LPN Deep Dives: HOSAB / Episode 5: Nips in Heaven

Summary

LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City – Episode 5: Nips in Heaven

Hosts: Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski
Release Date: July 8, 2025

---

Introduction & Trigger Warning

Natalie Jean opens the episode with a trigger warning for listeners sensitive to discussions about creepy crawly bugs:

“I bring up a bunch of creepy crawly bugs too many times and if this yucks you out to an extreme, please skip this episode. Love you.”
[00:57]

The hosts briefly discuss upcoming events and promotions but swiftly transition into the main content of the episode.

---

Deep Dive into Crescent City

Chapter 5: Ethan's Troubling Arrival

Jackie Zebrowski and Natalie Jean delve into Chapter 5, where Ethan arrives at Bryce’s apartment severely injured. The scene sets a tense atmosphere as Bryce tends to Ethan’s wounds amidst their strained relationship.

Notable Quotes:

Jackie: “He’s really jacked up. Broken ribs, skull fracture, and my chest.”
[20:17]

Natalie: “He almost has lost his eyeball. So that is to say, he was beaten to the point of almost death.”
[29:03]

They discuss Ethan's backstory, his estrangement from the wolf pack, and his complicated feelings towards Bryce.

Chapter 6: Rune and the Autumn King's Conflict

The focus shifts to Rune’s confrontation with his father, the Autumn King. The discussion highlights the patriarchal tensions and the impending arranged marriage to Hypaxia, revealing deeper conflicts within the Fae lineage.

Notable Quotes:

Natalie: “It's like, you think you’re not a part of the pack, but you are.”
[33:05]

Jackie: “Rune is about to start a physical fight, but Cormac walks out, leaving him with...”
[66:47]

The hosts analyze the power dynamics and the threats posed by the Hind, Hypaxia’s sister, adding layers to the political intrigue of Crescent City.

Chapter 7: Bryce's Struggles and Relationships

Bryce’s internal struggles take center stage as she grapples with grief, survivor's guilt, and her complex relationships with Ethan and Hunt. The hosts explore Bryce's emotional depth and her resilience in the face of ongoing turmoil.

Notable Quotes:

Jackie: “Bryce is trying to protect Ethan, thinking Sabine is going to show up.”
[48:07]

Natalie: “She feels lonely without a pack. Without a pack.”
[50:13]

The conversation delves into Bryce’s past friendships, her current predicament, and the lingering effects of past battles on her psyche.

Chapter 8: Preparing for New Archangels

The episode moves to Chapter 8, where Bryce and Hunt prepare for the arrival of a new archangel. The anticipation of external threats and the necessity of unity are emphasized as they brace themselves for upcoming challenges.

Notable Quotes:

Jackie: “The city is in a fervor, getting everything cleaned up and decorated for the new archangel.”
[71:53]

Natalie: “Bryce reminds Hunt of what they did to the last two archangels. It’s hot and badass.”
[72:54]

The hosts discuss the strategic preparations and the underlying tensions between Bryce and Hunt, highlighting their evolving partnership.

---

Character Development & Relationship Dynamics

Throughout the episode, Natalie and Jackie provide insightful analysis of the characters’ motivations and the complexities of their relationships:

• Bryce Quinlan: Portrayed as a resilient protagonist dealing with immense pressure and emotional scars.
• Ethan Holstrom: His protective instincts and unresolved feelings towards Bryce contribute to the tension.
• Rune: Struggles with familial obligations and his disdain for the Autumn King’s oppressive rules.
• Cormac: Represents the antagonistic force, pushing forward archaic traditions and prejudices.

The hosts emphasize the nuanced portrayals and the interwoven destinies that drive the narrative forward.

Notable Quotes:

Jackie: “Ethan wants to know if Bryce loved him, which she did.”
[50:14]

Natalie: “Bryce is trying to stay out of trouble, but trouble keeps finding them.”
[18:41]

---

Insights & Analysis

Natalie and Jackie explore themes such as power, loyalty, and identity within Crescent City. They discuss the implications of arranged marriages, the burden of legacy, and the struggle for personal autonomy against societal expectations.

Notable Insights:

• The concept of "mate" in Crescent City is deeply rooted in both romantic destiny and biological imperatives.
• Bryce’s role as a protector juxtaposed with her personal vulnerabilities adds depth to her character arc.
• The political machinations between the Fae and other supernatural entities set the stage for future conflicts.

Notable Quotes:

Jackie: “Mate could mean predestined true love or a binding alliance. It’s a lot to process for Bryce.”
[51:15]

Natalie: “Perspective can be brutal.”
[26:31]

---

Conclusion & Teaser for Next Episode

As the episode wraps up, Natalie and Jackie reflect on the intense developments and tease upcoming discussions on further plot twists and character evolutions in Crescent City.

Notable Quotes:

Natalie: “Please read until chapter 11 for next week.”
[94:05]

The hosts encourage listeners to stay engaged and look forward to uncovering more layers of Sarah J. Maas’s intricate world in future episodes.

---

Notable Quotes Throughout the Episode

• “Pathway of pain and anger burns bright.”
  [37:46]

• “Selkie protectors have been the cornerstone of our society.”
  [52:42]

• “Necromancer is different than necrophilia.”
  [62:27]

---

Final Thoughts

This episode of LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the intricate plot and complex characters in Sarah J. Maas’s series. Natalie and Jackie skillfully navigate through the narrative’s twists, providing listeners with deeper insights and thoughtful analysis. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to Crescent City, this episode enriches your understanding and appreciation of the story’s multifaceted dynamics.

---

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Transcript

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[Natalie Jean]

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[Jackie Zabrowski]

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[Natalie Jean]

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[Jackie Zabrowski]

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[Natalie Jean]

Cannot be combined with any other offer but up hey guys, just a little heads up of a surprise trigger warning for this episode. I bring up a bunch of creepy crawly bugs too many times and if this yucks you out to an extreme, please skip this episode. Love you. We're excited to announce that we're going to Prythian and Vaalbara and Basgaeth if.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You'Re nasty and you can too.

