LPN Deep Dives: HOSAB / Episode 35: Rebel Rebel Rabble Rousers

Summary

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LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City

House of Sky and Breath / Episode 35: Rebel Rebel Rabble Rousers

Hosts: Natalie Jean, Jackie Zebrowski
Date: February 3, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively and irreverent deep-dive, Natalie and Jackie tackle chapters 69–74 of Sarah J. Maas’s House of Sky and Breath, continuing their hilarious and comprehensive breakdown of the Crescent City series. The episode focuses on the preparations for the crew’s big infiltration of the Asteri stronghold, bitter sibling dynamics, revelations about leadership, and a shocking discovery about how the Asteri sustain their power. As ever, the hosts balance character analysis and lore speculation with their signature comic banter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cosplay Chaos and Mood Setting

• [03:08] The episode opens with both hosts in full cosplay mode as Cormac, discussing their costumes and the “forgiving professor” aesthetic.
  • Jackie jokes about her facial hair:

    “It does feel like I shaved off my pubic hair and glued it in patches to my face.” (Jackie, 03:38)

2. Character Deep Dive: Cormac and Ruhn’s Complicated Bromance

• [15:12–21:11] The hosts break down one of the episode’s emotional highlights: Ruhn reaching out to Cormac the night before their mission.
  • Cormac is “glum,” nursing a drink, resigned over the grim tasks ahead.
  • They discuss themes of letting abusive fathers win and the long shadow of parental trauma.
  • The two build a tentative new camaraderie, with Cormac apologizing for past hostilities.

    “For a glimmer, Ruhn could see the male his cousin might have become… A good king.” (Narrator, quoted by Natalie, 21:17)

  • Both hosts note it’s a rare moment of male vulnerability in the Maas universe.

3. Hunt & Celestina’s Cryptic Encounter

• [24:07–32:43] Hunt visits the barracks before the mission, putting on the Umber Mortis helmet, symbolically reconnecting with a darker era.
  • Celestina catches him, tells him to keep the helmet on (awkward!).
  • Their conversation is layered with suspicion, as Hunt wonders if she knows about the rebellion.
  • Celestina says,

    “Now that you’re a prince, you don’t need to bow to me,” leaving Hunt further suspicious and readers speculating about her allegiances. (31:36)

4. Danger Approaches: Tharion & Cormac at the Lab

• [33:34–45:00] Tharion and Cormac pose as Imperial soldiers to infiltrate the lab, worrying about time constraints — especially since Tharion needs to submerge in seawater within hours.
• Highlights the layered, real-world stress amid the fantasy:
  • Tharion’s physical limitations as a mer “with a deadline”
  • Cormac’s practiced arrogance at the checkpoint
• The team notes the presence of human slaves in the labs and Pippa’s squad camouflaged as laborers.

5. Team “Fuck You”: The Olive Grove, Battle Prep, and Leadership Talk

• [45:15–52:45]
  • Bryce, Ruhn, and Hunt anxiously wait in an olive grove outside the Eternal City for Cormac’s signal.
  • Natalie and Jackie riff on their own ‘90s pizza nostalgia but pivot to genuine analysis of Bryce’s combat readiness and feelings.
  • Just before breaking for the infiltration, Ruhn makes a key proposal:

    “He wants daddy gone, and he wants Bryce to take the crown.” (52:45, summarized by Natalie)

  • Debate over whether Bryce wants (or deserves) to rule and the classic trope: “the best leaders are those who don’t want power.”

6. Mission Start: Teleports, Anxiety, and Battle Stations

• [50:15–63:46]
  • Cormac teleports the team, one-by-one, into the palace—an exhausting magical feat for him.
  • The tension is high; even amidst jokes, the hosts acknowledge the emotional stakes, especially with Hunt and Bryce’s brief farewell:

    “See you on the other side, Quinlan.” (Hunt, 50:48)

  • The hosts note Cormac’s building exhaustion and fatalistic tone, setting up ominous foreshadowing.

7. Bryce’s Shocking Discovery – The Asteri’s Dark Secret

• [63:46–73:08]
  • Bryce sneaks into the hidden room beneath the palace, following the infamous code “42069.”
  • Finds a hall lined with crystal pipes, each assigned to an Asteri, glowing with First Light.
  • The realization dawns:

    “The Asteri fed on first light… All these sacrifices, those drops of power, weren’t for powering the planet. They were for feeding their cruel gods.” (Narrator, paraphrased by Natalie, 71:10–71:30)

  • Comedic riff on the literalness: “Do they take the first light up their ass?” “It’s a big, like, iPad dock for them.” (Jackie & Natalie, 69:41–70:05)
  • Strategic implications: If the team can stop the flow of First Light, the Asteri’s reign might end.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cosplay Commitments:

  “If I learn how to teleport, it’s over for you bitches.” (Jackie, 10:11)

• On Fantasy Politics:

  “It’s just two boys with daddy problems… brewing down.” (Narrator/Jackie, 17:46)

• On the Reveal of the Asteri’s Feeding:

  “Cut off the first light… We gotta unplug them from their seat butts. They’re taking it up the ass and we gotta stop that funnel.” (Jackie, 72:18 & 72:44)

• On Bryce’s Reluctance for Leadership:

  “I just wanted to be a normal girl… breasting all about.” (Jackie, 53:28)

• On High Fantasy Security Logistics:

  “You have to, like, use your angel power... Wing print.” (Natalie & Jackie riff, 27:15–27:20)

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Important Timestamps

• [03:08] – Cosplay and pre-episode banter, setting tone
• [15:12–21:11] – Ruhn and Cormac’s emotional meetup
• [24:07–32:43] – Hunt/Celestina tension in the barracks
• [33:34–45:00] – Tharion/Cormac lab infiltration, discussion of Pippa, human labor
• [45:15–52:45] – Team “Fuck You” battle prep, Bryce & Ruhn’s leadership conversation
• [50:15–63:46] – Teleporting into the palace, group dynamics, foreshadowing
• [63:46–73:08] – Bryce uncovers the Asteri energy pipeline, major plot revelation

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Tone & Style

The episode is equal parts humor and earnest enthusiasm for Maas’s world. The hosts pepper genuine literary analysis with improv-heavy dialogue, goofy character voices, and pop culture comparisons (from West Side Story to 90s Pizza Hut to Vampire Facials). Their signature irreverent style makes the unfolding high-stakes plot feel both fun and emotionally messy, mirroring the chaos and heart of Crescent City itself.

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For Next Week

• Read through Chapter 75
• Questions to ponder: What will cutting off the First Light mean for Crescent City? Is Cormac really doomed? Will Bryce accept her royal responsibilities, or run from them?

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End of summary.

Transcript

[Natalie]

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[Jackie]

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[Commercial Voice]

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[Jackie]

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[Natalie]

If you're nasty and you can too.

[Jackie]

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[Natalie]

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[Jackie]

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[Natalie]

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[Jackie]

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[Natalie]

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

[Jackie]

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

[Natalie]

That's a swag. Give it to me.

[Jackie]

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.

[Natalie]

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

[Jackie]

Gimme, gimme. Give me that sweet.

[Narrator]

Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts, Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski.

[Natalie]

You do good at angling yourself so you can actually see part of your body. Know why I can't do this out? I still can't. It's. Don't tell me. I'm going to figure it out.

[Narrator]

Okay, Celestina.

[Natalie]

Thank you.

[Jackie]

You look really good and I do love it. Cuz Natalie has been accidentally. She accidentally forgot her slip at Home. And so she's just been. She's been showing off her panties.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[Jackie]

And she's been showing them off, and I'm like, wow.

[Natalie]

Wow. Why did you do this to yourself?

[Jackie]

Love this facial hair. This facial hair is different.

[Natalie]

Good on you.

[Jackie]

I. I hate how good it looks. I hate that it looks. I hate how it feels on my face. It does feel like I shaved off my pubic hair and glued it in patches to my face. And I would if I could, but I can't, so I won't.

[Natalie]

Wouldn't we all?

[Jackie]

You know, I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna do it because it wouldn't work with this outfit.

[Natalie]

I just really enjoy it. I like the wig. I think this is you're serving right now.

[Jackie]

You know, Natalie did say I was looking good earlier, and maybe it's because I got my orca tongue. Free willy. My tongue is still green, blue. And. What is it, Natalie? What's wrong with me?

[Natalie]

I don't think there's anything wrong with you.

[Jackie]

Why does my tongue at home, when you wear dark lipsticks, does it turn your tongue a different color? But, Natalie, you were saying. Yours bleeds out.

[Natalie]

Mine bleeds out. Yours bleeds in.

[Jackie]

Mine bleeds in.

