LPN Deep Dives: HOSAB / Episode 36: Corm of Fire

Summary

LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City – Episode 36: "Corm of Fire"

Podcast: LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City
Date: February 10, 2026
Hosts: Natalie Jean & Jackie Zebrowski
Book Covered: Crescent City: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas (Chapters 72–74)
Episode Focus: Major plot reveals, lore deep dives, pivotal character choices, and a signature blend of riotous tangents and sharp romantic sci-fi analysis.

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Overview

This episode marks the “final countdown” phase of House of Sky and Breath. Natalie and Jackie break down the charged final chapters, unravel major lore bombs about the series’ antagonists (the Asteri), discuss character choices with passion and exasperation, and inject the conversation with their signature mix of cosplay, wild humor, and earnest romantic fantasy obsession.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Energy & Cosplay Antics

• Jackie and Natalie are both deep in cosplay—bald caps, mohawks, elaborate costume changes—and reflect on the absurdity and commitment it takes for an "audio podcast" (09:04).
• Opening chatter includes bagel theories, hypothetical wrestler personas, and the ever-present struggle of keeping costume pieces intact.
• Running gag: Jackie barks and howls in character, riffing on Crescent City’s men and monster archetypes (03:26, 23:00).

2. Listener Corrections & Social Media Updates

• The hosts acknowledge their earlier mistake on a character name (mistaking "Cooper" for "Connor"), thanking listeners for their gentle corrections (10:50).

  “You were much kinder than… you had any right to be… because we were like, really wrong and we were wrong for a while.” — Natalie (10:50)

• Plug for their behind-the-scenes content and Romantasy Deep Dives Instagram/TikTok (11:00).

3. Recap – Where Everyone Is & The Abandoned Plan

• The group summarizes where heroes stand:
  • Bryce is delving deep into the Crystal Palace’s mysteries.
  • Hunt and Ruhn are on edge, nervously waiting for Bryce.
  • Cormac and Therian break into an Imperial lab.
  • Ethan is MIA, tending to wolf business back at the den (18:08).
• Everyone immediately ignores the careful plan they’d made:
  • Both Bryce and Ruhn go off-script (“and why do we have the plans in the first place?” — Jackie, 20:13).
  • Natalie: “Of course nobody else is following the plan because they know you’re not gonna follow the plan.” (21:26)

4. Bryce’s Solo Discovery – Dusk’s Truth

• Bryce, ever reckless, investigates a mysterious room titled "Dusk"—a possible connection to earlier series lore and a storyline from Danika and Sophie’s research (25:36).
• Natalie ties this to other Sarah J. Maas universes for cross-series readers (26:21).

5. The Asteri’s Big Reveal – Galactic Parasites

• Bryce discovers the "war room" of the Asteri: walls lined with maps of conquered solar systems, chilling notes about whole planets systematically drained of life.
• Direct quotes from in-book notes are discussed:

  “One planet in the habitable zone had been pinned and labeled Renthar. Conquered. AE14000... Little supply terminated. AE14007. Damn. Seven years. You used it, abused it, and threw it back into the solar system.” — Jackie reading (41:48)

• The hosts reflect on the horror: the Asteri are not gods, but cosmic leeches who migrate from world to world, sucking life energy (43:37)—cue Natalie:

  “These Asteri aren’t these omnipotent beings of godlike origins, as they all believe—they are parasites.” (46:30)

• Bryce discovers that "Hell" was just another planet—defeated, drained, yet the "princes of hell" fought back and once aided Midgard (52:11).
• The “Dusk’s Truth” connection is explored as a major lore convergence for the SJM universe (54:38).

6. Confrontation with Rigelus – The Villain’s Monologue

• Rigelus, the Asteri leader, speaks to Bryce through an intercom (54:38):

  “Even we have forgotten where [our home world’s] runes lie.” Bryce: “I am going to—fly—kill you.” — (54:47)

• He rationalizes the Asteri’s behavior:

  “You eat and drink, don’t you? Anything living takes from its environment. You should see what the inhabitants of some worlds did to their planets… Was it not fitting that we returned the favor?” — Rigelus (55:05)

• Discussion of the Asteri’s manipulation of other supernatural creatures and the “lost history” of the Vanir, shifters, and fae—they’re not native to Midgard, but brought (or lured) here by the Asteri (61:14).

7. Parallel Plots: Cormac’s Sacrifice and The Kamikaze Raid

• Cormac and Therian’s infiltration spirals as Cormac goes on a murder spree, evidently planning to die for the cause since his lovers are both dead or unavailable (35:41, 45:43).
• Pippa and the Lightfall squad arrive; Cormac is shot but unleashes a blaze of fire, embracing a sacrificial end to destroy as many enemies as he can (66:06).

  “Cormac gave no warning as he erupted into a ball of fire.” — Jackie reading (66:29)

• The hosts reflect with empathy and exasperation on these "romantic but self-destructive" choices (65:39).

8. Rune’s Dungeon Peril & Dani’s Allegiances

• Rune descends into the palace dungeon, searching for a possible “Day” rescue.
• He’s immediately caught by Mordoc, the bloodhound villain (31:01), and soon dungeons fill with familiar faces—everyone’s captured.
• Natalie: “No matter… he was just cloaked in shadows. Mordoc knew his scent well now…” (68:22)

9. Harpy Torture and The Hind's Heroic Entrance

• With Bryce, Hunt, and Rune imprisoned, the sadistic Harpy threatens graphic violence.
• The Hind bursts in, potentially saving them, introducing a crucial cliffhanger about allegiances—Is she really Agent Day? (73:11).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fan Casting Rigelus:
  “I keep thinking about that little butt in Marty Supreme… Timothy Shamalama Ding Dong’s little tiny bow.” — Jackie (04:48)

• On Fantasy Character Recklessness:
  “The thing is that… if you’re not gonna follow the plan, of course nobody else is following the plan!” — Natalie (21:26)

• On the Asteri’s True Nature:
  “These aren’t gods—they’re parasites. Sickened, she wonders if she is just like them, having sucked out all the First Light…” — Natalie (43:37)

• On Sci-Fi/Fantasy Lore Overlap:
  “It’s very comic book esque—yeah, sci-fi kind of stuff…” — Natalie, comparing Asteri/Krypton parallels (60:25)

• On Dramatic Irony:
  “Apparently they knew they were coming. They knew all these things were going to happen. He [Mordoc] seems very proud of himself for having tracked them around Lunatheon for weeks at Rigelus’ command.” — Natalie (70:16)

• Mordoc’s Triumph:
  “He did the thing the daddy told him to do. He was sniffing them out the entire time…” — Jackie (70:55)

• Comic Relief Tangents:

  • Bagel vs. flat bagel science (03:00)
  • The ethics of cloning and peep marshmallows (13:01)
  • Buffet wisdom—never trust a seafood buffet in the desert (47:41)

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Timeline of Key Segments

• [02:36] — Show proper intro; diving into Crescent City cosplay and fan banter.
• [10:04] — Correction on “Connor” vs. “Cooper”; appreciation for listener engagement.
• [12:55] — Recap of the group’s situation; everyone abandons their plan immediately.
• [15:01] — Natalie and Jackie bemoan the futility of fantasy plans.
• [18:08] — Keeping track of Ethan and the den plot thread.
• [19:48] — Ramping tension as Hunt and Rune ignore protocol.
• [25:36] — Bryce finds “Dusk’s Truth” chamber.
• [41:48] — Reading Asteri’s parasitic planetary notes; horror and humor.
• [43:37] — What are the Asteri? Full parasite theory.
• [52:11] — The fall of Hell; connections to other SJM arcs.
• [54:38] — Rigelus reveals himself; villain monologue begins.
• [66:29] — Cormac’s self-sacrifice—“erupted into a ball of fire.”
• [68:22] — Rune’s capture and doubts about Day.
• [70:16] — Mordoc gloats about his successful betrayal.
• [73:11] — The Hind’s dramatic, possibly game-changing, entry.

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Tone & Flourishes

• The hosts’ banter is equal parts irreverent and insightful. They oscillate between joke-laden tangents (carnivals, wrestling, flat bagels) and genuinely sharp literary analysis.
• Sexual innuendo, wild fan-casting, and in-character riffing punctuate their discussions (“bark bark bark!” “Daddy Rigelus!” “I’ll come at you with my mohawk!”).