[Natalie Jean]

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, photo shoots, hoteez Everybody.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

At least 15 different events at the otherworldly Gaylord Texan Resort that you can customize to make the perfect trip fit your Fantasy Dreams.

[Natalie Jean]

Visit fantastiquecollection.com and use our code Faybayes at checkout to receive $10 off of any of these events.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Dreamers and readers.

[Natalie Jean]

Night one and two, Mythical Creatures, Masquerade, Fantastic Starfall Ball and the Farewell Fae Bash.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

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

[Natalie Jean]

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

[Jackie Zabrowski]

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

[Natalie Jean]

Gimme, gimme.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Give me that swag.

[Natalie Jean]

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

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm about to yell, and I don't even know why or who.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I completely understand. Because, yes, if you do, listen to page seven. Yeah. This is a continuation of me complaining weeks ago about Ed cutting in the line and to a point that we had to just start rolling because Natalie and I have just been yelling about people that don't adhere to the rules of society. I don't respect a line cutter.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't. No, no, because like you said, oh, you think you're better and more important than everybody else. Everybody in the line. Same thing. When you're in traffic, there is a certain way the traffic works when you're all feeding into the highway traffic. And if you're like, well, I need to be ahead. I have places to be, you're like, oh, I guess none of us do.

[Natalie Jean]

None of us do.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We're all just having little joy rides while you have to go do your TikTok.

[Natalie Jean]

Love being in traffic. I will say I have seen your husband go into the turn lane.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I know.

[Natalie Jean]

To cut off. Everybody at the light does not.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I do not agree with his driving.

[Natalie Jean]

Honestly, though, it gets to such another level, though, that at that point, I respect it. Because then it's so brazen that, like. Well, then it's like, well, I guess.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know, I don't. You know why people have guns now?

[Natalie Jean]

All right, yes, you are right. I mean, road rage is. You're right. Don't just.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's not. I get it.

[Natalie Jean]

If you're in the car, keep the windows up, though. Keep the windows up. And don't yell, like, off anybody.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Don't do it. It's not worth it. Road rage is, like, at a peak level right now. Like, it's getting crazier. Don't get into an argument with somebody on the road because they might fucking shoot you, bro.

[Natalie Jean]

But could you imagine getting into that fight dressed the way we are? Because here's the thing. None. I don't know if you guys know this, but Natalie drives here in costume, and I would love it if you were dressed like the Autumn King with your ears. Oh, baby, you are really getting some horizontal length over here on those ears. You're looking great.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know why I was trying to do this? Pulling my hair behind my ears.

[Natalie Jean]

I like it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But then it's just making my ears go to the side.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, but. But it makes them more pronounced, and I feel like you definitely look more like the Autumn King than I. Well, just as much as you look like the Autumn King as I look like the Chucky doll.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, you.

[Natalie Jean]

Which was completely unintentional.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You look great. I actually think you look like a broccoli Gen Z. Whoa.

[Natalie Jean]

I see you, and I appreciate that because I feel that, like, I'm given. Oh, I don't. Because I feel like the hair want to.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I kind of want that wig.

[Natalie Jean]

Really? Yeah. I feel like it is good for broccoli head. You're right. It is giving good broccoli head. But I feel like it could also, if I were not covered in blood with also. I don't know if you guys can see now that I realize the microphone is in the way, but I do have tufted.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I love.

[Natalie Jean]

I love this look.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I. You're crushing it.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you. I did get my tear here, because I feel like that's when you know you're a wolf shifter. You know, if you have a big bushel of chest hair.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I definitely think Ethan has a ton of chest hair.

[Natalie Jean]

Right at the. Even at the age of. What is he, 17?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, he's in his 20s. Is he?

[Natalie Jean]

Man, my brain really made him a child. Like, I kept him. I think it's because I never thirsted for him.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

So I always, like, kept him in. And honestly, I will say whenever we get. Nope. I will say nothing.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I. I don't know what you're saying, but I know, and I will say nothing.

[Natalie Jean]

I know. That's why I was like, how do I say this without spoiling? And I can't, and I won't.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, he was. I think he was, like, a freshman when they were seniors in college, and then the time jump happened.

[Natalie Jean]

Gotcha. Oh, my God. I was, like, blasting Dochi's alter ego earlier, and I don't know if you're familiar with that song, but I was like, it is like giving Bryce. There's something about alter ego that it's like the whole, like. Like, the vibe of it is just like, fuck that. Yes, I did want to send it to you early, but I didn't want to send it to you that early because I was at 1 o' clock in the morning sending you videos of a dog and a raccoon becoming friends.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I did watch that. Thank you.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, good, I'm glad. And I did say, nobody can ever tell me to go to sleep. So I didn't want to end your night and also start your next day.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I thought you were trying to save me this fun. I thought you should have sent me a song because, as you know, I awoke to a.

[Natalie Jean]

A What would you call that?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

A farm? A fly had their babies in my laundry.

[Natalie Jean]

It's interesting that you say they're babies because I feel like I wouldn't refer to them as your.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Their babies because that was that fly's best day. That fly just had its dream come.

[Natalie Jean]

Was coming in the laundry. Because if you are listening to this and you're like, wait a second, did Natalie find maggots in her laundry? You would be correct. Do you want to scream to death? Because I heard this earlier, before we started recording page seven. And I. I literally did for a really long time. Because I like, there's nothing. I mean, the writhing, the movement. It's like the movement. I don't think they make a sound, but in my brain they make a sound. And I think it's because. I'm sorry. I know it's because of Poltergeist and in that scene.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Scenes. It was so scary when I was a kid.

[Natalie Jean]

I still get upset when I see that scene.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, it's gross.

[Natalie Jean]

But Natalie, I was like, that's how.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They came out of my laundry. Like that scene in Poltergeist. So they came out, I was dressed.