[Natalie]

Bleed in, bleed out.

[Jackie]

Don't lay a finger on my Jolly Rancher. I just feel like. Don't you put a hard sucker near this mouth.

[Natalie]

I ain't a fan.

[Jackie]

I don't like Jolly Ranchers. Yeah, the suckers aren't fans either. Not when they see this coming.

[Natalie]

Definitely a look to have this with the green tongue.

[Jackie]

How sexy am I right now?

[Natalie]

I do think you look good.

[Jackie]

I. I'm. I think it's like I've got Jeff's, like, sweater on.

[Natalie]

It's like a forgiving professor.

[Jackie]

Oh, I feel like I'm also giving, like, I don't know. Definitely someone that has grabbed in the past.

[Natalie]

Oh, yeah.

[Jackie]

No.

[Natalie]

You look like a problematic professor where all of the girls are, like, really into him, but he's supposed to not take their advances, but he always does.

[Narrator]

I'm a poet, girl.

[Jackie]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Let me tell you. Let me tell you all about the bees. Not the beds and the bees, just the bees. They're in trouble. And I know that because I'm smart.

[Jackie]

And you should be scared because they're.

[Narrator]

Gonna put their pollen in other flowers if we don't stop them.

[Jackie]

The bees are the problem in this.

[Natalie]

The bees are. The bees are the solution to things. Right? That's what you think.

[Jackie]

Not according to this guy. I wish I had Patches. I need patches on this.

[Natalie]

You do need patches on that.

[Jackie]

It's true, I do.

[Natalie]

And I will figure out who you are.

[Narrator]

Yes.

[Natalie]

I guess the prime. I thought maybe you had revamped him, but you said no.

[Jackie]

No.

[Natalie]

You said nay.

[Jackie]

No. Nay. That's a nay. You gave him a goatee. Let me. Oh, I gave him a go once in the past, but I tell you once again, I come over from a villain and I'm gonna teleport y'.

[Natalie]

All. How? A mustache and goatee is a choice.

[Jackie]

Last time I tried to be Cormac, I looked like Michael Myers mother. And I was like, all right, I need to up my sexuality.

[Natalie]

Oh, we just added Charlie Bucket.

[Jackie]

No, it was little. It was little Bucket. It was little mommy Bucket. And I was like, I need to be giving sleazier. And I feel like this does give sleazier.

[Natalie]

I like the wig.

[Jackie]

It isn't a man's wig. I mean, it's not a good wig.

[Natalie]

I feel like it could be like an Oz. Like an Aussie.

[Jackie]

Yeah, you think so?

[Natalie]

The flawless accent.

[Jackie]

Take me over to the beaches isn't too bad. I'm going to go say a thing.

[Natalie]

Well, that became sort of.

[Jackie]

That's because I'm from a villain and you don't understand us here in the North. He's gotta have a pirate accent. There's no way he doesn't have a pirate accent.

[Natalie]

Yeah. I thought of him as kind of Irish.

[Jackie]

Right. I. I feel like he definitely has a brogue, and it's probably, like a Scot. Like, he's probably really hot, but, you know, a Zabrowski can't do a brogue. We're not called Zabrowgski for a reason.

[Natalie]

Do a Polish accent.

[Jackie]

Flies. And I see the red. I say it and I say pokey.

[Natalie]

Yikes. That was some kind of hate crime.

[Jackie]

I. The best part is that when you're so good at accents, it's like being a chameleon internationally is difficult. And that's why. How is she all mystery? I'm just like Angelina Jolie, right? What about me says not? Honestly, were you worried that I was turning into Billy Ray Cyrus? Because I am. You're looking a little bit like a. Ooh. A mommy that kisses her baby on the lips. And I'm talking about Elizabeth Hurley, who does kiss her grown son on the lips.

[Natalie]

Some people do that.

[Narrator]

He's.

[Jackie]

He's a big. He's a model. He's like a hot man. And then they're just out there sucking on lips, and it's like, that's how a mummy and a son get together.

[Natalie]

Why do you. Oh, you think you like Billy Ray Cyrus?

[Jackie]

Yeah.

[Natalie]

I don't know.

[Jackie]

Have you seen him.

[Natalie]

Break it.

[Jackie]

Break it.

[Natalie]

Have you seen him lately?

[Jackie]

Yeah, yeah, it's not good. Yeah, I have seen him recently.

[Natalie]

Have you seen the stuff that his ex has been posting?

[Jackie]

It's no good.

[Natalie]

It's not good.

[Jackie]

No. I think that the family has issues, but hopefully they get the therapy they need and not just keep bleaching their hair over and over again hoping for a difference.

[Natalie]

I think they should keep trying it.

[Jackie]

Elizabeth Hurley kissing her son.

[Natalie]

No, just keep trying different good dyes. Maybe one of them will work. I love Miley personally.

[Jackie]

So, yes, I do love Miley. And if. And she has separated herself from the family, which I think is good. Yes, but what do you think, Cormac? You don't think he has facial hair? No, because last time I tried to do clean shaven and I felt like that wasn't doing it.

[Natalie]

I think he's clean shaven, but how.

[Jackie]

Do I come off as chiseled and international without a goatee? Acting it is. Yeah, it is an audio show anyway.

[Natalie]

So jut your chin out.

[Jackie]

Like I'm a bulldog. Ow. That hurts. See, Natalie, we can't be cut out for this. No, no, we're just. We're just ladies. Little ladies. But, man, the second I learn how to teleport, it's over for you bitches.

[Natalie]

What are you gonna do?

[Jackie]

I'm gonna teleport my ass to the next sex class over here. Say, let me in. Let the hair speak for itself. And I'll just do. And they probably will close the door, but maybe they'd let me in.

[Natalie]

I'd love for you to fill me in on what a sex class is.

[Jackie]

It's where they teach you. Oh, my God, Natalie, I'm sorry. You didn't go through it talking about.

[Natalie]

Like, real sex stuff. Like, where they would do, like, tantric.

[Jackie]

Yeah, well, technically I'm referring to, like, what happens in Kiss of the Basilisk, because they all have to be trained by the basilisk to learn how to fuck so that they can learn how to fuck.

[Narrator]

The preference.

[Jackie]

But then she finds out the only way a basilisk can be with a human forever. Sorry, spoiler alert.

[Natalie]

Yeah. Wait.

[Jackie]

Fucks her dad.

[Natalie]

Is this a spoiler? We do need to.

[Jackie]

No, it's like halfway. I'm halfway through the first book.

[Natalie]

Oh, gotcha.

[Jackie]

I think I'm further than that, but still. Is that crazy?

[Natalie]

Wow.

[Jackie]

I Just don't. Natalie. My father is now deceased. So we can say this. Would you have. You had to. You had to bang your father. My father. So that you could prove. But you do have to bang him in front of Henry as well as in front of our entire family. But it's so you could be like a queen of the basilisks.

[Natalie]

I'm good.

[Jackie]

I just feel like you're not seeing the bigger picture here. Because it's filled with snake.

[Natalie]

Do you want me. Do you want to watch me have sex with your father?

[Jackie]

No. But we are this powerful and it's not for us to want these things. Think of what Cormac has to go through right now. He's wooing Bryce back.

[Natalie]

He is. Because he was forced into it. Because they humiliated him at the autumnal equinox.

[Jackie]

Be satisfied with your humiliation. Not at a dance. Not at a bottle. And never on a boat.

[Natalie]

Never on a boat.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Jackie]

Because I feel like that's his main form of transportation. So it's like. That's like. And never like when I'm in my house. You know?

[Natalie]

Yeah. They haven't just. They have helicopters. But I haven't heard anything about airplanes.

[Jackie]

He's got a teleport. I mean, he teleports.

[Natalie]

Do they have airplanes in Midgard? I don't think they do.

[Jackie]

They have telephones.

[Narrator]

So they must.

[Natalie]

But they haven't met. They have helicopters.

[Jackie]

I don't know, man.

[Narrator]

Get in the chopper.

[Jackie]

I don't know what to tell you. I guess. I guess that's different kind of magic they do.

[Natalie]

They do end up on boat slot. That's true. And submarines. All right. But that's neither here nor there. We are at go time and it's.

[Jackie]

Neither there nor hair.

[Natalie]

It's about to get real hairy. And I don't mean wolf hair because Ethan isn't going on this trip.

[Jackie]

Yeah. You wet dog. You stay at home.

[Natalie]

But maybe wolf hair it is. Because. What's going to happen at the den? I don't know. Seems like stuff's gonna go down there too. This is the part of the story I said this last episode. This is where I said. This is where the song medley kicks in. The jets are gonna have their day.

[Jackie]

To night and they're all dancing.