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For Next Week

Cliffhanger:

• The group is captured and bruised, but The Hind appears—possibly as a long-awaited ally or double-agent.
• Listeners are assigned to read until Chapter 77.

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In summary:
This episode delivers major answers about the Asteri, builds dread for the heroes’ predicament, and balances SJM universe lore breakdowns with wild comedic energy, keeping both veteran fans and newcomers hooked—and howling.

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For continued connection:
Follow Romantasy Deep Dives on Instagram and TikTok for behind-the-scenes clips and cosplay outtakes, because as Jackie and Natalie say, “James is pulling [the clips]… Sometimes you don’t have time to watch the whole YouTube!” (11:14)

Transcript

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[B]

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[A]

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

[B]

If you're nasty and you can too.

[A]

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

[B]

Photo shoots, hi tease Everybody. At least 15 different events at the otherworldly Gaylord Texan resort that you can customize to make the perfect trip fit your Fantasy Dreams.

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Dreamers and Readers Night 1 and 2.

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Mythical Creatures Masquerade, Fantastique Stone, our Fall ball and the Farewell Faye Bash.

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

[A]

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

[B]

Dreamers and readers. Baby, I cannot wait for this. Give me, give me that swag.

[A]

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

[B]

It's taunting me, though. I've never.

[A]

What's a flagle flat bagel?

[B]

Oh, like less bagel?

[A]

You know, it's not less bagel. I just like the ratio of a flat bagel to a regular bagel to the amount of cream cheese just because it's just the same amount of bagel. But spread out further so you get more flavor. Flavor on the outside. And the bagel is thinner, so you have less bagel to cream cheese ratio.

[B]

Doesn't that just make it bread?

[A]

No. Oh, no, no.

[B]

I know.

[A]

It never makes it bread. Oh, no. And baby, you better be taking your fears out of this room, because one look at me and I tell you the fears are coming in every hole you got. Natalie, you're scared of me. Bark, bark, bark, bark, bark. Natalie, you're scared of me. Bark, bark, bark, bark, bark, bark.

[B]

Are you Baxian?

[A]

Nay. Baxian's bald. Natalie.

[B]

I know. I don't. Can't think of anyone who has a Mohawk.

[A]

Well, I also can't think of anyone that's not the Autumn King that's wearing a nice frilly crown.

[B]

Very heavily highlighted in these episodes.

[A]

Yeah. Uh. Oh. Oh, you Rigelous. Ah. R. You know, I didn't see Rigelus having that. I think that's why I didn't think Rigelous at all. But the frilly. The frillies given rigilous.

[B]

And yes, he's a bit of a bitch.

[A]

He is definite a bit of a bitch. Is that what was cyan?

[B]

A little bit.

[A]

I'm seeing more butt of a bitch. He wish he had a butt of a bitch.

[B]

Yeah. I think he has a skinny butt. Probably. Yeah.

[A]

He got a little butt. Looks like you didn't have to go anywhere outside of the states to get that butt.

[B]

Yeah, he's. Maybe he's got like a James Charles vibe to him. That's who I see.

[A]

Oh, see, I was. You know, I just keep thinking about that little butt in Marty Supreme. Yeah. I'm bringing up Timothy Shamalama Ding Dongs, little tiny bow.

[B]

He is. He's like the top fan cast for Rigelous in.

[A]

That makes complete sense. And he's got the ass to prove it because we saw it in Marty supreme and he's got a little butt. And he needed everybody to know that he didn't use a butt double that. That was his little butt that. That got spanked. You think about that red little butt.

[B]

No Red. Red, but no thank you.

[A]

Spank close to me. Oh, my God. Have you ever been on a cruise? I tell you what. I think they get paid to play red red wine on the lido deck of every cruise.

[B]

Why not have to pay it?

[A]

Play it every 10 minutes?

[B]

I'd say more UB40.

[A]

Yeah, right. Just bump it up. Bad boys, bad boys what you gonna ship? What you gonna ship? When you all met.

[B]

Shit. Wait, why did it Turn into Bad boys.

[A]

Because doesn't UB40 sing the bad Boys theme song?

[B]

I don't think so.

[A]

Well, I guess. Man, thank God we got these little computers here.

[B]

Tap, tap, tap.

[A]

It's done by Inner Circle. Done by a different band. It was a different band that did sing it. I can't laugh, Natalie, or my face is gonna fall off. All right. And you know this about me. I just love that you love to put facial hair on entire story lore.

[B]

About UV40 and how they are connected to the show Cops.

[A]

Yeah. And I just thought that it was like. I just kept thinking of red red wine. And I figured it's like if you're known for red red wine and you're also thinking the cop singing the Cops theme song. But then none of it makes sense.

[B]

The other thing they're known for is from a movie, I believe, called Sliver. They did a cover of Fool's Russian.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

It was like a thriller from the 90s. Guys, this is compelling information about the 1990s.

[A]

All this information that we have that is barely correct and most of it is wrong. This is what you come here for. For us to kind of half remember.

[B]

No, I'm correct. I'm correct about this. Hang on, fools.

[A]

I was also. See, my problem is then that's where I get mixed up. Inner Circle sings the Cops theme song as well as stick it in your big brown eye. La la la la la la la la la la. Which is a song all about having anal sex, whether the anal sexer wants it or not.

[B]

And if you cry I'm gonna push.

[A]

It some more I'm gonna push it, push it some more. That's what the interesting crossover is with the Cops theme song. I say that get your mind blown.

[B]

It's interesting. I used to sing that as a 10 year old.

[A]

Oh. All of us were singing that song. Didn't know what I meant. I make you sweat Sweat till you can't sweat no more and if you. We're not.

[B]

All right. We're not.

[A]

We're not. Let's. We're trying to be horny here. All right. Even when I'm dressed like this.

[B]

Even when I'm dressed like this.

[A]

Oh, honestly, though, would you. Not with Rigelous. I mean, I'd try. I don't think I'm like tight enough.

[B]

I. I mean, I. I guess I would try, but I feel like it would feel like a scarecrow is under you.

[A]

Ah. Clicking and clacking. Yeah, a little bone boy. But maybe like he like transforms sexually. You Know, I feel like if you're in a starry, you can be whatever you want if you're banging.

[B]

Right. I think. But I think he enjoys being a cold, mean queen, which is fun to some for sure.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Still no. I don't know.

[A]

It's not my thing. Obviously. I'm more into himbos. This is my problem is I want to, like, do the voice like this for him, but it's.

[B]

No, I still haven't figured this out, but I'm gonna.

[A]

Oh, Nelly, you're gonna fig. Oh, you won't be scared of me. Well, does that do it?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How great is this? I. I want everyone that is watching the YouTube, I really, I need everyone to know I had to schlack this onto my head and it's not going anywhere.

[B]

Feel like unnecessary probably.

[A]

But hey, I appreciate your commitment, dedication to my craft. Is that what they call it?

[B]

It is.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Yeah. By the way, thank you for all of the number of messages we received. Though we, yes. Have been saying the incorrect name for Emile's new Persona.

[A]

Can I just say it makes sense that his name's not Connor.

[B]

If you'll note, in one of the recent episodes, I was like, I can't believe I never noticed he was named after Connor. And it's because he's not.

[A]

Because he's not. That's because he's definitely not. And that's okay. Because here's the thing, you know, honestly, we gave him more airtime than he deserved. And isn't that what a 13 year old used to be? Slave now stepson of a hot new step mommy should, you know, isn't it good that we supported him more?

[B]

Yeah, sure. I'm going to take.

[A]

That's how I'm taking it, Natalie.

[B]

I'm going to take that. And I'm going to assume he is named Cooper after Cooper Nielsen from the movie Center Stage.

[A]

Oh, my God. Except why would they name the child after the man that had sex on the motorcycle cycle?

[B]

Because that's awesome.

[A]

Yeah. I do love looking at a no powered child and go, man, you could grow up someday to be a kind.

[B]

Of predator, but like a charming one.

[A]

It's fine.

[B]

Kind of predatory, kind of cool.

[A]

Cool. Like if the predator is on a motorcycle and I am asking this for me, is it fine?

[B]

Especially when he makes ballet a little bit different.