[Natalie Jean]

Like this and I was like, please say she's going to cancel the show. And I would be completely fine with it because you want to call out maggot, I'll give it to you. I will never. I. You know what? I want everyone to hear this right now. If you ever work with me and you got a call out because you got a bunch of maggots in your clothes, I accept it and you are allowed to.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you so much for that. I just feel.

[Natalie Jean]

But only that.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And feel heard.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, only that. So hopefully it happens again if there's.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Just basic worms in my laundry. We got to record.

[Natalie Jean]

Gotta record.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. Don't know. Don't know how that happened. I think one of the dogs maybe left a piece of food in the laundry pile on the ground for a couple days. I got behind and.

[Natalie Jean]

Are you ever gonna do laundry ever again? I don't know if I could ever touch. I don't know if. I don't even know if I can do laundry ever again.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I still have to deal with the rest of the laundry.

[Natalie Jean]

No, I say get rid of. Just burn the whole room. Set it all aflame.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know what's very funny? We have to talk about this book here. But.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, we're gonna. We're gonna. I have.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Of course. I was up at 7:30. I was getting ready for recording a bunch of stuff today and When I. This happened and I put. Picked a shirt up and I was like, what? What is. And then a bunch of maggots fell out of it. And I screamed. I had to of course, wake up my husband because this is a husband's job.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I could not handle it all myself. But I tried. I was like, oh, no, there's way more maggots than I. There's never just like four. And so how many maggots we talk.

[Natalie Jean]

And I mean, I know everyone is really wants to shudder to death, but give me. I don't.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

At least 50.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh my God.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I have no idea.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh my God. I'm just. I'm. I'm. I'm triggered but. And I'm traumatized thing.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's so funny. Isn't life ironic? Is that a big portion of where we found them were was in Henry's the fly shirt.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, did somebody come for a visit? We all want Jeff Goldblum in our home. Just not like that. Is he coming on your laundry?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I maybe see if it was. Do you think he comes?

[Natalie Jean]

I was about to say, even if it came from his like. I know. I don't want to touch those maggots. I don't. It's. It's reminding me of when we had lawn grub in my onion patch. And the only way to get rid of one grubs which are big and thick. The only way to get rid of them is to smash them and then they explode. And so I just.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I guess I should have put a trigger warning at the top of this episode. You guys ready to talk about some erotica?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, man. We're having a bit of a squirt explosion, but not in the way that.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You would wish was happening.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, you gotta go after those grubs. Never let a grub keep you down.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And then the other thing on my way here is they decided they were just. The men came and they said, we're gonna rip your street up today. Good morning. And so one of our cars is completely trapped in our driveway. And the other one.

[Natalie Jean]

I wonder if there's maggots in it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

In my car.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. It could be they came from somewhere.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Maybe they're from my car.

[Natalie Jean]

Ooh. And maybe you'll be scared like every time you open up your dresser drawers or every time you go into your closet or anytime you ever put a piece of clothing on ever again.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Or maybe you won't think about it every time, but like every 50th time.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You'Re gonna think about it. Probably. I still Think about the other time I found maggots under the Sink. In like 2016, you all have had.

[Natalie Jean]

Natalie, if I ever happened to ponce maggots, I think I'd bring it up every social occasion.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You would? Should I be talking about this more audience? Let me know in the comments below. Should I be talking about my maggot experiences more? Yeah, it was an Airbnb.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay. Okay. It wasn't in your home. I feel like in. In. In home. Maggot find is unconscionable. All right, Like, I.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So just for the sake of our.

[Natalie Jean]

Stop talking about.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Let's maybe stop talking. Saying the word maggot.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know how you're ever gonna know.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know, they maybe don't want to think about maggots today.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm sorry, everyone. This is a horny book.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I did it. I brought it up.

[Natalie Jean]

How literally, how is Natalie not gonna bring it up today? We had to talk about this.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, I was gonna say as I was walking in my car, the other one was thankfully parked on a different street. And so I had to walk past the construction boys like this.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah. You get a little King Cold out there.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Take a picture to last longer.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm bad to my child. Just. Yeah, just.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm a. Yeah. I'm an abusive parent.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm a bit of a bad daddy. Are you excited by me? Yeah, give. Give them the daddy energy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes. Okay, we gotta go. Chapter six. We're back at Bryce's apartment. Bryce and Hunt's apartment, I guess I should say.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God. Yeah, you should.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

In chapter six, we see Sirix for the first time in this book as Bryce is scrambling around. Because as you'll recall, at the end of the last chap, they come across Ethan just in their apartment.

[Natalie Jean]

Again. I just. I'm trapped in the world of horror and I didn't even know if I.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, there's no stabbing in that scene.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I was thinking of Chucky. I'm. I'm getting. I'm lost in Chucky. I'm. I'm lost in a doll figure in my brain.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I see.

[Natalie Jean]

It's simpler in here. All I think about is kill, kill, kill.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I gotta get this.

[Natalie Jean]

Save me. Natalie. Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I. I think you're killing it.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't think the wolves have Fay ears.

[Natalie Jean]

Right? No, I didn't think so. I really did. Look, but I don't think that they're fake because they're not Fae. They're just veneer. Right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Let's see. What does the Internet.

[Natalie Jean]

Say Internet.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, he has. No, he has curved ears.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, see, look, he's normal curved ears.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He's got. He's got all the hair.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, he's got this floof here. It's like, I feel the scene in Bird Cage when she goes through his hand. She's like, when did you get all this chest hair? When Christine Baranski starts looking through his chest hair. It's. I'm. It's very itchy to apply, but it looks spirit gum to your chest. Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Thank you.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, also, this spray blood, man, they're really coming very far. We used to always make our own blood for murder Fist because it was much cheaper than getting stage blood, man. It's really come down in price. And it's just the squirt ability is just way better than using high fructose corn syrup.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You really look like you were beaten by your den mother. Yeah, and I'm upset about it, but what's going on? We'll find out. Am I spoiling it just a little? I'm hinting.