[Natalie]

They're gonna get it. They're gonna get it. This is when this happens.

[Jackie]

I'm gonna dance you into a grave. Is that what they say? Is that a line? It's not that far off when you're a jet. I'm a shark. And I'm gonna drown you because a jet can't swim. See this? I feel like they have to cut. This is all the B roll from it. This is when they were like, you know what? Just go off. How about you, like, roast him? And they're like, yeah, well, you've got. Oh, you're snapping isn't as good as the others. And it's like Cormac, maybe don't maybe keep the roasting to somebody else.

[Natalie]

They have a dance fight about who's gonna have the weapons.

[Jackie]

Really? I'm a confession. Never seen it.

[Natalie]

Oh, God, I love Western.

[Jackie]

Never seen the old one, never seen the new one.

[Natalie]

It was the first time I remember crying in a movie.

[Jackie]

Really?

[Natalie]

The old one, not the new one. This first time I ever cried.

[Jackie]

She's ever cried.

[Natalie]

In the new year five years ago.

[Jackie]

Honestly, you could hear the metal parts inside of Natal face start to gear as they churned out like, what would king as fast as we can. Gotten every accent I've got. I'm trying to give you a menagerie of my skills today.

[Natalie]

Oh, we're gonna get a whole carousel of them, I'm sure.

[Jackie]

If you want, I can talk like Eric in Sookie's darkhouse books. Do I. I'm in love with Eric. But we can't talk about.

[Natalie]

No, we're here.

[Jackie]

We're talking about a different book.

[Natalie]

We're here in Midgard, and this is. The jets are gonna have their way tonight. There's gonna be a big old knife fight, and that's kind of where we're going. It's chapter 69. Nice.

[Jackie]

Very nice.

[Natalie]

However, there's no sexy times to be had in chapter 69. What?

[Jackie]

I feel like that's illegal. Natalie.

[Natalie]

Sorry.

[Jackie]

Can't we just put a little slurp and Nerp in there?

[Natalie]

Nope. Run has tracked down Cormac the evening of the same day from the last chapter where the group had all converged. Remember, at Bryce's apartment before dawn. They all came because Rune was freaking out. This is after day got kidnapped, sort of. Or something happened to her and he ran over to Bryce's and he's like, we need to go right now. And they all had this big meeting together that same day. But now in the evening, Rune has come to find Cormac because he was also there that morning. And he is kind of just checking on him. He just discovered him sitting at a bar drinking brews, which, frankly, take my.

[Jackie]

Bruise out of a straw.

[Natalie]

Oh, that's. Which, frankly, I would also be doing before a huge Battle. I'd rather be hungover than just sit there soberly the night before.

[Jackie]

No, thank you. Yeah, no. You're already gonna feel bad. You may as well get drunk about it. Yeah.

[Natalie]

What? You need to be fresh for this horrible thing. So he sits down next to Cormac at the bar, and while Cormac doesn't look surprised to see him, he asks him what he wants. Ruhn just says he wanted to check in on him. And the Fae boys know how to locate a motherfucker. Rune asks what is ailing him, and Cormac is being a bit of a glum and asks why he cares. Why are you even asking? Ruhn kind of blankets is his intentions initially by saying they need him to be able to focus on the mission the following morning. But in reality he's just kind of being like a decent person and wants to see if he's okay.

[Narrator]

I guess. That's nice.

[Natalie]

Yeah. Cormac glumly replies that he's done plenty of other quote appointments because they have to speak in code since they're out in public.

[Jackie]

But we all know what that means.

[Natalie]

Fighting and killing.

[Jackie]

Oh, yeah.

[Natalie]

So he's saying, I've been in these situations many times before. I've had to kill many times. Ruhn watches Cormac stare blankly up at the TV in front of them and surprises Rune as he's staring ahead. Of course, you can't make eye contact. Saying that he's surprised that Ruhn still has kindness despite the Autumn King's best efforts.

[Narrator]

It's just two boys with daddy problems.

[Natalie]

Straight ahead at the game.

[Jackie]

Just brewing down, huh?

[Natalie]

Cormac says his father is just like Ruhn's father. But unlike Rune, Cormac let his father win, as in he became a bastard. Ruhn points out that Cormac's doing a lot for a woman he obviously loved. And that's not bastard behavior. Cormac brushes it off and then apologizes to Ruhn.

[Jackie]

Whoa.

[Narrator]

Oh my God. It's a touching scene.

[Jackie]

And Ruhn doesn't even care that he looks like this. And he's still accepting him. And isn't that nice?

[Natalie]

It's really nice.

[Jackie]

Especially showing up with this. Do you want to touch my whiskers?

[Natalie]

Do I?

[Jackie]

Natalie, touch my whiskers.

[Narrator]

Touch them.

[Jackie]

I love it.

[Natalie]

They kind of do feel real.

[Jackie]

I know. It's very upsetting. It's like kind of scratchy on my face too, which I imagine it would feel like if you had this goatee. Well, I liked it when she felt.

[Natalie]

My whiskers so Cormac is saying, you know, I'm sorry for my behavior in the past of him willing to kill Ruhn for the sword back in the day. He admits that he was kind of jealous of Ruhn's friendships. He also tells him that he thinks if he had been forced to marry Bryce, that he might have been able to break out of his dark space. Being around Ruhn and Bryce long enough, essentially saying, like, I want to be good. I don't know how.

[Jackie]

Natalie.

[Narrator]

Like a pirate.

[Jackie]

I don't know who you are right now.

[Natalie]

I want to be. Wait.

[Jackie]

Yeah.

[Natalie]

I want to be good.

[Jackie]

Yeah.

[Natalie]

I don't know how.

[Jackie]

Yeah. My essence.

[Natalie]

Yes.

[Jackie]

Just try not to laugh off my face.

[Natalie]

Keep it on. You got to do it for one hour. It looks like you've got 100 million cc's of Botox in your face.

[Jackie]

Please tighten it up.

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[Jackie]

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[Natalie]

He tells Ruhn that he is a good prince as he finishes his beer.

[Narrator]

For a glimmer, Ruhn could see the male his cousin might have become. Might yet become serious. Yes, but fair. Someone who understood the cost of a life. A good king.

[Jackie]

A good king when she first Sent down. I am drinking beers now. I am a king of Christmas and I have my bears now. Brightly for the moon at night.

[Natalie]

I think they only have solstice.

[Jackie]

Oh, but I feel like good King Winter Shaw says, I don't know any.

[Natalie]

Of the words to that song.

[Jackie]

I only know the amount that I just kind of sang. And that's only because that's the amount that Bean Bunny sings in my Big Christmas Carol.

[Natalie]

So I'm pretty sure the California Raisins Christmas Special, they also sing.

[Jackie]

God, I think about it all the time. With the dinosaurs. The Claymation Christmas.

[Natalie]

There's Claymation Christmas dinosaurs in Peewee's Christmas Special, too. Is that you?

[Narrator]

Hell, yeah.

[Jackie]

Hell, yeah. I love a cartoon dinosaur with a scarf on. Oh, come on. How cute.

[Natalie]

He tells Cormac he'd like to start over. Rune is saying this. If they get out of all of this, he says, screw the star sword and our daddies. We can decide who we become.

[Narrator]

Cormac smiled almost sadly, then took Rune's hand, clasping firmly.

[Natalie]

It'd be an honor.

[Narrator]

Then they start sucking.

[Natalie]

No, they're related.

[Jackie]

They're not.

[Natalie]

Yeah, they are.

[Jackie]

Like, loosely. I mean, he was gonna marry his sister, so it's like.

[Natalie]

But he's even more related to Ruhn.

[Jackie]

Yeah, but then it's like, oh, but they're far away.

[Narrator]

Cousins.

[Natalie]

Ugh, Yuck.

[Jackie]

But what if they were playing hockey? If they were playing hockey, it would be fine. And then it's a heated rivalry of cousins. A heated cousin rivalry.

[Natalie]

They only have sunball.

[Jackie]

Okay. All right. And you know, Corak doesn't have time to play sunball.

[Natalie]

Look at this. He doesn't get to enjoy things.

[Jackie]

No. It takes time to put this together every day.

[Natalie]

Yeah. What, are you going to muss it up? He's basically, there's this moment they have together where they're discussing how they're gonna change their relationship after all of this. And it's a little bit like getting closure. You wanna. You hope that they're both gonna, you know, see the light of day, but you don't know. We cut to Hunt, who has snuck into the barracks quietly. So he's gone into the Ox Building to retrieve weapons from his old dorm room. This is the same morning that they're about to go do the mission. He stands pensively looking at the space, remembering who he was when he moved in compared to who he is now.

[Jackie]

And it is a League of Their Own moment.