[A]

Yeah. He's not like the other ballet dancers.

[B]

A little funky, a little fresh. So, yes, it's Cooper. Thank you for all of your. Very kind.

[A]

You were much kinder than, you know, than you had any right to be.

[B]

You were very nice about everything.

[A]

Because we were like, really wrong and we were wrong for a while.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But you can come and correct us over at Romantasy Deep Dives over on Instagram because that is. And on TikTok because that is where we are now putting our act. Like all of we're making a bunch of behind the scenes stuff. There's a lot of stuff that we're trying to get out there and trying to get it out from under just last pod Network. So give Romantasy Deep Dives a follow on TikTok and on Instagram if you want more clips from us that we're amazing. James is pulling. Because sometimes you don't have time to watch the whole YouTube and we get that.

[B]

We get it.

[A]

Let's clip at you.

[B]

You got to at least look at our fits because we put on full cosplay for an audio podcast. Every face on hundreds. Hundreds of costumes. Literally at this point, hundreds.

[A]

I live in an apartment. Do you know how much of my apartment has become costume closet? Most of it.

[B]

And that's your fault.

[A]

Yep. And thank you. Thank you for making it your fault.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

We appreciate you.

[B]

Yes. The first light in chapter 72 has really hit the fan. We are in the final countdown to the end of this book. We have all of the keytars in play.

[A]

Oh, my God. This is what. Except I'd be so bad at haack.

[B]

Ha.

[A]

I need to be this big. Look at this.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

I put this on. I took a picture of myself sending my husband. I say, this how you feel? And he said, is this how I look to you?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, this is how you look to me, babe.

[B]

And how did he feel about that?

[A]

He loved it.

[B]

Okay, great.

[A]

He said, ooh, baby, I'll help you keep that on for later. And I said, me.

[B]

This.

[A]

That's not what he said.

[B]

I mean, I kind of get it. Like, wouldn't you. We've probably discussed this. Do you want to have sex with yourself once? Like, would you want to see yourself as you.

[A]

Oh, my God, yeah. Especially me and my masked characters.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Please give me. Give me an opportunity.

[B]

Because there's a very well read scene in the other SJM series, Court of Thorns and Roses, where one of the characters goes into the mind of the other character and then allows her to look at herself having sex, which I'm not opposed to the idea.

[A]

I oppose the idea. But would you have sex with yourself in a clone world? Or is that incest? Is it incest? To have sex with yourself?

[B]

I think if it's a clone, maybe.

[A]

No, they were made out of like. That's when you're made out of Dolly, right? Not. Pardon the sheep.

[B]

Oh, I remember the sheep.

[A]

Yeah. That's what it's like. I'm made out of sheep parts. Come on.

[B]

Where is Dolly? Did she die? Probably.

[A]

She's a sheep. I don't think sheep for live forever. Regardless of their stem cell usage, they should try.

[B]

Have they tried sucking out our souls the way the asterias.

[A]

Whoa, that's not where I thought you were going with that.

[B]

That's because you're a pervert.

[A]

Yes. You're just learning this.

[B]

Oh, God. I've been sitting next to a pervert this whole time.

[A]

I'm gonna come at you with my mohawk. I'm gonna come at you with my mohawk and you're like, is that the top of a broom? No, it's my Mohawk.

[B]

Can it be both? You could probably sweep with it.

[A]

Yeah, I guess. Just turn me upside down and put me in your dirt, girl.

[B]

So we are deep inside of the Crystal PA in the book. We have just reached chapter 72, and Bryce has gone down into the bowels of the Crystal palace to discover the secrets inside of that very specific 426 9. Room.

[A]

69420. I think have to get the sequence correct. Natalie.

[B]

I will never remember it. Even though it's the simplest combination of. In fact, I imagine for a lot of us, that's the first thing you should try on any code we have on anything.

[A]

Oh. Like if you know the person is possibly Gen X or below, definitely try 69 or 421st.

[B]

Yeah. Break into their stuff. So we've all alongside Bryce, discovered what the asterisk great secret is, and it is that overlords tend to be exceptionally weak and would crumble without the people carrying their crippling weights.

[A]

Right. Eliz, I feel like you really shouldn't be saying this right now.

[B]

You know, I'd like to think that I come from the side to take it down, dismantle it piece by piece.

[A]

I'm pretty sure Rigelus would have done that a time or two before.

[B]

Maybe it's a long game. There's a lot of those in these books.

[A]

Centuries long game. Okay.

[B]

In Midgard, that means dealing with the fact that the Asteri are apparently taking all the the world's first light through their keisters. More like ass tear. Yikes.

[A]

Oh, my God. Yeah, I. I hope it doesn't. I hope they figured out a way to not tear their ass while they're taken in the first light. But I do love that you do assume that the Asteri do obviously take it up there.

[B]

I mean, it is coming through the throne.

[A]

Oh, and again, it has nothing to do with Armie Hammer's father's chair with the hole in the seat cage underneath for the girls.

[B]

Okay. That's the opposite of erotica.

[A]

I mean, to some, it's one of the same.

[B]

The entire Hammer family is needs to be tossed out.

[A]

It's almost like they have generational wealth and they're not gonna be.

[B]

It's almost like generational wealth makes you a horrible person in a parasite upon the society.

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[A]

Think. Can you imagine what he would fuck up if he were there with that?

[B]

Like, yeah, it's not. Just stay away from it. And then what about Day? What is Rune going to do for Day? There are a lot of problems going on right now and we're going to start learning about some of what happens. So we start out at 72 with Hunt and Rune both trying not to panic. They are waiting for Bryce, who is down discovering the secret. Though she is still within the time frame they agreed upon, it's getting close to the amount of minutes she was supposed to be in there. Hun's anxious because you know he's going to be until she comes back. But Ruhn can't stop thinking about Day. Unable to stand still, he finally decides, I'm just going to tell Hunt I'm gonna meet up with them later. I'll go ahead of you guys. And Hunt growls at him that that was not the plan, that they are supposed to go together. Ruhn is not willing to hear that. He just tells him, listen, if I'm not back in 10 minutes, you gotta leave without me.

[A]

MAN ON I feel like they're like out sad boying each other right now or it's like competition. My bitches over here. My.

[B]

And they're all immediately abandoning their plans in the first place. So not waiting for Hunt to argue, Ruhn pulls his shadows around him and makes his way out of the library where they were hiding. We cut back to Bryce, who herself is unshockingly disobeying their agreed upon plan.

[A]

And why do we have the plans in the first place?

[B]

So she has run away from the tube. She's like, I gotta get back. She's running up the staircase away from all that stuff. And then when she gets to the top of the stairs at that closed door, instead of teleporting back to where Hunt is, where she's supposed to go, she decides she wants to see what's in the other rooms in the archives, which is the section she's in. That's like kind of mysterious, right? So she's like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm gonna open the other door. So she goes from she'd already teleported to inside this room. She opens the door into the hallway where she would have walked in had she walked through to that door. And it's like, what else is in here? Let's find out. She figures this is her only chance. And I know this section is gonna make you so mad, Jackie, because she's just immediately putting them all in danger.

[A]

It's just, I know the whole, like, well behaved women rarely make history, like. I get it.

[B]

Woman in control of herself. Baby in total control.

[A]

Thank you, Bitch. Baby in total control of herself. But I just. It does enrage me. It does enrage me because the thing is that if you're not gonna follow the plan, of course nobody else is following the plan because they know you're not gonna follow the plan.

[B]

Right?

[A]

So why would they follow the plan? So really, this is all. Because this is how you instructed them to follow you?

[B]

I guess it's supposed to be charming.

[A]

Chaos, but it's also like, maybe this is why there's no fantasy books written about me. Jackie, you wanna be a vampire so bad, go out. I guess I gotta go, I don't know, start hiding.

[B]

Pocket.

[A]

Alleyways. Yeah, hiding in alleyways. Just like getting in. Be like going through windows more.

[B]

Try licking more necks.

[A]

Mom, the peeping Jack. Let me peep at it.

[B]

I don't think you can peep. To find vampires, you have to try.

[A]

No, we live nuzzling up.

[B]

I mean, you can peep.

[A]

I wanna peep.

[B]

Then you're just gonna be catching charges. But hey, it's on you.