[Natalie Jean]

So, I mean, I'm. I think that I'm given here a little bit.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Giving. Oh, a spoiler.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Yeah, you found me. But how did you find me? Oh, no. Oh, no. I might need to be kissed back to health.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce, you know I'm not into Ethan.

[Natalie Jean]

No, she won't.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, you're being Ethan.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm being Ethan at Bryce.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, got it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Follow my lust. Natalie.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We see Syrinx for the first time, and it's because Bryce is scrambling around trying to find the first aid stuff in her apartment. And Syrinx is, like, doing Syrinx things, and she's, like, kind of getting in the way, but being cute. And so she's just, like, sees the injured Ethan goes, we'll deal with this first, and then I'll figure out what the. What you're doing here. If you'll recall, Bryson Hunt came back from the house party at Runes, and this is where they found him on the floor. She finds the supplies in her bathroom and thinks about how she's barely seen Ethan since the night of the murders and how he is now barely conscious on her floor.

[Natalie Jean]

Sorry. Text the wolf back, bitch. But also, I know there's a lot of issues.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I guess that's one way to get back in the life of a friend who you've been estranged from.

[Natalie Jean]

She's just show up covered in blood. I've heard that really helps extend a friendship. Yeah, I will say it might not, because I am getting blood I should have let it all dry, but I didn't, and I'm getting blood everywhere. So maybe think about that before you show up. So maybe bring your own towels that you can lay down.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, you're. I mean, you're. You're thinking ahead.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce doesn't really know where to start trying to pull apart what's happened, let alone their strained relationship. So she just starts treating the wounds. Yeah, she can tell Hunt is angry as she's beginning this process. And it's not just because his Bryce alone time has done been interrupted. He demands to know why Ethan is here with no subtlety.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, he's there to protect his bitch. I mean, just show up and knows that their relationship is strained. To put this on her also just.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Seems like he's bringing some problems into.

[Natalie Jean]

Their home and they don't need it right now. They're trying to stay out of trouble right now, but. Trouble. Darn it. It just keeps seeming to find them.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Drama much? Ethan.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, he is a bit of a dramatic.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Were you gonna try to work the word wolf in there?

[Natalie Jean]

I was. And I couldn't. I was like dramawolf. But then it's just drama wolf. And that's not a joke, Jackie. I know everyone's living for my smashed forced puns, but. No. Nothing.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Not today.

[Oregon Lottery Announcer]

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[Jackie Zabrowski]

Lowes knows July 4th savings are worth celebrating right now. Get up to 40% off. Select major appliances and get an additional 10% off two or more. Select major appliances. Plus get three Scott's Naturescapes 1.5 cubic foot mulch bags for just $10. These deals are coming in hot. Lowes, we help you Save. Valid through 7 9. Selection varies by location while supplies last. SeeLose.com for more details. Excludes Alaska and Hawaii. Ethan mumbles in response to Hunt that Perry the Omega of his pack dropped him here. Which does not really answer any questions.

[Natalie Jean]

Nope.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So Bryce presses him as she examines his injuries. He's really jacked up. Broken ribs, skull fracture, and my chest.

[Natalie Jean]

Hair is poking out.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Chest.

[Natalie Jean]

What do I do? Bryce?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Tons of bleeding wounds. Blood's in his chest hair.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my nipples are protruding. Cause I'm so thick. Bryce.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Actually, mine are. I don't know if you can see through this blazer.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa. You are. Man. Your abs are up by your neck.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't know why this is.

[Natalie Jean]

That is impressive.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Cheap bodysuit.

[Natalie Jean]

No.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I think so. The nipples are about right here.

[Natalie Jean]

Wow. That is. I think you should get a chest lengthening.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Surgery probably exists. I saw a guy who got his shins link materialists.

[Natalie Jean]

We're not talking about the tier list right now.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What's that?

[Natalie Jean]

It's a not rom com. Rom com With Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. But everyone's upset because they said it was a rom com. But then we went to go see it, and it's not a rom com.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, God. I regret asking. Right.

[Natalie Jean]

But you got the answer.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I did. I got the answer. So he's all. He's got wounds. He's got chest hair everywhere. Oh, it looks like he almost lost an eye. So that is to say, he was beaten to the point of almost death. And it's like, what did he do? Bryson Hunt analyzes injuries while making cutesy jokes together. And Ethan looks confused and kind of grossed out because he's watching a couple who's just gotten together.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Be cutesy wootsy at each other. And he's got a hard on. But not right now.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No. So he's got both a hard on and is hard off. Hard off. Yes. Bryce taking insult, tells him that she'll get him cleaned up so he can go be on his merry way. That's when Ithan finally breaks the news he has been banished from his pack.

[Natalie Jean]

So glad you came here to drop it on my doorstep.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Always dropping stuff on her doorstep, baby.

[Natalie Jean]

And it's always covered in blood.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sometimes it's got wings.

[Natalie Jean]

It's got.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What's the other fluid?

[Natalie Jean]

Come on.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Can't always become.

[Natalie Jean]

It can always become.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's when Ethan finally breaks the news.

[Natalie Jean]

Man, I'm just thinking about Jeff Goldblum coming all over your laundry. But he's like.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He's just like.

[Natalie Jean]

He's just like, get out of my. I. I'd rather it have just been a fl.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sabine. Well, maybe we'll get his. His inheritance.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, if that gets us in the will, then I mean, I guess. Yeah. You come on. Those eggs. Do they come on eggs the way like a praying mantis? Or is that what a praying mantis.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Says I looked at.

[Natalie Jean]

I made that up.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I looked at Fish last time. I did not look up this for you today. So I don't know.

[Natalie Jean]

I thought that you always came prepared, Natalie. And you let me down.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's what I do.

[Natalie Jean]

No, Natalie. No. You never do. Look at my beautiful chest hair. Yeah, it's just a section of chest hair. And yeah, maybe you can see where the chest hair ends. But don't look at that portion.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm pulling my blazer off. Mostly because.