[Narrator]

But we're not gonna sing the song. He zipped his. He zipped the Duffel. His gaze catching on the helmet on his desk. The skull painted on its front stared at him. Unholy hell in its black pits for eyes, the face of the umbra mortis. Hunt picked up the helmet and set it on his head.

[Natalie]

Or do you want it to be this used to be.

[Jackie]

I think I was more thinking of this used to be my playground, you know?

[Natalie]

Credit roll, though.

[Jackie]

I know, but she's also looking back too. She's looking back on her stupid grandkids and just like, think of what if your life could have just been baseball and how much more fun it would have been.

[Natalie]

Who? Kit.

[Jackie]

Both of and Dottie.

[Natalie]

I'm saying Kit has too many grandkids. She has like seven.

[Jackie]

That's what I'm saying. They shouldn't have had the families. They should have just. They should have just kept playing ball.

[Narrator]

Hunt picked up the helmet and set it on his head, the world shading into hues of red and black through the visor. He didn't let himself second guess it as he stalked out of his room and into the night. Celestina was standing at the elevator bay.

[Natalie]

He internally panics, wondering if she had been informed of something. He tries to take his helmet off, but she stops him because he has put on the umber Mars helmet, as you said. So he's just walking around this terrifying full face helmet. But she tells him not to take it off. Which I feel like I'd be a little disarmed if I was talking to somebody through a skull.

[Jackie]

But at the same time, you think he doesn't put on that helmet and just tool around? I mean, then nobody has to look at his face. He doesn't have to. No one's going to tell him to smile, babe.

[Natalie]

It's my thinking helmet.

[Jackie]

It's how I do keep my thoughts inside.

[Narrator]

Oh.

[Jackie]

Or else she's going to be able to hear them.

[Natalie]

They'll float away from me if I take it off. He's scared, so he's wearing his helmet. She's like, don't worry, just keep it on. Awkwardly, they regard one another. Hunt asks how Ephraim is doing, which causes Celestina to tense. It's a seemingly a little reminder of what secrets Hunt holds over her in case she's about to confront him.

[Jackie]

Closet secrets.

[Natalie]

Closet secrets. She tells him that Ephraim leaves the following day to go back to his city. Then they wait to see if baby come. If not, she goes back to his headquarters in a month to try it again. So basically, he is facing off to her before dawn. She has just gotten out of bed for some reason and is there.

[Jackie]

I can't imagine. She's, like, sleeping real soundly laying next to him. She just wants him to leave at this point.

[Natalie]

So it's her bedroom chamber in the Ox. Like, do they have to stay there? Like, does she have, like, a floor?

[Jackie]

She must have, like, a penthouse. I feel like all the Asteri have different penthouses and the different, like, I imagine towers of it.

[Natalie]

Like the archangels. Yeah, yeah, probably.

[Jackie]

That you can't get into. Like, I feel like the elevator literally opens up into her floor, but you can't get to that floor unless you're Celestina.

[Natalie]

Yeah. Like, you have to, like, use your angel power.

[Jackie]

Like, wing print.

[Natalie]

Wing print.

[Jackie]

So I love wing print.

[Natalie]

So she. That's how she's come across him, we think. Does she know more? We're not really sure. She asks him why he can't sleep because his excuse was he couldn't sleep and he was restless. That's why he's there before dawn. And he tells her that it's because he's freaked out by his new status as a prince and wanted to go get the remainder of his stuff, kind of reconnect with his past self. She asks if he is.

[Jackie]

I just like that. She's like, okay. In the middle of the night, you had to. You had to come do this right now. Okay.

[Natalie]

To go see your guns. Okay.

[Narrator]

Okay.

[Jackie]

Yeah, yeah. Look longingly at your slave helmet. Okay. All right.

[Natalie]

She asks if he is leaving the Ox, meaning, like, in the future, because now he's openly a prince. And he tells her he honestly doesn't know. He's waiting to see what kind of decrees the Autumn King will lay down on both he and Bryce, which he'll do in order to be with Bryce and because they don't really have a matter say in the matter. So he'll do what the Autumn King asks. Then as he's trying to, like, lay down these sort of like, this is why I'm here doing this. He gets filled with dread because she asks if that's really true. Does he actually always lay down for the leaders? It doesn't seem like you, too, are like that. You seem to create your own destinies.

[Narrator]

Was there an edge to her voice? A gleam of suspicion? They'd trusted Hypaxia not to say a word of their activities to her lover had believed the witch when she said Celestina didn't know, but the gods knew. He talked when Bryce fucked the hell out of him. Mistakes happened, especially with a gorgeous set of tits involved.

[Jackie]

Is that why you didn't bring the slip, Natalie?

[Natalie]

Yes.

[Jackie]

Trying to get into your breast character.

[Natalie]

I wanted to confuse everyone at the office.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Jackie]

Scaring us all. That's what it is. And we're all just like, oh. Because we know we can't look at the breasts. Yeah. So everyone has to look.

[Natalie]

I mean, I'm not.

[Jackie]

They're not out like you.

[Natalie]

I have bra on.

[Jackie]

You can't see behind the computer. You don't know what she has. You don't know what she's been making us look at. And I can't even properly cry. I'd like the Real Housewives.

[Natalie]

Oh, she's sad, I think.

[Jackie]

Oh.

[Natalie]

Or she happy.

[Jackie]

Too much emotion. Yeah. It has to be because they all kind of look like surprised Chihuahuas, you know?

[Natalie]

Are they. Is that happy face or is that you decide?

[Jackie]

Who knows? You really have to use context clues.

[Natalie]

Got it.

[Jackie]

If you hear, that's how you know they're crying.

[Natalie]

Oh, I thought that was laughter.

[Narrator]

No.

[Natalie]

Oh, okay.

[Jackie]

Well, you're gonna have to get to know these ladies more.

[Natalie]

I don't want to. He hides his growing worry.

[Jackie]

Huh? Growing with something. Sorry. No, no, no, no.

[Natalie]

Hell, I'm going back to where we were.

[Narrator]

Worry.

[Natalie]

So sometimes a gorgeous set of tits get you to do some things.

[Jackie]

Sometimes a wig like this too, huh?

[Narrator]

Come on.

[Natalie]

Gorgeous set of locks. I know that's right. So he hides his growing worry and saying, says, oh, we'll see what happens. She continues to use a coded sort of language that makes him question whether or not he's hearing what he's hearing. Is she trying to allude that she knows they're in the rebellion? And is she offering her help? Because he. She is one degree away from it. I mean, Hypaxi is aware of. Is aware of what's going on, and he knows their lovers, but they can't talk about that. So he's just kind of going like. They sort of observe each other for a moment because she's blocking the elevator, which is where he was going. So he can't get to the elevator. Then she turns and opens one of the doorways leading to one of the launching pads that the, you know, angels have that can just fly off the side of the building, leaving him with another cryptic message. Now that, hey, now that you're a prince, you don't need to bout me. Which is like, okay, what the hell.

[Narrator]

Is that supposed to mean?

[Natalie]

Oh, cool.

[Jackie]

It's just like you're so it's like, oh, Celestina is so. You never know. You never really know.

[Natalie]

You don't know. And she's sort of standing half in the way, and he's like, okay, I'm just gonna. Oh, I'm just gonna go ahead and sneak. Okay. Just right past you here.

[Jackie]

And then she says, as a prince, you don't need to bow to her. It's also like, I know this isn't a horny moment. I know it, but it is a little. It's like. It is a little. I feel like Celestina in my brain is boistin' with horniness, even though I don't know if she, like, even means it. I just feel like she's so beautiful and also is going after the love that she's so scared about. Like, I feel like it's like she has that essence within her, you know?

[Natalie]

And she's sort of like staying right. He's. He's like, trying to sneak past, and she's like, not really moving, and you're.

[Jackie]

Like, oh, she wants to brush her breasts against.

[Natalie]

Yeah. Is that why?

[Jackie]

I don't know.

[Natalie]

So he's kind of. All right, I'm going to think it's good talking to you. I'm just going to head off. And so he leaves, not knowing what to make of their interaction. But he's taken the launch pad, even though he's trying to go the elevator. Why did she block the elevator? We don't know. He watches the first hint of sunrise as he flies out of the building and passes over a sleepy Ludathian. Only hours until they make contact with Commander Send us and hitch a ride on the depth charger to Destiny. We're with Therian at 70, and he's battling with his new, not improved self. Drugged, orphaned, but resolute in finishing this mission before whatever his fate will be with the Viper Queen.

[Jackie]

He doesn't care what kind of shackles they are, as long as they're not made out of water.