[A]

No, I'm just made out of marshmallow. No, I'm just a pee. Ain't no way.

[B]

Oh, you're a marshmallow pee.

[A]

Yeah, I'll turn into a chick and be like, I'm just a baby. You can't put me back in the egg. I ain't looking at your parts. Put me back in the egg.

[B]

I mean, it's one way to possibly evade charges.

[A]

Just throwing that out there. If you ever get pulled over by police, just say that you are a baby. You're a baby chicken. And that you need. You're looking for your egg, get back in it.

[B]

I do wonder what would happen.

[A]

Honestly, I'm not gonna keep making non jokes about what would probably happen. But, you know, we're just gonna keep moving on upwards and onwards.

[B]

We sure are.

[A]

So. I mean, look at me. Don't you trust me?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, man. You're all gonna see when I get down to the ring. And you're all gonna think he's got a broom on his head. But nay, I got snakes in my skin. I would be really great as a wrestler. Yeah. Yeah. We could be a Tag team, if you want.

[B]

Let me. Let me. Let me put a pin in that.

[A]

I feel like you'd get the prancing portions.

[B]

Oh, I could prance. Yeah.

[A]

Right? Yeah.

[B]

I mean, I love the costumes. I love the wrestling side of it, too. I just. I've got other things in my head, and so talking about wrestling now, I don't know what's happening.

[A]

Okay, yeah, I threw you. I may have thrown you for a loop. I do. Like, I keep noticing out of the corner of my eye that every time I look sideways, you can see the bottom of my hair underneath my bald cap. But in my brain, this is his fashion choice. Shaved on the side a little bit on the bottom.

[B]

I like it. And also, your. Your skin is flapped out like you've had a head injury on the back.

[A]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, my skull is actively open.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But it's. Honestly, it lets in the ideas better.

[B]

Oh, lets in the ideas better.

[A]

It's like, you remember back when the Internet used to not work that well, and you'd think, open up. Like, you'd open up the window to think, oh, I gotta let the Internet in better. You never had that thought.

[B]

Oh, you mean to get the.

[A]

The waves in the way. Yeah. You know, it's like a microwave.

[B]

Yeah, Well, I mean, that was before WI fi. There was just a cord in the wall.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You still open the window for that?

[A]

Yeah, I let it in. I say, are there more chords out there? Ah. So come on in. Plug in the mouth.

[B]

So anyway.

[A]

I am enraged, and thank you for asking.

[B]

So Bryce is not paying attention to the rules. And this side part was so insane. I'm trying to remember what we were just talking about. Okay, we are running through the archives. She's looking for anything that stands out. And she is hoping that Flynn and Declan are tracking her because they're supposed to be following along. They're very carefully detailed layout, which she immediately abandons. She's like, hopefully they're following me. So she's running through these darkened archives, looking at all these different doors that she's passing by. And some are like the doors that she had just gone into, though some of them have other titles. They're not like these collections of numbers and letters. They just have words over the doors. Some are actually just like, normal words she can read.

[A]

Dawn. Midnight. Midday. She had no idea what any of the names meant or what lay behind the door, but one in the center snared her eye. Dusk. She slipped inside. Ghost. Uh oh. Dusk's Truth. And if you also forgot about Dusk's Truth. Like I think everybody else did by. I was like, oh, dusk. Oh, Dusk. Not the end of us. Of the sun. You know, was maybe. Because I'm really good at details.

[B]

It's not that as much as I think. It's just. Cause there is.

[A]

There's so much going on. Yeah.

[B]

So Dusk's truth was from the emails shared between Danica and Sophie and all of the stuff that they had uncovered inside of the table.

[A]

That table got broken.

[B]

So Danika had been discussing something called Dust Truth, and nobody could figure that out. They were looking the. On the interwebs. They were trying to find some reference to it, and nobody knew what it was talking about. But now, as you read along with this, you can also maybe make some connections to another SJM series if you've read the other ones. Interesting. So we cut over to Hunt, and thankfully he is getting a message on his phone that Declan is tracking Bryce and has been moving the cameras away from her. So. But he's now also learning in this moment that she has defected and she is going into this room. Dusk Hunt is rightfully angry that she's not following their plan, but is not super shocked. He's also kind of curious about what's in the room because he knows about the whole Dusk's true thing. He looks at his. His. The time, and notices Rune has been gone for three minutes, which means seven minutes are left before he is supposed to leave Rune alone behind in the palace. Like, I don't. Guys, this is falling apart immediately. Yep. We cut to Rune, who's used his memories of Fury's map that she drew for them to lead him to the entrance of the dungeons. As he starts, Rune.

[A]

It's just.

[B]

It's.

[A]

I know, man. The dick power is strong within you, but it's also like you don't even know her.

[B]

You know, at least don't. With this dick power, he's trying to save somebody. A lot of times with dick power, you're like screwing a lot of people over. You're blowing off plans. You're like.

[A]

But he is plans to save all of them.

[B]

I know, but he at least is trying to save somebody.

[A]

Yeah. I don't know. Just because I just love him.

[B]

Bars in hell. Okay. The bar is in hell, so. And I do love him. Yes. And also I'm giving him pretty privilege. And that's not fair.

[A]

We're allowed to. You're rigorous. You can do whatever you got to do. What am I going to do? What am I going to do here. Natalie. Oh, my God. I'm not even scary anymore. My face is falling off.

[B]

You're not ruin, are you?

[A]

No.

[B]

Okay, okay. So he starts to descend into this dungeon area.

[A]

Go get more spirit gum. It's gonna drive me crazy. I have to go get more. It's gonna drive me crazy.

[B]

Yeah, go look in the mirror. Right? Go look at the mirror.

[A]

Let me just. I just got it. Keep it all in. Keep it all in. My hands are falling down, and I'm just doing live. I'm just gonna leave the spirit gum next to me, and I'll just keep dabbing it on be facial hair, and you're gonna act like it. I'm talking to my facial hair, everybody. Don't be scared. Don't be scared, because I just shellacked it back onto my face. And maybe it's just that, you know, maybe he just, like, talks more demurely, and maybe he doesn't use his whole face and still don't know who he is.

[B]

Mordoc. There we go.

[A]

I'm gonna get you.

[B]

That's a good one.

[A]

And I'm gonna find you, and I'm gonna take you back to the hill that you came from.

[B]

That clocks.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

That's a good Mordoche. Thank you.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

And I'm sorry that I forgot about it.

[A]

It's okay. It's okay. I knew you were gonna get there eventually. I figured if I just kept barking, you know, just kept acting like, technically, in my mind, I think he should go. Oh, I feel like that's too. I think that's too cute for him. I feel like. You go. You could go like. Yeah, I think it's more.

[B]

There you go. Yeah, there you go.

[A]

I think also, he might be more Wolfesque. I was trying to really look into him of what. But no, no, you look.

[B]

This is a good look.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I feel like the mohawk really was. I was like. It was the hair that was getting me, and I was like, I think it might be a stupid mohawk.

[B]

I think you're. I think that's totally valid.

[A]

That, like, I feel like even though he would. He could get regular humans to do it, I feel like he's like Ursula, where he would remember how she took the little fish and squeezed the little fish as lipstick. I feel like he does that. But to, like, get things to shave the side of his head, you know, like, grabs, like, a rabbit person and just, like, forces them to shave the side of his head. He's just like, I like it better when they're scared.

[B]

Holds two crabs.

[A]

Yeah, exactly. And he's getting bit. But he doesn't care because he like likes the pain.

[B]

So by. By George, yes.

[A]

Thank you. So.

[B]

Yeah. So Rune starts to descend. As he. As he's descending these staircase, the staircase, he notices the floor which on the surface levels is like a beautiful sparkling quartz turning into black unpleasant looking stone.

[A]

That's how you know it's in a bad place. The stairs are different.

[B]

The prisoners can't enjoy the quartz.

[A]

They don't get to look at the quartz.

[B]

We all know what goes on in a dungeon and it's not good. Unless you're I guess paying an intense woman to take you down there.

[A]

Yes, if you choose. If it's a consensual dungeon, then have at.

[B]

But most dungeons are not consensual.

[A]

Close back then.

[B]

Especially back then. Cloaked in shadow or.

[A]

I don't know. Or way then. I don't know.

[B]

Oh, forward.