[Natalie Jean]

Natalie, the Versaille imitude.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I am profusely sweating.

[Natalie Jean]

Where are your nipples right now? Natalie, it's 10pm where are your nipples?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hopefully out and about. So he has been banished. Sabine has exiled him from the Wolf compound. Apparently a news article has come out that day about the day of the portals opening. So there was a big, like, just review of everything that's happened.

[Natalie Jean]

Like. Like people that saw it and people that were involved. You know, like sources say.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. And Ethan had been interviewed in it. And he had defended Bryce against Sabine's thorough bashing of her.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, he knew.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, she was also tear. Like Sabine was in the wrong 100.

[Natalie Jean]

But you don't go against the pack.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You'Re not supposed to. I've seen Twilight.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce and Hunt both seem a little stunned. And Bryce has to force herself not to immediately go seek out the article. A little emotional cutting. It's really hard to not look at stuff online about yourself. But you shouldn't. What? I'm not talking to anyone specifically. No one specifically.

[Natalie Jean]

Ouch. Ouch.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Everyone in my life does it. Both my co hosts and my husband do it. And it's.

[Natalie Jean]

I am but an angel. Please.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I should be cutting off your. Your. I should give you some sort of like, blocker on your Internet.

[Natalie Jean]

No. No. But then how can I look up which Love Islander is which? Because I always forget their names.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That might be good for you, too. To another outside hobby from Love Island.

[Natalie Jean]

It is kind of crazy though. After 20 hours, I still don't know all their names.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Why would you. Why would you fill your head with that information?

[Natalie Jean]

I don't need to, but I can look it up because. Don't worry, you have plenty of time to doom scroll while you watch it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

God, no, thank you. I'm too smart.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, with your nipples in your earlobes. I'm not.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm a little. Yeah. So Bryce is like, oh, God, I don't want to look at it. Bryce wants to know why Sabine would be wasting her time on petty arguments in newspapers. And Ethan says that he made Sabine look bad, going against her comments. So that's why she was mad. She had been in the same article, basically talking about how Bryce was just, you know, oh, some whore. She loves to call her a whore. Who.

[Natalie Jean]

It is a little like old at this point. It's like, okay, get a new thing, Sabine. Like you can go after her, but get a little more creative. Come on.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They rarely are. The insults are rarely creative. Then Ithan basically just said the truth, which sometimes people don't like to hear it. They don't want to hear it.

[Natalie Jean]

No. Perspective can be brutal.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes. And Ethan also did this thing like you said, where you can't go against the wolves, especially the prime, or the prime elect.

[Natalie Jean]

What is it called?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The prime apparent prime parent. So they don't do that like that.

[Natalie Jean]

It's prime apparent, by the way. I feel like we've never really talked about that. I like that. It's like, I mean, it. It seems. But we're not the one that's saying. I mean, only the prime can say, apparently.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Is this because you.

[Natalie Jean]

Are you still thinking about walking in front of those construction people? I dress like this.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Is that like God sleep or had a morning that was normal. So just where I am, you know.

[Natalie Jean]

I. I'm actually really enjoying this energy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Great. It's. It's. Who knows where it's gonna go.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't like bestow more maggot life upon stew, but if I did, maybe. Look what I stood on you. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Maybe I should start an account talking about how they're like the wellness community. Like a. You need them.

[Natalie Jean]

They have feelings too, to like, know.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

For yourself, you know, like this with the selfish wellness community being like, you have maggots. You wash your hair with them. It infuses you with organ energy. Organ. I forget the word.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. I like organ energy, though, because then it just sounds like you're putting a bunch of chicken livers all over my face.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's going into your organs cleaned out.

[Natalie Jean]

That's great. Organs for my organs. What'll they think of next?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So Ethan basically is like, yeah, so I went against her. But he. He adds, you know, it's not necessarily like he's just like trying to get up, you know, crawl up Bryce's ass. It's that he is.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, he would if given the opportunity. But.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But because the actual prime had called Bryce a wolf that day. And so he. In his mind, he wasn't going against the wolves, he was defending a wolf. Because the prime called Bryce all wolves.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, that's like, all right, that's beautiful and everything, but, like. Like, come on. We all know she's not actually a part of the back.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, but she actually did save everybody.

[Natalie Jean]

She definitely did. I'm saying she had the right to be defended. But I feel like that's definitely, like, a while. He's getting the beaten out of him. He's like. I mean, technically, I think, oh, I did. Oh. Think that she. Oh, was a wolf.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Like, I feel like it didn't work.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, he tried. You gotta throw. You gotta try stuff. I mean, when you're getting beat up.

[Natalie Jean]

He's too hot to be that smart. Yeah, you can't be both.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He's a sunball player. You think he went to classes?

[Natalie Jean]

He's throwing himself into the ground too many times.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know, I think maybe he also didn't finish college. It seems like after the murders, he kind of just stopped doing everything.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, I get that. I understand.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Or maybe he never was in college. I don't remember. He might have just been hanging out with the college kids while he was.

[Natalie Jean]

While he played chewing sunball.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't remember, and I'm not gonna ever know.

[Natalie Jean]

Honestly, I feel like it's the same as, like, in the world of a Riverdale, where it's like, you know, they go to school somewhere in some fashion.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But they're, like, around stuff.

[Natalie Jean]

It's like, if you have to go be a wolf shifter, where are you gonna really learn what you need from the pack?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

From wolf school.

[Natalie Jean]

We gotta go to wolf trade school.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, that'd be cute.

[Natalie Jean]

I would love it. Please. Oh, can you imagine how great I would be? I think I'm more coyote than wolf.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's cool. Coyotes are great.

[Natalie Jean]

There's been more coyote attacks in the neighborhood. I don't know if you've seen on Neighborhood. What is it? Neighborhood watch. Watching the. Watching the burbs.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They come down into the valley sometimes because they get. They get lost.

