. Ruhn warns the Under King not to meddle in the affairs of the living or they will become his enemies.

[A]

The Under King faded into the shadows. Death is the only victor in war. Then he was gone.

[B]

That's the truth.

[A]

Under King damn it meant he just brought them there to be, like, sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle. Just a little bit of mischief on ya here. Being a little imp baby, aren't ya?

[B]

Well, he's technically trying to start a war and get them killed.

[A]

I know. And he's, like, doing a really good job.

[B]

Yeah, he's doing a good job.

[A]

So it looks like he's really good at, like, making dead things and, like, getting more dead things.

[B]

So they hear the rebels begin to discharge their weapons at the door.

[A]

It's like, oh, my God. The entire time, we didn't know B and JLo, they were doing the drugs so that they could march on the city. They were also there the day at the Capitol. And, man, she. Yep. She was just singing let's Get Loud, and everybody was just having a blast.

[B]

Hey, hey.

[A]

It's a pump up.

[B]

So they hear all of the guns start to shoot, attempting to break the door down.

[A]

Okay. No, let's get loud is what you're saying.

[B]

They're getting loud. They're getting loud, yes. Hunt realizes that if they have Gorzian bullets in those guns and it's the four against the whole army, they are in big trouble if they lose their powers.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Bryce turns to Hunt and tells him to light her up. Ruhn tells her to teleport Hypaxia out of here. Despite Hypaxia's glare, she doesn't want to leave. But Bryce has another plan.

[A]

She tells. Sorry, I'm being. I'm getting all electrified, bitch.

[B]

She tells them she is not versed in traveling with people and doesn't want to risk it. What do you mean?

[A]

You teleport all the time, bitch.

[B]

But, like, I kind of get it.

[A]

No, she's not, like. Yeah, she's. This is her, like, trying when she's teleporting. It just happens.

[B]

Yeah, and what if she doesn't? Like, she sends them into, like, some Splinchum. Splinchum?

[A]

Yeah. Not this world, but.

[B]

Not this world, but you know what I mean. So she. She instead decides she's going to teleport out and try to get back up to come. Hunt turns to Hypaxia, who's frantically searching the walls. She tells them that temples all have other exits other than the main one. They just have to find it. Bryce reappears moments later and tells them she's done. Done what? Who can say? The door begins to dent inward with some massive weapon.

[A]

Oh, God.

[B]

Han tells her that he believes in her. Says you can teleport us out. Do it. I believe in you. Looking uncertain, he tells her again, I know you can, baby.

[A]

But my heaving bosom. I should have put my bosom away.

[B]

No, never. She decides. Okay, I'm gonna. I'm gonna do it. She takes Hypaxia's hand and Hunt shoots lightning into her. They disappear to parts unknown. Rune and Hunt Baker, in the moments that they're gone, about who should go next. Then Bryce is back. She seems to have succeeded, but she looks sick and is coughing.

[A]

God.

[B]

After just those taking, a second person has done a big old number on her. She pukes. Hunt tells her she needs to take a rest. The door, however, contorts even further. Before Ruhn can argue, she takes his arm and disappears once again, leaving Hunt there alone. The door begins to rip from the hinges. Hunt doesn't think she's going to be able to take the two of them out of there. She doesn't think her body's going to be able to do it. Bullets rain from the small opening the door has been ripped from. As the soldiers use their might to peel the door back even further, Hunt jumps behind the altar to guard himself.

[A]

The doors blew open, throwing three lightfall soldiers to the ground. Pollux stood between the doors, white wings luminescent with power, laughing to himself as he brought a clenched fist down upon the head of a female rebel sprawled before him, bone and blood sprayed.

[B]

Ouch.

[A]

Beyond him in the courtyard, rebels fired at Mordoc and the Dread Wolves. And out in the street, standing beneath a palm tree, away from the fray, Hunt could see the Hind surveying the brawl.

[B]

Okay, well, this seems to be maybe who Bryce alerted somehow, because the Triari's here all of a sudden.

[A]

So they found out really fast.

[B]

Interesting. Bryce appears finally next to Hunt. She scrambles behind the altar with him.

[A]

I just feel like this is a really big, confusing moment. I just remember being very confused during this scene when I first read it. And I just remember just being like, wait, but wait, that's bad. That's good. That's good. It is good, but it's bad, Right? But why is she telling them? How is she telling? I just remember my brain breaking during this.

[B]

Yeah, well, it's kind of both.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So she comes back and as she returns from the last teleport, she looks on the verge of unconsciousness. But of course, she returned to him. He asks what she did that first jump. Like, why are these other people here? And she explains she went to a gate and used the audio system to basically tell the city that ophion was attacking the temple. She used a phone app to disguise her voice.

[A]

Do you like scary movies? She also threw that in there to see if anybody got the rush.

[B]

She's like, you know, like that.

[A]

You guys remember Skeet?

[B]

Meaning she was able to stay anonymous as she made the warning and just announced it over the entire city. Hence the Triari appearing.

[A]

He could only gape at her. His clever, brilliant Bryce. Gods, he loved her.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Sorry. I should put some eyeballs down here. Cause then you'll never be looking in the wrong direction if you put them all in one. It's like, ugh, Goddess, why didn't you put our eyes on our breasts?

[B]

My eyes are down here. My second eyes are down here.

[A]

Oh, please.

[B]

Oh, that'd be fun. Although, what was.

[A]

I did see some. I felt like it was like, the most LA headline I'd ever seen. That was like, Botox taking over people's third eye. Why you shouldn't put Botox in your head because it blocks your third. Ey. And I. While I'm not saying whether that has any merit or not, I just thought it was very funny that, like, you're telling the people that get Bodogs of, like. But your third eye is blocked.