[A]

Yeah. You know, really, whatever. This time I'm not spoiling anything. Whether it's far in the past or whether far in the future.

[B]

Although actually I'm gonna push back on that. I think Lunathe does have kink. Dense. I'm. I'm wrong.

[A]

It's got to. I mean if you're like you think about. Not that I'm always thinking about Bryce banging that lion shifter in the bathroom of the. Of the White Raven, but like you know, that there's gotta be some fun times to be had. God, I just dream of being with a shifter and I'll never get to. Until we get to the point when we all find out that all of this stuff is real and then we don't get to be human beings anymore. I can't wait for it is going to happen, guys.

[B]

I live and breathe on. If people can think about heaven, I'm gonna think about this.

[A]

Exactly. So Cryptid prayers to you all.

[B]

And Cryptid too. So he makes his way down the staircase. He cloaks himself. He's in shadow, so people aren't really gonna be able to tell he's there. And he prepares himself for whatever he's about to face in these horrible cells and torture chambers. He can hear screaming and it's. There's guards everywhere. It's as ugly as you can imagine a torture chamber is. And the only relief he feels is he can't hear a female screaming.

[A]

Rune kept going until Mordon stepped into his path with a feral grin. He sniffed once, that bloodhound gift no doubt feeding him a host of information before he said You're a long way.

[B]

From cavorting with spies in the alleys of Lunathian Prince. Oh, no. Another zany twist is happening, but it's.

[A]

Big and it's ready to kiss.

[B]

So Ruhn has been discovered by Mordoc via smell, and now he's in the dungeons and might.

[A]

I am big enough to find you too.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Now we're back. So we leave off there. We'll find out what happens. We're back with Therian and Cormac at the science lab to find out how their side went down. It turns out, not great. Therian is we're with his thoughts, and he's in shock as he and Cormac run through a chaotic scene. They have accomplished causing this massive upheaval, but Cormac has appeared to go full mercenary without Therian realizing he was going to. Though they had agreed upon only taking a life if they needed to in this scenario, the instant that they were led into the lab area in their Imperial uniforms, Cormac unloads his gun into every person visible in the room while also starting a fire with his magic at the jeep they had just drove up on to the lab. So the jeep that they were riding in, he uses his magic to explode that into flames, which is kind of the plan. But then he just starts murdering everyone in the room. And Therian's just like, what is happening, bro? Moments after the shooting begins, Pippa and her Lightfall Squadron bust in. I guess they jumped out of the trees. They followed shortly after Therian and Cormac. Then immediately after them, the nearest Dread Wolves, the nearest Imperial soldiers, have now appeared. And now, in other words, pandemonium has broken on the slab. Moments after they everybody has jumped in the room, Pippa stands before Tharian and Cormac. She tells Cormac that she's been looking forward to this moment and fires her gun at Cormac. Cormac's teleportation has slowed down due to fatigue, and she makes contact with the bullet.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

It hits his shoulder. But you know that shit's Gorzian, so what's that gonna do?

[A]

Oh, it's like when a door's on a door and the door's a jar. But this is like when a bullet's not a bullet, when it's Gorsian. Oh, God. And that's not a joke. There's no joke in it.

[B]

Funny. He appears still. He teleports as he gets shot. And he appears behind Pippa. As Pippa turns to face Cormac, Therian launches at her. Unfortunately, the second he jumps forward, a mech suit operated by, I think, Lightfall, or maybe the Imperials. Everybody is mad at them. So who knows who's in this. In this suit? Brings a sword down at Tharion's feet, blocking him from reaching Pippa.

[A]

Cormac shouted to Tharion, get out of here. The prince faced off against Pippa as the woman fired again. Tharion knew that tone, knew that look. And it was then that he understood Cormac hadn't just gone rogue. He'd never intended to get out of here alive.

[B]

Well, shit. We cut back.

[A]

But also, it's like. Yeah. I mean, you know, he's really. It's like he was supposed to. Like he's in love with somebody. She did. He's supposed to get married to somebody. She's married, wants somebody out. You know, it's like, yeah, of course. Go wrong.

[B]

That's never a reason to.

[A]

Yeah, it's the only reason. It's definitely the reason. It's like the second you're sad or lonely.

[B]

No.

[A]

End it.

[B]

Leave.

[A]

You gotta run.

[B]

No, no, no, no.

[A]

That's not what we're saying. What I'm saying is Cormac is doubling down. Yeah. Because this is what he's choosing. But also, I will say, I think most of us that are listening are not spies. Or not. I don't know. Maybe. Or if you are romantasy deep dives, write us comments. Let us know how you spy and if you would also go rogue like Cor did in this instance.

[B]

Not a great spy. If you write to us. But we won't tell anyone.

[A]

We won't. We won't. Like, you know, that our.

[B]

Yeah. Big secrets.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's.

[A]

We're sealed with a kiss. We're. We're the swack girls. Oh. But we call ourselves the swack girls. I don't know if that's what people think. I don't think they're thinking sealed with a kiss. I think it sounds like we're like wet to the touch.

[B]

I might be. You'll never know.

[A]

Oh, Rigel is how you play.

[B]

Come over and I'll show you.

[A]

Hey, is that. You got light coming out of your ass or something? I could get some maybe. Yeah. Come on, share a little with me. Come on. I'll make extra holes. Come sit in my lap. Oh. Oh, the tube goes all the way through. I like this. Aww. The two of them would be a cute Kiki. Oh, yeah.

[B]

I bet.

[A]

You know.

[B]

Yeah, I think they do Kiki.

[A]

Probably, yeah.

[B]

And they might.

[A]

Kai.

[B]

Kai. I don't know.

[A]

Oh, come on and give me a kiss.

[B]

America, America, you used to be so fun but now you go to bed at night school Scrolling on your phone. Well, listen up, America, Carnival is here.

[A]

There's comedy and snorkeling and dining like everything from sea to shining sea.

[B]

Find your fun again today.

[A]

Carnival is calling.

[B]

Save up to 40% off your cruise.

[A]

Vacation offer Plastic cruise fairly restricted supply.

[B]

Visit carnival.com for details. Ships registry, the Bahamas, in Panama.

[A]

Why have I asked my H Vac.

[B]

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.

[A]

Make a quick young man.

[B]

Aw, See, Pop Pop trusts you. I think we should call a doctor.

[A]

Connecting homeowners with skilled pros for over 30 years.

[B]

Angie, the one you trust to find.

[A]

The ones you trust. Find pros for all your home [e-mail].

[B]

So we don't know what is gonna play out right. We cut back to Bryce. We're seeing these, like, clips and these flashes of this. Of this timeline because there's so much going on. We cut back to Bryce, who is at this door she found marked Dusk. Finding it unlocked, she says a silent thank you to Declan, whom she doesn't. Didn't know was following her, but assumes has broken into the lock. It appears to be this room. She walks in and she sees it's a meeting room with a round table for the six remaining Asteri, obviously also seventh chair ever present for their fallen brother. There is a projector in the middle of the table, but Bryce is distracted by the walls. The walls are covered in maps. She stares in growing horror as she approaches, realizing that these are maps of solar systems. Maps covered in red X's and notations. She approaches the nearest one. A solar system she doesn't recognize.

[A]

One planet in the habitable zone had been pinned and labeled Renthar. Conquered. AE14000. AE. She didn't know that dating system, but she could guess what conk meant. Conquered by the Asteri. She'd never heard of a planet called Renthar. Scribbled beside it was a brief Abelicos. Aquatic people, primordial land life. Little supply terminated. AE14007. Damn. Seven years. You used it, abused it, and threw it back into the solar system. You bad. You bad boys, bad boys. Oh, what you gotta do, brown eye? Because it's the first Light. It was. Whoa. Wow.

[B]

I brought it all the way back around. Yeah. Yeah. They should have tried better at life. They would have been alive still longer.

[A]

Damn, you are mean. Bitch.

[B]

I'm just truthful.

[A]

I thought you were a baby in total control of herself, but I don't think so. I think you're in total control of other solar systems.

[B]

A bike.

[A]

It's like technique. It's badass, but also, we don't like it. Well, I mean, Murdoch loves it.

[B]

I mean, you.

[A]

I know that he should be a wooing, but I feel like he really is more of a barker, Especially with his mohawk.