[Natalie Jean]

They get thirsty, and sometimes they're drinking out of the pools.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sabine, of course, did not see it that way. That Bryce was a wolf. Even says that Perry remembered that he and Bryce used to be friends. So he dropped an unconscious Ethan at her apartment as perhaps a show of defiance against Sabine.

[Natalie Jean]

And also so that hunt, he didn't choose it. He got dropped there.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. So relax. Calm down.

[Natalie Jean]

Calm down. Bryce swallowed. Conner's little brother had once been her best friend. After Danica Fury and June had come. After that. Gods, how many messages had she and Ethan swapped over the years? How many juvenile Jokes had they shared. How many times had she bounced in the stands at one of his sunball games? No.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He loved that.

[Natalie Jean]

Screaming her lungs out for him. The male before her was a stranger. Who, me? But Bryce, I feel like if she said something like, I'd be. But you know me. And I just defended Ethan. I'm Ethan.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I just imagine him trying to focus on sunball and Bryce in the stands going.

[Natalie Jean]

My breasts are everywhere but here for the sun ball.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ethan seems to feel the awkwardness in the room and tells her he'll get up and go like I'm. Whenever you finish taking care of me, I'll just leave.

[Natalie Jean]

Get me out of here. All right. Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, but, you know, he's not really drunk. No. Bryce stops him. Now that she knows that he's an outlander, she won't let him walk the streets alone.

[Natalie Jean]

It's very nice you of her.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, he's staying with her until they figure something out. Hunt agrees, even if he's annoyed he's not willing to throw this broken and bloodied male out on his ass. It becomes obvious that Ethan is so injured he barely argues. He agrees to one night, and that's that. We go to Hunt's pov, and he's listening to Bryce make excuses to her parents why they have to leave town early over the phone as Ethan lies bleeding on Bryce's coffee table. Because, don't worry, we're not just dealing with Ethan. This is like my morning.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We're not just dealing with maggots. We're also dealing with construction workers.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She's also dealing with her engagement.

[Natalie Jean]

So you had a bad day. Did you think that the second you saw I'll stop saying the word them?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

I can't stop thinking about it. And I know that everyone listening to this episode. Don't try to hide from me. I know you're also thinking about it and we're trying not to. And we're gonna get through the episode.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Guys. I wish I could have not brought it up.

[Natalie Jean]

But you couldn't. It's legal for you to not bring this up. How?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Imagine this happening and then not talking about it. Maybe you would never. Maybe you would be so mortified. I guess I'm missing that part of me that's supposed to.

[Natalie Jean]

Why? Fly happens.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Did you just say, fly happens?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Do you feel comforted?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Fly happen.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, wow.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Get used to it. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

I feel like you have to say fly happen. Get used to it. I feel like it goes together. Anyway. Sorry.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Where did we go. I'm completely lost.

[Natalie Jean]

Sorry. We're talking about Ethan. I'm on the. I'm on the coffee table, knees in the garden, watching him. Gizza.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I'll talk about Robin most days.

[Natalie Jean]

Robin.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So now that we're dealing with Ethan, she also has to deal with the matter of her parents. Hopefully not finding out about the alleged betrothed. Connor. No.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Cormac.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Cormac. Cormac. Oh, my God. Not Connor.

[Natalie Jean]

No. How dare you speak ill of the dead?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I mean, he. No. He would have loved to have been betrothed.

[Natalie Jean]

It's fine. He's gone. We have to get over it. It's gone.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So she is now allegedly betrothed to this man from Avalon. And so she wants to get her parents out of town before they find out because she doesn't want to deal with it. So Bryce gets off the call. She's with. On with her parents. She's in the hallway. We're with Hunt's POV right now. And she returns back to the main area, facing Hunt, looking tired. All three of them are obviously very wiped out. And Bryce seems to realize that they'll have to figure out sleeping arrangements. Oh, I say all three in one bed.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, if you've got the space. The problem is, you know, Hunt's too big.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

To share that much, probably.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ethan's kind of big, too, but he doesn't have wings.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. But even then, it's like, bro, they're too broad. Poor Bryce. How would she fit? Oh, no, poor bro. She wouldn't be able to wear any clothes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So Ethan mumbles that he'll sleep on the couch, which Bryce shuts down immediately. No blood on the white couch.

[Natalie Jean]

Not again.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Not again. It'll have to be in her room. Hunt, a little too quickly, says he can stay in my room and I'll sleep on the couch. Bryce points out her bed is bigger and that she can't sleep on the couch because of her back problems, which Hunt is like, what? But she shuts down the conversation before Hunt can protest. Bryce and Ethan in her room. Hunt cucked in his bedroom.

[Natalie Jean]

Fifteen minutes later, Hunt lay in his own bed, teeth gritted, as he stared at the ceiling with only a snoring syrinx for company. It was fine. Totally fucking fine that Ethan Holstrom was sharing Bryce's bed. Totally fucking fine. I don't think. Wait a second.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You okay?

[Natalie Jean]

You're right. Oh. How you feeling, baby? Not good. He's upset.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't blame him. That would be. Can you Imagine I'd be very upset and be like, I, I. He goes on about saying he trusts Bryce and everything, but it's like, it's not about that.

[Natalie Jean]

And no, it's very upsetting.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's his bed. He screams in his thoughts, which is very cute because it's like their bed now. He was calling it Bryce's bed. It was like, actually, it's our bed.

[Natalie Jean]

It's our bed and we should be in it. But I will say, it's like you could have put Ethan in the bed by himself.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, later on, Bryce's thoughts. Later on in Bryce's thoughts, she does talk about how she wanted to protect him, thinking that Sabine was gonna show up and she has to be the protector at all times.

[Natalie Jean]

I guess not everybody's thinking about banging all the time, Jackie. And yeah, you gotta remember that.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And I don't mean to slut shame Bryce at all, but it's kind of mean on Bryce's end. He's thinking about how he last spotted her going into her bedroom braless in a threadbare T shirt, a sleeping attire. And I agree, that does not indicate anything but, like, you know how high you are, Bryce.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's just cruel to hunt.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah, you big and juicy. You know what you given.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. You don't come up, Bryce. You kill and hunt here. Not to mention, who knows what Ethan's thinking about up.