[Natalie]

Whoa, water shackles. I do feel like he's almost feeling a little bit nihilistic here in this. That maybe he'll just go out in a blaze of glory in the mission. Who knows?

[Jackie]

I mean, if you're being kept as a drugged fight slave, wouldn't you want to go out at least trying to do something, you know?

[Natalie]

Yes, I think so. But we don't know what he's exactly thinking. He's kind of just feeling very like, I don't like how I feel right now.

[Jackie]

Having a pity party for himself.

[Natalie]

Sure, he's no stranger to combat, and he thinks of the number of other dangerous situations he's gotten out of in the past. However, this time, he has a bad feeling. He has a bad feeling about this one. He doesn't think he's leaving right now. He's sitting next to Cormac, both of them wearing stolen Imperial uniforms and driving along in a jeep that is making its way to an Imperial checkpoint. So they have already made the journey. At this point, we are now in the danger zone.

[Jackie]

We are in it.

[Natalie]

They had utilized their connections to the depth charger, and Commander sent us to transport them to the edge of the Imperial city. And now that they are there, they are doing their best to blend in as Imperial soldiers.

[Jackie]

I'm just a fee. I'm a fee. Hanging out. I'm hanging out. Having a brew.

[Natalie]

No, he's a soldier.

[Jackie]

I'm a soldier. Having a brew.

[Natalie]

Soldier having a brew and drinking and driving.

[Jackie]

So that's fine if you're, you know, if you're with the government, you could.

[Natalie]

Do anything, apparently so. He watches Cormac drive up to the guards. He's sitting in the passenger seat. Cormac's in the driver's seat, and he pulls up to, like, a checkpoint.

[Jackie]

Hail the Astadi.

[Narrator]

Cormac spoke with such offhanded ease that Tharion knew he'd said it a thousand times, perhaps in similar settings.

[Natalie]

The guards respond, and Cormac tells them they're here for an appointment with a Dr. Zealous. The guards check their clipboard.

[Jackie]

Dr. Zealous. Dr. Zealous. Dr. Zealous. Dr. Zealous. Dr. Zealous or Dr. Zealous? Dr. Zayas from the planet? From the play. No, it's not Playmate of the Apes. And I always want to call it Playmate of the Apes because that's the porn version of Planet of the Apes, which I have seen a couple of times, but I was. I can't have my facial hair fall off from laughing. Not from this soldier.

[Natalie]

Was that definitely not this checkpoint? Because they're gonna have questions if your. Your facial hair falls off.

[Jackie]

Also, I guess if I'm singing from the Simpsons, they probably would be like, I think something's up with this guy.

[Natalie]

They check their clipboard, and this is where Cormac and Tharion really have to sell this. They are going to need to give the attitude, because in their Imperial uniforms, they outrank the guards technically. So they have to go full ego.

[Jackie]

But this has nothing to do with Star Wars. Right, they. Aren't they also the Imperial. Do they call them that?

[Natalie]

Well that just Imperialists are also a real like it's a. It's towards. It's like a dictator kind of. So.

[Jackie]

So really they were just called like Star wars dictator guards basically.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[Jackie]

Stupid. Stupid. Yeah, I said it. Well, and that's coming from this face. All right. That's how you know it's stupid. This face knows stupid.

[Natalie]

That should be your. Should be your realtor ad that you put on.

[Jackie]

On benches. This face knows stupid. But he also knows houses.

[Natalie]

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[Natalie]

Huh.

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[Jackie]

Hey, sorry about your pet, but I just wire stuff.

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[Natalie]

So they, they have to. This is where you have to like really sell this. You have to look at the guards like they up like, oh, it's not on there. Interesting, because that was on Rigelus's orders. Looks like I might have to give him a call and tell him that his guards don't know what they're doing. Does that sound like a good idea? Oh, I'm gonna pick my phone up.

[Narrator]

The wolf paled a little, but she saluted again, waving them through.

[Natalie]

That's right, you did.

[Jackie]

Damn. Just a little bit of a give back. But they know that. They know these things because we've been spies for a long time, right?

[Natalie]

And I imagine getting on the bad side of the asteris, not ideal. So they go like, okay, they enter the heavily guarded and blockaded area where the laboratories sit north of the asterisk. Crystal Palace. So the Big distraction they're going to do in the labs is not in the palace. It's just like away a little bit. Which is very helpful to get into the palace. Right. Darian thinks about how he's got another issue that the others don't that he's got to worry about. He only has five hours before he needs to submerge in seawater or he will lose his fins. The coast is a two hour drive from here, leaving him with scanned few hours to take care of this.

[Jackie]

There's got to be like some kind of like ease.

[Narrator]

Right.

[Jackie]

Like it's like, oh, like come on, give me a mulligan. Right. There's got to be a Finnegan something to the gods.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[Jackie]

That if you're. It's like, let me explain. I'm just 10 minutes late.

[Natalie]

I think it's more akin to like you can only go without oxygen for a certain amount of time and then he's just dead. Then you fin dead. Your fin's dead. So essentially, I mean, maybe in that process of going through this, he might come across like a tub that's somewhere from her, but you can't rely on that.

[Jackie]

And also you don't know if it's going to be sea water.

[Natalie]

Exactly. Who knows what's in there.

[Jackie]

What if it's S water or B water?

[Natalie]

Fun with the English language.

[Jackie]

Am I an alphabetist of sorts?

[Natalie]

Yeah, I know my Alphabet pretty good. Whoa.

[Jackie]

It's almost like we know the song or something and we know all the words.

[Natalie]

You can't, can you say it without doing the song?

[Jackie]

You mean do I know the Alphabet?

[Natalie]

Have you never done a DUI test?

[Jackie]

Honestly, no. And I don't know my Alphabet backwards. And I have always been as someone that. Back in college, Tallahassee, very long time ago. And you should never do it many, many years ago in Florida. It's like almost encouraged in Florida to.

[Natalie]

Drink and drive in Pennsylvania. I'm being dead serious.

[Jackie]

They like want. It's almost like they want you to do it. And I just feel especially pre Uber. Yeah. Oh, yeah. But now there's literally no excuse.

[Natalie]

No, there wasn't any then either. I is the worst thing you can do. Please never do that.

[Jackie]

But also I don't know the Alphabet backwards. And I was always genuinely scared that I was like, if they asked me to. How do you explain drunkenly that I don't even know how to do it sober? And that's what I would worry. I would say be like, I couldn't even do it sober.

[Natalie]

And then Be like, oh no, that's Reno911. Have you ever seen. Oh my God. One of the best sketches of all time.

[Jackie]

I've never seen Reno901. I guess I need to sit watch west side Story and then watch Reno911 for sure.

[Natalie]

And the DUI test sketch is flawless. That's so good. So, yeah, I will say I still need to. To figure out which letter comes first. I still have to go Element O in that section. I have to sing it still. It's. Oh yeah. Crippled me.

[Jackie]

Mine's more in the QRS Rst. Fuck me. I don't know, man. Yeah, that. You know, it's like. Yeah, it's hard.

[Natalie]

The right next to. You know, it's hard.

[Jackie]

So hard. It's just like girls ready to remember all these liars.

[Natalie]

And I have to like take care of my skin.

[Jackie]

Vampire facials.

[Natalie]

Ack. So the coast again. It's two hours away. He only has a few hours. I'm sure that will be no problem. I can't even get my bedroom cleaned in two hours. But I'm sure he can overthrow a government. They arrive at a menacing looking building with steel doors and smokestacks behind it, which is apparently the lab. Varian asks aloud how Pippa is going to get in here. Cormac informs him that her squad is already there. So I guess the intel worked. And he says they're in the trees. I don't know how they're just hiding in the trees, but although I guess.

[Jackie]

If you were going up, you know, if you thought something was going to swim at you get in a tree, you know, two hours from the coast. I know they're not worried about Tharion.

[Natalie]

No. But I guess you could hide in a tree.

[Jackie]

It's like what you do with the bass. That's what I hear. You put it up in a tree.

[Natalie]

Tharion recalls how Declan covertly planted intel into the Lightfall Squadron's sources. So they did it. They managed to accomplish this. Word is that the rebel rebels. So they're the rebel. The rebel.

[Jackie]

Fuck you.

[Natalie]

As rebel rebels.

[Jackie]

Are they rebel rousers too?

[Natalie]

They are definitely rebel rebel rousers. The rebel rebel rebel rousers. Rebel rebel robber rousers. So.

[Jackie]

Uhoh.

[Natalie]

Don't laugh.

[Jackie]

I'm trying it. Right. I'll let it fall off my face.