[B]

I guess I don't. Don't do. Don't do this to dogs. Don't do this.

[A]

I just. I feel. I feel like it's also like. Lift the dogs up, Natalie. The dogs could do this. Wendy could do what more dogs do. Murderer. Yeah. Can you imagine how scary Wendy could be if that six pounds of love turned into six pounds of hate?

[B]

Oh, she's so cute. It'll still be cute, though.

[A]

I know. She's so little.

[B]

Well, I think we can guess where this is leading. As she is walking around the room, she begins to pace. More maps, more planets tagged as conquered. Some are noted to have been, quote, lost instead of being left. Lost as in defeated. She reads their notes, and it seems to confirm these suspicions. These Asteri aren't these omnipotent beings of godlike origins, as they all believe they are. Parasites. Sickened, she wonders if she is just like them, having sucked out all the first light in that archway. Though in fairness, she didn't know what was happening at the time.

[A]

The rear wall of the chamber held a map of this world. Midgard. The map read Conch AE17003. Whatever AE was, if they'd been on this planet for 15,000 years, then they'd existed in the cosmos for far, far longer than that.

[B]

Her mind spins with this information. How long have the Asteri lived? Could they live forever if they continue to siphon off of planets? Are there more of them? Her eye catches on some notes taken by the Asteri about Midgard.

[A]

Ideal world located. Indigenous life not sustainable, but conditions prime for colonization. Have contacted others to share bounties.

[B]

Who is Others? Who is others? Who are they contacting?

[A]

Talk about my wolves. You talking about my wolves? Who knows?

[B]

More notes on Midgard. Seeming to suggest many of the Vanir on this planet are not from here originally.

[A]

What?

[B]

And one note about the fae that causes her to ghost.

[A]

They did not see the old enemy who offered a hand through space and time like a fish to bait. They came and they opened the gates to us willingly. They walked through them timid guard at our invitation, Leaving behind the world they knew. Oh, shit. Which also like that is really flowery for just notes on the side of a map. I feel like Rigel is. It's like. It's like this ain't your journal, honey. Like, I feel like you're getting real.

[B]

What I like a show.

[A]

Like a fish to be. It's like. All right, okay. You're so proud of yourself. Yes, I am. I know. You're wonderful. Okay. With the tube up your ass. Although you're very happy with the tube up your ass.

[B]

I guess.

[A]

Always have the tube up your ass. Yeah. It's never surprising to you then.

[B]

It's always a little bit of a surprise.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Let it flow.

[B]

This is cryptic but seemingly important note taking. We've learned some about Midgard's history being cloaked already hidden from the people. What else don't we know? Bryce shaken realizes that the Asteris seemingly have brought together all these veneer to this planet because it could hold them all, it could sustain them. And it's like a big buffet for these leeches.

[A]

I mean, I love me a buffet. And I will say there's not a lot of buffets that lasted through Covid. And I did go to a really trashy seafood buffet over the weekend.

[B]

That's. That's a lot.

[A]

And we. It was one of those things where Jeff and I were like, we're either gonna really pay for this over or we just found a diamond in the rough. And the thing is, my belly wasn't good for a full 36 hours.

[B]

Who could have foreseen that?

[A]

But I ate a lot of night, like 9:30pm right before closing. Crab claws. But what are they gonna do with all those crab claws? Somebody's gotta eat them. And yeah, maybe I don't know how long the lobster claws were sitting there for, but they had lobster claws. And it was all for 29.99. Listen, I love in this economy, don't get cheap seafood.

[B]

Listen, you do what you're gonna do.

[A]

Belly, you should have seen they had a bunch of ice cream.

[B]

See, that's fine.

[A]

They had a bunch of ice cream too.

[B]

Ice cream's fine.

[A]

I didn't eat any of the chowder. And I'm proud of me. I. I tried to leave. I drank. Honestly, I think dairy at the doorstep.

[B]

Those canned clams probably would last and be a lot safer. To eat than just sitting out fresh seafood.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But honestly, I think it's good. The more people. People coughed around it, it's like, why have a cough guard when you could just cough underneath it?

[B]

I love a buffet. It makes you stronger. I grew up on Old Country Buffet. We would have family reunions at Old Country Buffet.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Love that.

[A]

It was a fancy day. If you find your ass at a Sizzler. I've been looking for more Sizzlers.

[B]

We had a Ponderosa Steakhouse. I don't know if everybody had Ponderosas, but that was like, a Sizzler kind of deal.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And just certain foods blanketly should avoid at a buffet. That's just all I'm saying.

[A]

So you shouldn't go to a buffet primarily made of the food that you should avoid at the buffets? Probably, but it's a desert, Natalie. It's nowhere near the coast. That's where, you know, you get the good stuff.

[B]

Ironically, some of the. Probably the best seafood buffets are in Las Vegas, which is not near any body of water.

[A]

But also true.

[B]

That's because of capitalism.

[A]

Hate that. But I love buffets. And also, if you don't bring back sweet tomatoes, I swear I will.

[B]

Talking to.

[A]

I'm talking to the originator of sweet tomatoes, Mr. Tom Ado himself. I want you bringing him back. I don't want you calling them soup plantation. Go back to calling them sweet tomatoes.

[B]

Well, you use his proper term, Dr. Tom Ado.

[A]

Thank you. I'm sorry, Dr. Tom Ado. And please don't hold it against me. I didn't realize that you had gone through medical school, and maybe that's why they had to put sweet tomatoes in the background.

[B]

He's a chiropractor. It's not that bad.

[A]

Oh, no, don't trust. Oh, God. Not a salad. Chiropractor. Oh, God. He's gonna be crinkling the lettuce until he breaks your neck. What are we gonna do?

[B]

All right, stay on track.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

So the Bryce realizes that, you know, that she's. We've got on the standard because of the buffet line. That's my fault. I did it to everyone.

[A]

You did say the word buffet. And you. Thank you for acknowledging that.

[B]

So essentially, Midgard is a golden corral for these asteri. Okay. She looks to the projector that she saw in the middle of the room at the. At the beginning when she walked in. She says it and presses the button. She wants to see what this thing does. A light show protrudes out where the Autumn King and the Astronomer had tangible physical orreries. This one is light based.

[A]

Is that like when you can't choose? So instead of Anderes, they call them Ories instead? That is brutal. You're so upset. I just watched.

[B]

I.

[A]

Man, if you watch the YouTube, man, the mim. The mim on the face. You're so upset with me.

[B]

You're so.

[A]

I love it. Sorry, I don't think that's good. I don't think that's what it is.

[B]

The orreries are tangible, but not. This one is light based.

[A]

Light base.

[B]

She watches it rotate and wonders if this information is what Danica risked dying for. The truth dusks truth. The solar systems begin to switch out as though they're going through different systems. Looking here in the light, there are more notes written on these planets. Like in 3D. Almost like a big projection, like a 3D projection. More species, more leaching off the respective home planets of these species. Where do these parasites, the Asteri, originate from? She has to know. More and more planets appear as she swipes through them in the light in front of her.

[A]

Her heart stopped at one.

[B]

Hell.

[A]

The ground seemed to slide away from beneath her. Hell lost AE17001.

[B]

Hell is just another drained planet. Hel's notes describe a dark, cold world.

[A]

With mighty creatures of night. They saw through our lures. Once warring factions, the royal armies of Hell, united and marched against us. We were overwhelmed and abandoned their world. But they gave chase, learned from our captured lieutenants how to slip between the crux and realms.

[B]

The Asteri continue in these notes that Hell found them on Midgard in 17002. And they essentially confront the Asteri on what they are. And so, because of this, a war surged between Hel and the Asteri on Midgard. Unfortunately, at the end of that, Hell was defeated, but they had lost a lot of their power. And that is also when one of the Asteri seems to have been killed.

[A]

Aha.

[B]

So the hell. Basically, these notes are saying that Hel developed attachments to people in Midgar during this first war. Here we have the lore falling into place. We learned that Theia and the Prince of the pit, Aidas, had fallen in love. And they couldn't understand how or why. But it seems as though the princes of Hell had come to assist in the battle against the Asteri those thousands of years ago. Apollyon said this, and he wasn't lying. But they had no idea who to believe at the time. Enraged and sobbing, Bryce's Fingers, sort through the planets, determined to find which planet these creatures originated on. She wants to tell the princes of the hell where the Asteri have been, where the Asteri were first originated. And together, she wants to take Hel and Midgard and to go find the planet, blow it to hell and destroy these creatures.