[Natalie Jean]

You know, I'm just like, oh, God. Oh, God, I like her. Don't get hard in the bed.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Because.

[Natalie Jean]

Like, thing is too. I. I want to be like, oh, Woody. Even get hard in the bed because he's so beaten up. But I feel like wolves are also kind of used to getting the beaten out of them.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, this might be bad enough that he's not like, he almost has lost his eyeball.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it's. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty bad. I mean, look at me. Yeah, I look.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

How do you feel? Do you feel like you can get a bone right now?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Hard as the day is long.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, not now. Not at work.

[Natalie Jean]

Very difficult. I don't know what to do with my short shorts. But, you know, I guess I'm just gonna have to let them bulge.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I guess so. Let them ball. I don't want to sing that song.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Commercial Insurance. Business owners meet Progressive Insurance. They make it easy to get discounts on commercial auto insurance and find coverages to grow with your business quote in as little as 7 [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company coverage provided and serviced by affiliated and third party insurers. Discounts and coverage selections not available in all states or situation.

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[Jackie Zabrowski]

So Hunt doesn't. He's not angry with Bryce, of course, because he's a real man who is not threatened by a woman being strong. Whoa.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Just saying. So Bryce knows that she wants Hunt, not Ethan, and he does trust her. But again, don't blame him at all. You best believe if Henry was lying in bed with Hunter with another some old friend of his. And like his. I wrote link his Lingham ray.

[Natalie Jean]

His Lingham Ray. I mean, Henry's been talking a lot about rompins. He's been wearing some rompums recently and he's been very excited about his rompum. So ling him Ray. I. I'll take.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I guess it'd be launch him ray if he was lying in bed with some old friend, a woman wearing his sexiest attire. I would be pretty mad.

[Natalie Jean]

Very upset. I don't even want to think about it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm voting for this to be worked out into our culture, though. Why don't. Why isn't there stuff for like, lingerie for men?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I thought you meant the. The whole, like, getting over someone, like, laying next to someone that has a crush on them in their bed. I was like, I don't know if I can, as a society get over it. I tried to be poly, Natalie. It didn't work for me, all right?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I could never.

[Natalie Jean]

It doesn't work for everybody. No, but I do. Like, you're right. You know, I think that more. I think like, real, like Fenty's playing more with long himre, I believe.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Really?

[Natalie Jean]

Yes. So it's starting to really come out there.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I just think that'd be. Yeah, that'd be cool. I'm not saying like the masculine counterpart for like, straight guys, like gay guys as well, but I just mean like, guys who are traditionally masculine. I feel like there should be more, like Lingerie options for them. Because I love lingerie. I love wearing. I think it's great, and I love wearing it, but everybody deserves to be.

[Natalie Jean]

Sexy in the same way that, you know, if. If you identify as a man, you deserve flowers, too. Yeah, I get flowers for Jeff. He gets flowers for me.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But also. Let me get some seduction here.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, let's get some.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I had. Do you remember Fredericks of Hollywood? Oh, do you remember that story?

[Natalie Jean]

Look, a sheer for bikini brief with money clip built into the bikini brief. I'm looking at Fenty.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I think that. That seems like it for. For strip club.

[Natalie Jean]

Or.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Or.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, that's what I'm saying. Like, if Jeff. If he needs some tips. Here's a tip. Take it out. Yeah, yeah, get him. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But also, do you remember Fredericks of Hollywood?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, do I remember Fredericks of Hollywood?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

They were in malls and then like 90s and 2000s, and I remember them having underwear that looked like an elephant's trunk for men.

[Natalie Jean]

Wow. Now that is fabulous.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But they don't make that. They don't make it anymore.

[Natalie Jean]

You have to make the elephant noises. You know what?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Even.

[Natalie Jean]

There are a couple of fun things on Fenty for mask people, but I don't. It's not enough.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, there's some satin boxers, but I feel like even that it's like. Like, give me more strappy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I think we also just need to normalize mask guys or people wearing sexy lingerie, because I think that, like, a lot of lingerie companies that I follow make they. They actually put men in the. The gear on the website, which I love, but just we need to, like, let mask people be comfortable in it.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Seduce your partners.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes. Everyone deserves seduction.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So Hunt knows Bryce wants him, but he also is still mad at Ethan for how he treated Bryce during those years after the pack murders. How alone Bryce was and how cruel he really was to her. And yeah, Bryce likes Hunt, but Ethan is a big hunk of sunball meat.

[Natalie Jean]

I may be bleedy, but I'm still hot.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What if she catches feelings?

[Natalie Jean]

Stupid jealous idiot. For sake. Having Holstrom here bothered him more than that Cormac claiming he'd marry Quinlan.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, yeah, obviously. Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I think that's acceptable. We'll allow that. Upset.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm not being judgmental at all. That would rattle the most sturdy of us.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Guiltily, he decides to peer upon the article that caused this Big hubble.

[Natalie Jean]

Look at the comments, babe. Like, he. I know that he. But he's not that new to it. He still was in the world, I guess. Although not because I guess during all of his, like, fight and all of his being out with Shahar, all of that was probably pre cell phone.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, even still, where do they come from? Is it Panjera? No, that. Wherever Sandriel was, that part of the world still does old tech. They don't have computers and stuff. Stuff.

[Natalie Jean]

Right, right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So he didn't grow up with any of that. But yeah, no, you shouldn't look. But he decides to look. And he pulls his phone out and he finds the article. What he reads almost sends him shooting into the night to find Sabine and pull her apart limb by limb. Bryce Quinlan is nothing but a spoiled party girl who was conveniently in the right place during the attack. My wolves saved innocence. She's a pathetic fame chaser. Excuse me, ma'.

[Natalie Jean]

Am. Where were you, Sabine?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She did nothing. She said no. She said no to letting the wolves go.