[Natalie]

So it worked. He got in there. They heard word that team you was going to go steal their plan, attack the lab first. And Pippa was like, oh hell no, we're going in. And so Cormac points out that her People are already here in hiding. And Theron's like, well, how do they. How are they not getting caught? How? They're humans. And Cormac points out that they were able to mask their sense because the Imperialists are using human slaves for labor in the laboratories. So they know when the humans go in and out, they kind of just blended in to them scent wise, so it would smell like humans everywhere. Therian then asks why they haven't already made their attack. Pippa said, if she wants to, like, get in front of them, why hasn't she attacked the lab yet? And Cormac tells her grimly that Pippa wants to make sure she kills them.

[Jackie]

Team you also, I mean, she is diligent. We do know that she really is good at hunting them down and killing whoever she wants.

[Natalie]

She's got full war madness, so she needs to make sure everyone dies. She's lost the plot long ago. She has to get all of the enemies. Team Fuck you is her enemy now. Cut to Bryce, who is with Ruhn and Hunt in a nearby olive grove.

[Jackie]

So we're all.

[Natalie]

We're about to hit the battle.

[Jackie]

I was gonna say Olive Garden. And they are just going to town.

[Natalie]

Endless breadsticks.

[Jackie]

The breadsticks are never gonna end and they're never gonna leave.

[Natalie]

And they're like, we can't leave yet. More breadsticks. Sticks are here.

[Jackie]

Especially Hunt if he doesn't have his thinking cap on. And then he's just. Oh, God, he can't stop.

[Natalie]

We talked about roasting and glasses, but I'm going to stand. I'm gonna die on the hill. The Olive Garden and Pizza Hut used to be good in the 90s. It used to be much better food than it is now.

[Jackie]

Or were we just used to worse food?

[Natalie]

Both. But I think that there was more freshly served and made. Back in the day, you used to get Pizza Hut pizza in a pan.

[Jackie]

Man, those book it pizzas and they would come out.

[Natalie]

I still think about the taste.

[Jackie]

Oh, I just got. Why aren't we. And I. I. Excuse me. I feel like maybe I've said this on this show before, but we should be getting more fun snack incentives for reading books.

[Natalie]

It worked for us when we were kids in the 90s.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Jackie]

And I don't even need it as an incentive to read more, but it would encourage me to read more if I knew I got.

[Natalie]

Do I get a free pizza?

[Sponsor Voice]

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[Natalie]

Okay.

[Jackie]

I gotta figure this out, guys. We have to figure it out.

[Natalie]

We really do. So they didn't go to the Olive Garden. Unfortunately, they're in an olive grove right outside the Eternal City, which is the palaces area. It's where the palace is waiting for the distraction that Cormac and Tharion are going to cause in the lab. So we're with them all after they have already transported themselves to the Eternal City. I appreciate we didn't have to get the entire montage of them getting there. So they're there. They are outside hiding in this olive grove, and they're waiting for Cormac and Therians. Go. She's afraid, but tries to calm herself by thinking of the Asteri as grumpy old coots. She thinks the town surrounding the palace looks dull and lifeless because they don't want to hear any of those loud music readings.

[Jackie]

Bitch. I love it. And she's also just like. And it could use another coat of paint. And also, look at those rafters. Not given. Not a bell in sight.

[Natalie]

Sometimes that helps get through, like a sort of intimidating situation.

[Jackie]

Yeah, I bet it doesn't even have gargoyles. And you'd think that in this world where the Asteri do reign supreme, that they would have versions of gargoyles of themselves on the top of the building.

[Natalie]

Maybe it's gargoyles.

[Jackie]

You think so?

[Natalie]

They might be living gargoyles there.

[Jackie]

Oh, that would. I guess. Yeah, that would offend. Or maybe they could just be made out of hay. Is that scary? And everyone goes, hey, angels, how'd you get up there?

[Natalie]

I don't even know what you're saying.

[Jackie]

Like, you're like, hey, like, you're saying H E Y instead of H A Y.

[Natalie]

So that is, I become.

[Jackie]

I am cormic. Like, this is a problem, is that I have become dumber. Even though you think, Jackie, you think you're smarter than this spy?

[Natalie]

Yeah, I think you are. But unfortunately, Cormac doesn't make jokes. He's not. He's very serious.

[Jackie]

I mean, wouldn't you be too if your facial hair looked like this?

[Natalie]

When people joke, you just frown at them.

[Jackie]

I don't like your jokes.

[Natalie]

Back to British.

[Jackie]

It's, you know, it really depends on where his head space is.

[Natalie]

Yeah, he kind of shifts.

[Jackie]

Yeah.

[Natalie]

So we're with Bryce. She is, like, kind of trying to dress him down so she's less afraid. And it works a little bit for her. She looks at the two males with her, her most special boys, and how they are fully dressed for battle, which Jessica or Jess, our lovely research assistant, pointed out. She's only in jeans and a shirt. Why doesn't she also get battle kids?

[Jackie]

Yeah, she should probably put on, I don't know, knee pads or something.

[Natalie]

They're covered in full military gear. And she's just, like, in a sports bra.

[Jackie]

I'm a girl.

[Natalie]

So.

[Jackie]

But she's got her pink shoes on, and everybody knows.

[Natalie]

I mean, I like her pink shoes. I like her pink shoes. So she's looking at these two males that mean everything to her. Run is wearing the star sword and holding the old school comms crystal that he stopped using long ago. She notes how he keeps looking at it nervously. He told her he brought it in case it provided any kind of signal boost to today because he has not heard from her since that one moment when she was pulled away. They anxiously await for signs of Cormac. They had all plotted this out beforehand. The pathway to how they are getting inside leading up to now. At the right time, Cormac is to teleport from the lab where he is with Tharion, to the olive grove to grab each one of them and teleport them from the grove into a carefully selected place in the palace. So Cormac's got a really big job here then.

[Jackie]

Ready, big boy? Yeah, I am ready. I am feeling powerful right now.

[Natalie]

It's gonna be exhausting for you. So they're waiting and waiting, and suddenly he is there. He tells them that he and Tharion have gotten into the lab and then the next step is to take them in. So he takes Hunt's hand. It was decided prior that Hunt would be the first to go in. Bryce and Hunt lock eyes before Hunt moves towards Cormac. See you on the other side, Quinlan, he says, and then disappears with Cormac.

[Jackie]

Oh, and you know, he wants to be kissing her and not just saying it like that, but he has to because he has to protect himself and they have to protect each other, and.

[Natalie]

They have to stay in the mode. They can't be like.

[Jackie]

Yeah, no, they.

[Natalie]

Have to go into full battle mode. And it's painful for both of them.

[Jackie]

Yeah. And we know a lot about this because Natalie and I are all battle mode.

[Natalie]

All battle mode, baby. And then he is gone. So Ruhn and Bryce stand together, and Ruhn comforts Bryce in that moment, or at least commiserates with her. He can tell she's on the edge of hyperventilating, watching Hunt leave and tells her he's also scared.

[Narrator]

Bryce gave him a wobbly smile and then decided to hell with it and threw her arms around her brother, squeezing him hard.

[Natalie]

Team Fuck you. Remember, we'll Kick ass. He laughs and agrees.

[Narrator]

She pulled away, scanning her brother's violet blue eyes.

[Natalie]

We'll get her out, I promise.

[Jackie]

God, Ruhn's so hot. I know that that moment is not about how hot Ruhn is, but, like, think about, like, Violet, you know, it's.

[Natalie]

Interesting, speaking on the. Yes, that's another famous character with violet eyes in one of the other books. Just an interesting note. They pull away from one another and Run's face gets serious. He needs to talk to her about something right now, and it can't wait. In case things go wrong. She's like, bro, right now. And he's like, yes, I need to tell you this. He says if they get out of this, he wants to address the Daddy shaped elephant in the room. He basically pitches it to her. Listen, this is the straight truth. Bryce has equal powers to her father. He wants Daddy gone and he wants Bryce to take the crown.

[Jackie]

It's like, we can deal with this if we make it through this. How about that? Yeah, but I know we're supposed to take these moments, she might die.

[Natalie]

She wants to get the words out.

[Jackie]

Gotta let her know that, like, she's gotta take control. And it's like, yeah, that's what we all want, Ruhn.

[Natalie]

Yeah. So.

[Jackie]

But I know it's his support of her.

[Natalie]

Well, it's more that he thinks that she should do this whether or not she thinks she wants to. So, like, whoa.

[Narrator]

And those are the ones that are supposed to be in charge, right?

[Natalie]

Aren't they the ones who don't want the power? Well, I never wanted to be special.

[Sponsor Voice]

Yeah.

[Jackie]

And don't even look at me. And how hot I am and how special I am. I'm. It's difficult.

[Natalie]

I just wanted to be a normal girl.