[A]

Blow it to hell, but blow it somewhere else.

[B]

Oh, right. Not to hell, blow it somewhere else. I actually wrote that in there, and I forgot. Not hell. Blow it to oblivion. Oblivion. You will not find our home world.

[A]

There, a cold voice said through the intercom on the table.

[B]

Even we have forgotten where its runes lie.

[A]

Bryce panted, only rage coursing through her as she said to Rigelus, I am going to fly. Kill you. I mean, I know she didn't have time to, like, work on the line, but I just feel like, you know, it's a little. That's a little plain, you know, you need more flower.

[B]

Because he's flowery.

[A]

Yeah. I feel like. It's like you gotta. You gotta come at him with all you got, you know?

[B]

At 73, Rigelus is laughing at Bryce's rage. He seems to be unsurprised to see her. He tells her, of course they needed to feed off of these planets. You eat and drink, don't you? He scoffs at her. Anything living takes from its environment. You should see what the inhabitants of some worlds did to their planets. The rubbish, the pollution, the poisoned seas.

[A]

Oh, no, guys, that's us.

[B]

Was it not fitting that we returned the favor?

[A]

Oh, God. We don't take care of the planet, and this is what's gonna happen.

[B]

And then the play about us.

[A]

Oh, my God. They. Oh, no. And they got the tubes in this, and they want to come and take all the pollution away.

[B]

Yesteri might have come here.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

And they just let him come. Can't do worse.

[A]

I feel like. No. I think they looked at us and they were like, let's not deal with that. How about, no, they. I don't even think they can handle veneer, you know? Yeah, we can.

[B]

Please come back.

[A]

Kill us.

[B]

Her anger is stopped by the memory that if Rigelis does not seem surprised to see her, that he must know that Hunt and Ruhn are also here. And terror runs through her. She asks what the Asteri want, why they have let her come this far if they knew she was here. Because you're going to open up the northern rift and the southern rift for us, Bryce.

[A]

No, I'm not, like. I'm totally not gonna do that your.

[B]

Starborn power and the horn in your back should do just the trick. Rigelus continues. That the horn was actually the asterisk creation, just another thing the fae stole when they were back on their home planet. They even used the warriors that the Asteri created to fight them. Warriors on the home planet that served as the template for the angels here on Midgard. Interesting. Humanoids with wings. You don't say. Okay. He explains that the Asteri consider Midgard a sort of base, which is why they've been here for so long. They pull creatures from other worlds here to feast upon. Thea and her people realized this and closed the doors from their world to Midgard, trapping the Asteri.

[A]

So is this part of what's wrong? Like, do we need to open up a rift?

[B]

I'm. I tried. Could we.

[A]

Like, could we. Is this what's happening here? Is that what we have to do?

[B]

I try all the time.

[A]

We got it, man. Y', all, if you can do, like, a rip through a dimension, we need a subtle knife.

[B]

We need a subtle knife. Like in dark materials.

[A]

His dark materials, yes. We need to embrace the Lyra within us. Please.

[B]

So they had created this, you know, the pulling all these creatures from different worlds, They've pulled Fae from their home planet. And Thea realizes at some point in the history of the fae that, oh, these are parasites. These are bad people. We have to keep them from coming back to our planet. And so she got them all to Midgard, and then they locked the doors behind them. And so the Asteri became trapped on Midgard. Rigela seems to suggest that their ancestors, the Asteris ancestors, have all died. But the six of them who exist now on Midgard due to them being locked here thanks to the fae.

[A]

They just hate us because they ain't us. That's really what the problem is.

[B]

It is true.

[A]

You'd think you would try a little bit of humanity on for size.

[B]

Rigilis, they're not humans.

[A]

I know. That's why. Try it on. Just try it on.

[B]

Sucks, though.

[A]

Yeah, I know it does. Of course, they look at our lives and are like, why the hell would we ever do that?

[B]

No, but maybe they could try Fey. Man. Fey Manatee is also. Wait, no. Femaleity. Femaleity.

[A]

Whoa.

[B]

Help. I'm trapped in my thoughts. So we. Okay, so let's just rehash here.

[A]

I'm in it.

[B]

The Asteri have been using Midgard as a farm. Essentially. They're pulling in from all these other planets because they're Midgard was a planet that could sustain many different kinds of lives. They brought them all in because they're feeding off of them. They were taking from the Fey world. The fae figured it out. Hel also figured it out. They came to join forces with the fae to get the Asteri killed. They battle, battle, battle, ultimately lost. But they got one of the Asteri. And now Rigelus is saying we actually had many ancestors. Apparently we're the only six left. But there used to be many, many of the creatures that are the Asteri.

[A]

Well, not to be like this, but I feel like it's also like giving Superman and now that, like, I learn more about, like, that stuff as I watch the things and the movies and I hear the yapping, you know, I'm not gonna say the yapping of my husband as if he doesn't have to sit and listen to all of the erotica that I read. So I'm down to listen to him talk about Superman, But I guess there's a lot of that going on with Krypton too.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, they're very similar. It's very comic book esque. Yeah, sci fi kind of stuff. And so apparently the Asteri had more ancestors, but Rigela says they all died out. However, he says the mystics that they keep under the palace are always searching for more survivors. So there may be more than six of them left. And then he continues that Bryce's bloodline, her starborn Fae bloodline on their home planet specifically hails from a small isle a few miles from the mainland. And while the mainland had all manners of climb, this aisle existed in beautiful, near permanent twilight. So that me thinks is a reference to a different series.

[A]

Oh, my God. Natalie, I know the one that you're talking about. And I know and we know. And I know and we know.

[B]

So it seems as though without giving away any of the other series, that there is a deep connection to Bryce in this world. So he also reveals that the shifters of this world are also Fae from a different planet. Got that? All of the. All like the wolves, all of the different kinds of shifters, they are also Fae, even though they don't look like Fae with pointed ears. What about the Dread Wolves Fae?

[A]

Ah.

[B]

He then reveals even more dastardly behavior. Danika had come close to learning the secrets. And the Asteri know all about what she was doing. Sophie could also sense it with her Thunderbird powers. Yes, Micah did kill Danika, but Micah was but a pawn as well. Oh, it was the disposal Starry who directed it. False flags everywhere.

[A]

Oh, my God. That happens in a ball.

[B]

It's some of the ring. This rings too true to our current geopolitical landscape, and it's stressing me out. The mind play tricks on you. You play tricks back. It's like you're unraveling a big cable knit sweater, and someone keeps knitting and knitting and knitting, knitting.

[A]

Rigel is. I don't think you're doing any knitting.

[B]

Name that movie.

[A]

I can't.

[B]

Okay. I'm fine. Rigelist, who is still speaking through an intercom, tells her she can run if it helps her feel better. Go ahead and try to run, little girl.

[A]

It just makes me think of the guy that used to stand on my corner in Greenpoint, and every time I would run for the bus, he would always go, run, rabbit, run. And he would say, run, rabbit, run. At me almost every day as I ran for the bus. I was just like. Just stop. Like, stop.

[B]

That's like.

[A]

I'm not even running fast.

[B]

It's like something a predator says.

[A]

Yeah, but he was like, you know, he's just a guy that says something stupid. Yeah, you know, run, rabbit, run.

[B]

That's insinuating he's hunting you.

[A]

Yeah, but he was just sitting on the stoop smoking cigarettes. If I thought that he could get up off the stoop quickly and come after me, I'd probably be scared. But I was like, that guy's not going anywhere.

[B]

It's got a Segway. Probably could.

[A]

You're right. And you could have segued right off that mountain, just like the creator of Segway. Which we shouldn't joke about in the.

[B]

Epstein Files, by the way.

[A]

Oh, really? He was Segwaying all the way to the island.

[B]

Yes, That's true. He wasn't.

[A]

Piles. I thought you meant. It was true that he segued to the island. I was like, that's over water.

[B]

Secret technology. So she teleports out of the room and back to where she was supposed to meet Hunt minutes and minutes ago, which in this timeline is a lot of minutes. So she. She. He's like, go ahead and run, little girl. And she, like, teleports out and goes back to where she was supposed to meet, run, and hunt. No rune, but there is a hunt.