[B]

Fuck.

[A]

The price of beauty.

[B]

That's why I haven't been able to be psychic.

[A]

Yes, that's what it is. How do you feel about that, Natalie?

[B]

Can't tell. Can't see.

[A]

Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. Not seeing out of there.

[B]

Yes. And so Bryce says she'll take them out in a minute, but Bryce knows that's not possible without nearly killing her. She's like, just give me a breath. I'll get us out of here. And he's like, there's no way. Like, I don't want to kill you. In this moment, the Triarii engage in a battle with the soldiers, buying them a few moments. So Hunt and Bryce have not been seen by the Triarii either, which is what they're trying to keep it from happening. Because then there's going to be all these other questions about what's going on. So they're hiding behind the Diaz. I can never remember how to say that. The dais, they're hiding behind the day, like, around that area where the statue is while that battle's going on. And so they have a few moments to talk here. Hunt pulls his lightning close to him so Pollux won't recognize him as being there. Suddenly, he smells Bryce's blood, and he snaps his head to her. Her nose is pouring Blood out of it. They're not gonna be able to teleport out.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

Hunt decides, hey, fuck it, I'm gonna fight my way out with lightning. I'm gonna grab her. They'll deal with the consequences of being discovered later, even if that might mean that the hind will finally reveal the knowledge she holds over them.

[A]

Hold on to me, Hunt warned, reaching for Bryce as something crept out of the shadows behind Urd's throne. A black dog, massive, with fangs as long as Hunt's hand. The hellhound motioned to the throne with a clawed paw. Then he vanished behind it.

[B]

Cute.

[A]

He's like, this way.

[B]

But also, what. What. What is this?

[A]

There's so much happening. And they're like, there's a dog here. And they're at the door. We're trying to find an exit.

[B]

So they're like, uh, any of these. Of all of the cretins here, the hellhound has shown the most promise at not being a killer to them. They don't have a lot of choice. And they. Hunt kind of goes, all right, I'm just going to start following where he goes because, like, what else the options are? They dart to where they had just seen Baxian appear in the shadows. And they get to the area and they're like, he's not here. What the. Then. Then they hear his doggy voice, and Hunt flips around and realizes, which is.

[A]

Very cute, but it's, like, not supposed to be cute, but it's very cute.

[B]

He turns around and realizes that this is coming from the back of the throne. There is a door that has opened up into a secret passage.

[A]

Cool.

[B]

Hell, yeah. Baxian has retreated to there, gesturing for them to follow him into this doorway.

[A]

Hunt didn't question their luck. As he sprinted through the stone doorway, Baxian, now an angelic form, shoved it shut behind him, sealing them entirely in darkness.

[B]

Baxian pulls his phone out to give them a light, and they begin to descend down these old stone stairs. As they walk, he explains he heard the order to come to the temple over his walkie and deduced that if it was Pippa, that he assumed that these guys. The special click of the friends who he's trying to get into.

[A]

He wants to be friends with them so bad. And he's like, if I save you, maybe, will you like me? Please?

[B]

So he's. He's assumed they must be involved, and so he decides to sort of come into the battle a little bit more secretively to, like, kind of suss out the situation. As they're walking, the floor starts to level out.

[A]

They walked until they hit a crossroads flanked by skulls and bones placed in tiny alcoves. Catacombs.

[B]

I don't think they had any clue.

[A]

You were there, baxian went on, though.

[B]

How they got tipped off, I don't.

[A]

Bryce moved so fast, Hunt didn't have time to stop her from dropping out of his arms.

[B]

She pulls her rifle on Baxian. We switch over to Bryce's pov. In that moment, despite the deep sickness she feels cascading over her from the teleportations, she fixes her gaze and her gun on Baxian. She wants to know why he keeps showing up where they are. Hunt thinks Baxian isn't a spy for the Hind or the Asteri, but Bryce doesn't buy it. She releases the safety and tells him to explain himself this second or she's going to put a bullet in his head. This is a slightly long passage, but I think we should read it.

[A]

Baxian walked to one of the curved walls full of skulls, didn't seem to care that he was a foot away from the barrel of her gun. He ran a finger down the brown skull of what seemed to be some fanged veneer and said, through love, all is possible. The rifle nearly tumbled from her fingers.

[B]

What?

[A]

Baxian peeled back the collar of his battle suit, revealing brown muscled flesh and a tattoo scrawled over the angel's heart in familiar handwriting. Through love, all is possible. She knew that handwriting.

[B]

Why?

[A]

She asked carefully, voice shaking, do you.

[B]

Have Danica's handwriting tattooed on you?

[A]

Baxian's dark eyes became pained, empty.

[B]

Because Danika was my mate.

[A]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Holy moly, my bosoms are heaving.

[B]

What?

[A]

Like a big old pile of pasghetti with nutsy sauce.

[B]

Do we believe him? I don't know. I kind of do.

[A]

Please read up until chapter 67 for next week. Sam. Real talent is defined by what people.

[B]

Can do, not where they learn to do it.

[A]

So by stopping at the education section.

[B]

Of a resume, you might throw away.

[A]

The perfect hire skills first. Hiring helps you see talent others miss.

[B]

Like more than 70 million stars skilled.

[A]

Through alternative routes, let their story unfold and gain a competitive advantage. Because hiring managers who start with skills.

[B]

Are 60% more likely to find a successful hire hire skills first.

[A]

Learn [e-mail] brought to you by opportunityatwork and the ad Council.