[Jackie]

Oh, breasting all about. Breasting all about.

[Natalie]

Sorry, Adam.

[Jackie]

Hell, yeah.

[Natalie]

Standing in front of the elevator in a business. I should apologize for that. So he.

[Jackie]

You should apologize to my blue tongue. Apologize to it. Apologize.

[Natalie]

Are you. What is the insinuation? You got blue tongue?

[Jackie]

Yeah, that You. I feel like you hold it against me this whole time. You girl.

[Natalie]

You're giving me blue tongue.

[Jackie]

I know. And I can't even stop myself. And I'm supposed to be given, like, a teleporter and I can't even do that.

[Natalie]

That'd be really hard if a guy had, like, a boner and he could hide it, but when he doesn't get the release, that his tongue turned blue and that everybody would know.

[Jackie]

Is that why my tongue is blue?

[Natalie]

Red, blue tongue?

[Jackie]

Oh, no, but not in my real life. I don't have blue tongue. My tongue is very red in real life. Oh, God. This is real life.

[Natalie]

It's the reddest of red. It's almost scarily red. Like, what's wrong with your tongue?

[Jackie]

It's like rashy red. Like, that's how red I want it to be. I want it to be. Ooh, weeping. Yeah. I want to be scary.

[Natalie]

Ew. This is not getting any better.

[Jackie]

When my tongue is sad.

[Natalie]

So she's obviously. When he says that, she's obviously like, get right out of town with that, you silly. Absolutely not. But he pushes, attempting to persuade her to do this. She tells him she thinks the Fade don't deserve to be saved.

[Jackie]

Whoa.

[Natalie]

While he understands her feelings, he points out that there are good Fae and they deserve real leadership like anyone else. She's not seeing this. But before he can further go further to persuade her, Cormac reappears. Bryce is next.

[Jackie]

Oh, God. Right now.

[Natalie]

Stop with it.

[Jackie]

You have to make Mario. Hey.

[Natalie]

So that would be so annoying if every time you teleported, that's like.

[Jackie]

Like. Like Macavity in Cats.

[Narrator]

Yes.

[Jackie]

Corac, come back. It would be so bad at being a spy if he just kept saying his name every time he teleported.

[Natalie]

Everywhere.

[Jackie]

I'm here.

[Natalie]

So. So he tells her. He tries to tell her before anything can be done. Cormac reappears. Bryce is the next to go. That was their designed plan. So as they go to teleport, run, says, you know, hey, just think about this, okay? Think about it. Cormac catches the end as they, like, are. You know, he's saying this as he's taking her away. And as they complete their teleport, Cormac asks her if Ruhn had just asked her to be queen. He kind of assumed it somehow. He tells her that he agrees with Rohn, like, that she should be queen.

[Jackie]

Wow.

[Natalie]

She tries to brush him off, but he makes a reference to his oracle prophecy that we learned so many chapters ago. In chapter nine, he tells them, the oracle of Avalon said I was destined to unite with a princess who possessed a star in her heart, that our mingling would bring great prosperity to our people.

[Jackie]

And he didn't know it was going to be that literal. I mean, that is crazy. You know, Star in your heart.

[Natalie]

It's true.

[Jackie]

It is a little. It's like, wow, if the oracles could see that, it's like, you could have given me a little more insight.

[Natalie]

Everything's got to be riddle.

[Jackie]

Okay, Sphinx.

[Natalie]

Yeah. So he at the time, thought that the prophecy meant that his united marriage to Bryce would bring prosperity to the people. But now he thinks that the prophecy meant that there would be a union between them as allies that would help the Fae people prosper.

[Jackie]

Oh, and then they both learn the parent trap, like handshake. And then they do it, and then they do it together.

[Natalie]

Oh, I wish.

[Jackie]

And it's like, how did they have the time to do it? Aw.

[Natalie]

Cute, though. And, you know, ideally, they would be. Their united allyship would bring a better world around.

[Narrator]

But after today, Cormac's words grew heavy, weary.

[Natalie]

I think the choice about whether to lead our people forward will be up to you.

[Jackie]

That was great, Natalie. Oh, my God. It's like I'm scared of myself. And it's also, again, I love it. They're all. All these dudes are like, bryce, you got this. Because, like, you're gonna have to get this.

[Natalie]

Bye.

[Jackie]

I gotta go. We gotta go get hurt.

[Natalie]

Bye.

[Jackie]

You're gonna do it. Good.

[Natalie]

So when he says that, we don't know what he means, but it sounds ominous. I think the choice will be up to you. Even though before he thought it would be them.

[Jackie]

It's very emo. It's also, you know, it's emo.

[Natalie]

But, like, this is the time when this is.

[Jackie]

Is this my Kurt phase? Is this my Kurt Cobain phase?

[Natalie]

Oh, yeah, definitely Jimmy.

[Jackie]

No, wrong one. And then when. Then.

[Natalie]

Are you saying words that are real?

[Jackie]

No, I couldn't think of any of the. Yeah, I was thinking of teen spirit. Smells like.

[Natalie]

Teen spirit that sometimes in my head mixed with smells like. What's the weird.

[Jackie]

Something good?

[Natalie]

No, the Weird Al version. What's the Weird Al version? Adam?

[Narrator]

Whoa.

[Natalie]

Smells like. Hang on. Sorry.

[Jackie]

Smells like. Let me guess.

[Narrator]

Sure.

[Jackie]

Like, is it another deodorant?

[Natalie]

Because teens smells like Nirvana, which is not that clever.

[Jackie]

That's not that clever. That's not that clever.

[Natalie]

And I'm saying that because I highly respect weird.

[Jackie]

I love Weird Al. And so that is not that clever. But, yeah, that is. I. I realize that's what this hair is. Maybe that's why you're attracted to me so brutally in this episode. Natalie. Maybe that's why you can't keep your eyes off me. Maybe it's because I think I know what's been happening, okay? I know what I've been feeling this entire episode.

[Natalie]

Let's just pull back here a little.

[Jackie]

Bit with your nose. Slip with your boopy, you booby angel.

[Natalie]

All right.

[Jackie]

You booby angel. I know what you're doing.

[Natalie]

I am being a little suggestive stuff right now. So he now has given this idea that he's maybe not sure he's going to be around. We don't know. So what does this mean?

[Jackie]

His heart is broken. He doesn't want to be alive? Yeah.

[Natalie]

I mean, yeah. I don't know. He seems as though he's very resigned to something.

[Jackie]

This is very. It's also he. The fact that he and Therian are like having a Kiki before this also, I feel like, makes sense. They are both being emo.

[Natalie]

But if anyone deserves to be emo.

[Jackie]

It'S going into a battle, right?

[Natalie]

You're right.

[Jackie]

They all deserve.

[Natalie]

Mostly emo. Boys are like, my mom doesn't get me.

[Jackie]

Yeah. It's like, at least do something about it.

[Natalie]

So cut to hunt this time, who is trying to settle down his PTSD as he stands in these cursed hallways waiting for Bryce. So he is already teleported and he's waiting for Bryce. Now he's hiding in this alcove outside the mystery room, which is the place they had plotted to teleport into beforehand. His mind reels, flashing back to the horrors of the time after the battle was lost in the first wars. Shahar's body, his wings. Not the first wars, the wars against the angels. That was a couple hundred years ago. The original one that he was.

[Jackie]

The one.

[Natalie]

The one that he was in. He's flashing back to those times, seeing Shahar's body broken and bleeding on the ground, his wings being sawed off in front of the hysteria in this very building. Pollock's pissing on Shahar's corpse. Come on, bro.

[Jackie]

I mean, he's like really evil.

[Natalie]

What a man. He centers himself as Bryce appears. He needs to pull himself together. He notes that Cormac, who has escorted her until via teleport, is looking pale at the rapid traveling back and forth. You gotta hold on though. You got stuff to do.

[Jackie]

I need a liquid iv.

[Natalie]

None there.

[Jackie]

Oh.

[Natalie]

But he's gone before they can check on him. Back to go retrieve Ruhn. In those moments they have alone together, they look at one another and he brushes her hair out of her eyes. Then Ruhn is there. Three of them watch Cormac's trembling form disappear already heading back to the lab.

[Jackie]

Nearly wiped out already.

[Natalie]

Rune cloaks them in his shadows even further and types a message to Declan telling him that they are in place. So they're kind of going back and forth all like. Try triangulating. Yeah, coordinating.

[Jackie]

Coordinating.

[Natalie]

From there, they would wait for word from Tharion to move that would mean the Therian and Cormac have completed the distraction.

[Narrator]

He had no idea how five minutes passed. He was barely breathing, monitoring the hall ahead. Bryce held his gloved hand through all of it, her jaw tense. Then Ruhn lifted his head.