[A]

He was on his knees, umbra mortis helmet discarded on the stone floor beside him, hands behind his head, bound with gorse and manacles. His eyes turned wild, pleading. But there was nothing Bryce could do as freezing stone clamped around her wrists as well. And she found herself face to face with a grinning harpy.

[B]

Well, back.

[A]

All this makes my belly hurt.

[B]

Yeah. Back to kamikaze Cormac. Whoa. Kamikaze Gormak and tharion at chapter 74. Therian is now facing off with this mech suited. Either Ophion member or wolf, it's hard to tell. Everyone's pissed at Therian today.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Cormac screams at Tharion to run. He looks over at him just as a bullet blasts through Cormac's chest. So when Cormac tells him to run, Tharion like, stops his attention to him to see him be shot. He's not dead yet. And Tharion wonders if there's any way to get him out and healed in time. But then the two of them lock eyes. Cormac pleads, commands Tharion to go. He has done this to get Tharion time. It seems when Sophie was gone, he didn't have the desire to go on.

[A]

Oh my God.

[B]

Not worth it.

[A]

It is not what real love is.

[B]

Unless you're in an intergalactic battle, then I can't speak for you. But otherwise, not worth it. Tharion decides he's going to take the opportunity to run. If he hadn't, they likely both would have been killed anyway. The mech suit is on his ass as he hauls Finn out of the room. He takes one last look at Cormac as he nears the exit.

[A]

Cormac managed to lift a bloody hand to point behind Pippa. She drew up short and whirled to face the five glowing beings at the far end of the space. The Asteri. Oh gods, they'd come. Cormac gave no warning as he erupted into a ball of fire.

[B]

So he takes this last burst of energy, much like another creature in the Throne of Glass series does.

[A]

Are you hurting me, Natalie? So I want to read it again and I don't have time.

[B]

No, it's a very.

[A]

It's very time consuming that we can do. And all I want to do is read Throne of Glass.

[B]

Can't do it. He watches as Pippa is engulfed in the fireball that was Cormac. Then the mech suit that was attacking Tharion is consumed. And yet the fire burns, burns, burns that korma fire.

[A]

Although that would be fun if that started playing as he. That would be heated to flames.

[B]

Great soundtrack.

[A]

Oh, that's awesome.

[B]

Tharion runs. Chaos erupts, both in and out of the building. And he uses this to his advantage to start bolting towards the treeline, following the call of the Viper Queen. To lead him back to shore. So he's using the leash to find his directions back towards her.

[A]

He was half a mile away when the entire building exploded, taking Cormac, the suits, and the rebels with him. Bye. Got explosion.

[B]

Sorry, Pippa.

[A]

Bye. You've been a thorn in our side for so long, and you keep showing up, being like, I'm going to finally do it. This is going to be the time.

[B]

She lost the plot.

[A]

Done it.

[B]

Bye. Bye. Bye. We last left Rune facing off with Mordoch. Turns out it didn't go well. We find Ruhn beaten and chained in a cell.

[A]

Sorry, man.

[B]

No matter. He was just cloaked in shadows. Mordoc knew his scent well now and would have found him regardless in his days. He wonders if Day had set him up this entire time. Maybe this was all a ruse to get him here. Aw. Used his heart.

[A]

Oh, then, yeah, maybe you should have thought about that rune.

[B]

That's what it felt like whenever. That scene where Hunt is on the. The barge. The first book. That's what my heart felt like.

[A]

Yes. Our heart hurts right now. And some. That's what life is. Okay? Life is your heart hurting in different ways, in different times.

[B]

But not everybody's a double agent. Sometimes it can feel like it. But not everybody.

[A]

I don't trust Natalie. I don't trust any of them.

[B]

It's hard. Even your husband?

[A]

Yeah. And I say every day, I shake them down, like, where are the wires? Where are they? And make them take off all the. His clothes. And I say, slower, slower. But I'm dressed like this. And he's like, please, we don't.

[B]

I have to go to work.

[A]

I gotta. I have to go to work. I have to have a day. So slower sounds like something a spy would say.

[B]

Then his door. Then the cell door opens. So he's mulling over these thoughts, realizing maybe he's been betrayed this entire time by this being who he thinks he might have been falling in love with.

[A]

Oh, boy.

[B]

Cell door opens and he is dismayed to find Hunt and Bryce being shoved into the room with him. But at least they're alive.

[A]

And at least they're being shoved in the same room. You know, I wouldn't expect it.

[B]

Mordoch mocks them, marveling at how stupid they are for falling into the trap the Asteri had set for them. Apparently, they knew that they were coming. They knew all of these things were going to happen. He seems very proud of himself for having tracked them around Lunatheon for weeks at Rigelus command.

[A]

Yeah, good Work. Good work. I've been sniffing for my daddy. I've been sniffing for my daddy.

[B]

Come sit on Rhiadus. Lap.

[A]

Put me there again, Daddy. That was me shaking my leg. I wasn't jerking off. I was shaking my leg like I'm a dog.

[B]

I mean, use your imaginations however you want.

[A]

Whatever happens between Murdoch and Rigelous is in your mind. But if you'd like to share it with us, Romantasy, deep dives over on Instagram and Tick Tock.

[B]

I feel like more dog is definitely a sub.

[A]

Oh, yeah. I mean, me thinks he does produce too much. You know what I mean? Like, it's definitely one of those.

[B]

So he's really proud of himself. He did the thing the daddy told him to do. He was sniffing them out the entire time, following their. Their footsteps everywhere he is. Tells Hunt his scent is weird. He's like, I could find yours easily because it's a strange scent. Not like the other angels.

[A]

Oh, my God. He's not like the other angels. Oh, my God. Natalie. He's like, oh.

[B]

They're all like, what do you mean? Nobody knows what he's talking about, but he's like, you smell different. The harpy who had accompanied Mordoch to the cell behind him. They're both. They're both going fools. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, we were good at it. Yeah.

[B]

Tells harpy. Tells Murdoch to beat it, that she wants some time alone, some torture time with the crew before the hind gets there and ruins her fun. Hunt tries to draw her attention away from Bryce by spitting on her. He's like, come over here. Dumb. Because he doesn't want her to pay attention to Bryce. But I think that's just gonna make it more.

[A]

Yeah. Obviously obvious. Yeah.

[B]

The hot. But he's. You know, he's not always.

[A]

I know. And he's just so upset. And we're so upset.

[B]

Everybody's upset. The harpy pulls out a curved blade and begins to taunt them. Going to Rune, she threatens to cut off his balls. Holds the knife to his crotch. Bryce screams, which of course only delights the harpy. She tells her that she's going to enjoy hearing Bryce's screams as she flays her two boys. She presses her blade into Ruhn's throat, breaks the skin. And Ruhn, whose thoughts were with, feels himself drifting away, the way his mind would disappear when his father brutalized him.

[A]

Something golden and swift as the wind barreled into her side and sent the harpy sprawling. Bryce shouted, but all the noise, all the thoughts in Ruhn's head eddied away as a familiar, lovely scent hit him as he beheld the female, who leapt to her feet. Now a wall between him and the harpy. The Hind.

[B]

A familiar, lovely scent.

[A]

He's been looking for it. Stick's been looking for it. Uh oh.

[B]

What's gonna happen? Something's crazy. We gotta leave here, though.

[A]

I'm scared. I'm so excited. I'm so excited.

[B]

We've learned a lot of lore today. We learned more about what the Asteri are. We know that they are potentially killable. They're not immortal beings. They're not gods. They're parasites. Now they have this information, but the whole time, the Asteri knew what the entire team was. Was doing. They wanted them drawn to the palace for some reason. And now we're just learning a little something. Maybe about Agent Day.

[A]

The Hind. Is it?

[B]

Is it?

[A]

Please read up until chapter 77 for next week. Sa. Why have I asked my H Vac.

[B]

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.

[A]

Make it quick, young man. Aw.

[B]

See? Pop Pop trusts you.

[A]

I think we should call a doctor. Connecting homeowners with skilled pros for over 30 years.

[B]

Angie, the one you trust.

[A]

Define the ones you trust. Find pros for all your home [e-mail].