[Natalie]

Tharion said, cormac just blew up the Jeep.

[Narrator]

Hunt nudged her with a wing. Your turn, Quinlan, rune said.

[Natalie]

Remember every minute in their risks detection make them count.

[Narrator]

Thanks for the pep talk, she said, but smiled grimly up at Hunt. Light it up, Athelar. Hunt pressed a hand to her heart, his lightning a subtle flare that was sucked into the scar as the last of it faded. Bryce teleported into the archives to find whatever truth might lie within them.

[Natalie]

What's in this? So we're at 71 and Bryce is landing inside the door in a room. So she is teleported into that room where that they know. The front door. They know that was the code that was on Sophie's arm. 40. What is it for 2069?

[Jackie]

Yeah, for 2069.

[Natalie]

And now she's on the inside. She's in a room. Or rather a staircase. She's on a staircase.

[Jackie]

Not in. No, it's going to be just like the movie. They're the duck and then they turn it into a movie and then she's going to get pushed.

[Natalie]

Ow.

[Jackie]

And then she's going to fall. She might get pushed. Oh my God. Oh great.

[Natalie]

Going downstairs in a hidden room is.

[Jackie]

Always it's going to be great.

[Natalie]

Nothing bad is happening down there.

[Narrator]

Fine.

[Natalie]

Although these stuff's kind of I got not gonna lie, they sound really nice. They're white quartz, glowing with internal like. Like first light inside of them.

[Jackie]

That is badass.

[Narrator]

But again, not to bring up the.

[Jackie]

Staircase again, but if you were to fall downstairs, you know, it's like in the same way of like when you think about Zac Efron running through his home wearing socks and he slipped and he hit his face on the huge marble fountain that he had in his home. And it's the same way where it's like marble floors, marble fountain, things like that. If you could fall I don't think I want it quartz. I don't want it marble. I need something with more give. I need to be living life in a padded room.

[Natalie]

You know, I'm trying to fall downstairs.

[Jackie]

Natalie, do we need to talk about this? Natalie, are you throwing yourself downstairs again?

[Natalie]

I have before.

[Jackie]

Don't.

[Narrator]

She's a stunt woman, everybody.

[Natalie]

But yeah, I mean there's different things you need to do. Protect Yourself. Depending on what the stairs are made up. But nobody really wants to be on mar steps, I don't think. Ideally, no, but she doesn't fall down them. Oh, don't worry.

[Jackie]

All right. All this talk. She doesn't fall. She doesn't fall down for mine.

[Natalie]

So she gently steps down the steps, which are spiral, of course, because mysterious. So she goes down the spiral staircase. This like very nice sounding steps. And there are no guards anywhere. No one's present. No one seems to be there at all. It's quite safe, silent. She can almost feel, however, a pulse coming from the first light along the veins in the rock below her feet. Finally she reaches a flat space at the bottom of the steps.

[Jackie]

I just realized though. So in this instance, they're using her like a battery pack because he put his lightning into her heart for the teleport. Ah, for the teleporting. Okay, all right.

[Narrator]

I was like.

[Jackie]

I was like, how does she save it up for later? And if she could do that, she should be doing that all the time.

[Natalie]

No, it's. Yeah, it was to get her in the room. All right.

[Narrator]

There were no doors. Only this hall. Perhaps 70ft long and 15ft wide. Likely 14ft to be a multiple of seven. The holy number. Bryce scanned the hall. The only thing in it was a set of crystal pipes shooting upward into the ceiling with plaques beneath them and small black screens beside the plaques. Seven pipes. The crystal floor glowed at her feet as she approached the nearest plaque. Hesperus, the evening star. Brows rising, Bryce strode to the next pipe in plaque. Polaris, the North Star. Polaris, the North Star. Plaque after plaque, pipe after pipe. Bryce read the individual names of each Asteri, Eosphoros, Octartis, Austros. She nearly tripped at the penultimate serious the Asteri, the prince of the pit had devoured. She knew what the last plaque would say before she reached it. Rigelis, the bright hand. What the hell was this place?

[Natalie]

Bryce is confused at what she is observing. How could this have caused so much horror in Sophie, even to Sandriel? Suddenly, a burst of light. First light erupts from the floor. She gasps and has nowhere to go, but covers her head, expecting some sort of attack. After a moment, she realizes that this light is coming up from the pipes in front of her. It's shooting through them.

[Jackie]

It's not Mario.

[Natalie]

I know.

[Jackie]

It doesn't even know. It's not Mario and his brother coming through. You know, I feel like that. And when the worlds collide, man, then they're all eating mushrooms. And everybody's having a peach of a time.

[Natalie]

Okay, so it's not Mario. It's. Then she notices the screens next to each of those pipes. Each of the Asteri have one, each with a number next to their name. Revulsion, shock and understanding course through Bryce.

[Narrator]

The Asteri fed on first light. The Asteri needed first light. She looked at her feet, where light flowed in veins through the crystal before funneling into the pipes, the courts.

[Natalie]

So underneath her is this material. It's the same material as the gates, as what happened to her when she did the drop. She thinks back to the map Fury had drawn them and tries to imagine it in her mind. Were these pipes directly below where the asterisk thrones sit?

[Narrator]

Do they take the first light up their ass?

[Jackie]

It does sound like. It does sound definitely like they got pipes going up their ass at first light.

[Natalie]

Well, those aren't thrones. They're charging stations.

[Jackie]

So it is up their ass. It is a big, like, iPad doc for them that they just got to sit down. Oh, my God. My Dyson has one of these, too.

[Natalie]

Yep.

[Jackie]

This is. This is how you do it. Y', all, if we could all. I mean, isn't our bed a charging station? Natalie.

[Sponsor Voice]

Stupid.

[Jackie]

This is the stupidest thing I've ever said. If you had slapped me in the face, I don't think anybody would have begrudged you. You just slapped.

[Natalie]

I can categorically say that's not the dumbest thing you've ever said.

[Jackie]

And I honestly, I do deserve to be slapped more often. And I can take it. I can take it.

[Natalie]

No, you don't.

[Jackie]

From you. I mean, I can take it from you. I'm not going to slap you, Natalie. I think I just gave you permission, and I feel like you should use this.

[Natalie]

You're acting as though I secretly am dying to slap you.

[Jackie]

Every day you call me in the morning, you wake up, you go. And then you call me on the phone, like, today, Today. Can I do it today? And I'm like, natalie, yeah. You just have to wait for me to say something stupid enough.

[Natalie]

That's true. Every morning, a second I open my.

[Jackie]

Eyes, I go, jackie, Jackie.

[Natalie]

As I'm laying next to your brother.

[Jackie]

That would be weird for him. That'd be weird, yeah.

[Natalie]

So the Asteri are feeding off of people's power. All of those sacrifices, those drops of power that are given at the time of the drop, weren't for powering the planet, at least not exclusively. They were. They were for feeding their cruel gods.

[Narrator]

They Were all just food for the Asteri. A never ending supply of power.

[Natalie]

Their very bodies and souls served up to them. A second light. She peers down as far as she can down the pipes and sees a swirling lava like mass of first light waiting to be sent up the pipes. Bryce's mind spins. Does this mean that the Asteri aren't immortal? They weren't more powerful than the stars themselves? Were they just using the people's power to create a visage? Vishes.

[Jackie]

Visage.

[Natalie]

Visage. Were they just using the people's power to create a visage? Do we have to show them how weak they really are underneath their theft?

[Narrator]

Cut off the first light.

[Jackie]

Destroy this funnel of power. Get people to stop handing over their.

[Narrator]

Power through the drop in those centers that funneled off their energy. Stop the dead from becoming second light and they could destroy the Asteri.

[Natalie]

That's hitting just close enough to home for you to take that in. And remember, cut off their power.

[Jackie]

We gotta unplug them from their seat butts. They're taking it up the ass. And we gotta stop that funnel.

[Natalie]

We do.

[Jackie]

We gotta close it off. We gotta. You know what we gotta do? Lycan cats. We gotta take their buttholes away. Take their buttholes away.

[Natalie]

It's a revolution. Not even really joking. Not joking.

[Jackie]

So I'm tight. Please read up until chapter 75 for next week.

[Sponsor Voice]

It.

[Natalie]

Why have I asked my H vac guy I found on angie.com to change my grandpa's trachea tube? Because I was so amazed by how quickly he replaced our air ducts. I knew I could trust him to change Pop Pop's tube while I was on vacation.

[Jackie]

Make it quick, young man. Aw, see?

[Natalie]

Pop up trusts you.

[Jackie]

I think we should call a doctor.

[Commercial Voice]

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