[Natalie Jean]

Interesting. Yeah. And also, yeah, where are the receipts, Sabine? What are you saying? Like, my wolf saved innocence? What did you do, Sabine?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's just like America.

[Natalie Jean]

You fucked everybody over. That's what you did. And then you beat the shit out of a good wolf, and then you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Take the credit for anything good that happened.

[Natalie Jean]

Boo on you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Boo. This woman pathetic. You're the clout chaser.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Get her.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But then Hunt sees the quote from Ethan that got him kicked out, which is again, just him telling the truth, which some people seem allergic to. That Bryce was the one who saved the city, who made it so the wolves could come out and assist her, that she's the hero.

[Natalie Jean]

Because she is a hero.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She is a hero. Hunt's not ready to throw Ethan any parties. But he is about to put his phone down when he gets a text from Isaiah saying that the new archangel will be in Lunatheon the following evening at 5. So there's another thing to throw on the pile.

[Natalie Jean]

Now they're trying to stay out of everything.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Breaking news. New archangels coming into town. And Isaiah is selling Hunt that he needs to be there and to not be a prick. Hunt just says copy back, and then stares into the ceiling, trying to sleep, but sleep won't come.

[Natalie Jean]

It's like Isaiah, could you just tell me in the morning? Like, don't do this to me late at night. Although I will say Isaiah doesn't know the night he's had.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He doesn't know. Cut to Bryce, who is also not asleep in the dark of her room, thinking about how weird it is to have Ethan in her bed. Oh, yeah, his scent so similar to Connors.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, God.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She glumly thinks about how she has to be up in four hours to see her parents off on their early train, hoping they won't catch wind of her apparent engagement to Cormac before then.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, it sounds like they're getting. Fought it on.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, catch wind. Got it.

[Natalie Jean]

Found it on.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Even speaks. Then I'm just gonna move on.

[Natalie Jean]

I said it twice.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I know I'm moving forward. Ethan speaks. That she. Ethan speaks. And then she realized. He realizes he has also not found sleep. He tells her he could have slept on the couch, and she jokes that she worries that Hunt would smother him in his sleep, but she really, in her mind, is thinking about how she wanted to keep watch over him.

[Natalie Jean]

Very nice.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sure. Maybe unnecessary, but it's nice. Convinced that Sabine would break in to finish the job on him. She wouldn't reveal this to Ethan, though, of course.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, of course, because you don't want to, like, take his power away. But I also do feel like, you know, girl, what are you going to do if Sabine really comes in there? You're trying to stay out of trouble. And these people don't understand how to stay out of trouble. They really. I'm really good at staying out of trouble. I feel like if they just asked me, how do I live my life? But you know what, Natalie? I'm not out there saving lives, am I? You are in the shadows.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You are through.

[Natalie Jean]

Through getting blood all over the studio.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Through bringing laughter.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, thank you. Yes. The world do need a bit of a jester, do they not?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You are. You're basically an emt.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you. Yeah, I'll staple up anything you got you bleeding. I'll stick it it. That sounds like I'm being a Tom Cruise, but I'm not. Not being a fish over here. Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So the two of them began talking in the dark. Not intimately, but kind of awkwardly. So it's not flirting. They're just both awake.

[Natalie Jean]

Both awake.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ethan explains that he was able to get in because Danica had used whatever they do to key somebody the door. So he, like, basically had his credit card or, like, his fingerprints or something or like a magic something something. So that's how he was able to get in, because Danika had made it so Bryce didn't know this. And hearing Danica's name from Ethan, hits her like ice. Ethan wants to know about Danika's assistance with Bryce's drop that past spring. She tells him she's not sure how it happened. After a moment of hesitation, she Adds that during her drop that Danica told her that the other members of the pack were holding off reapers to allow Danika to help Rice. In that way, the whole pack, Conner included, helped her make the drop.

[Natalie Jean]

Ethan said nothing for a long moment. When was the last time they'd spoken like this? Calm, quiet, without hate. Spewing like acid, burning everything it touched. Then Ethan said he loved you more than anyone.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh.

[Natalie Jean]

Ouch. It's lonely out here For a wolf. Without a pack oh, without a pack.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, that's a good song.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm all alone. Natalie, it's.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Honestly, I think you should workshop that song.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God. Okay, I'll work. I'll start working on my wolf solo album.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I would listen. This fills Bryce with the bittersweet pain of the love you feel for someone, especially if you lose them. Ethan then tells her Connor thought Bryce was his mate. So a lot of stuff's going down in this bedroom. It's not sex.

[Natalie Jean]

It's just so, like. It's such a long day.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

One day.

[Natalie Jean]

Do we have to do it all right now?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She shouldn't have to. That's a lot to hear that Connor thought Bryce was his mate.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay. It's big, all right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Mate is a term we're familiar with, especially if we've read the other SJM series and we learn a little bit more about what that means.

[Natalie Jean]

In Midgard here, there were several definitions of the term mate. Though Bryce supposed that to Ethan, to a shifter, only one mattered. One's true lover, predestined by urd.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So that's a lot to take in.

[Natalie Jean]

And I feel like that's a lot to, like, throw down on someone where it's like, if you're talking to someone, even if you're both dealing with the grief, think about, like, how is this person gonna take this? Give it a day.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You haven't spoken to each other in.

[Natalie Jean]

Two years in quite some time. So, I mean, to be fair, she's also laying down some tough. When they're trying to both go to sleep, it's just not the time to talk about these things.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No.

[Natalie Jean]

Over coffee? Sure.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I guess. Maybe they could both be thinking our friendship might not recover. And maybe this is the only opportunity.

[Natalie Jean]

That we can talk to each other.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Maybe. So she thinks about how the Fae have a slightly different meaning of the term. That in the Fae world, matehood is also something that is likely biological, something you can't control. When we saw that in the other series is too, where sometimes it's not reciprocated or like wanted. Like it's a biological reaction where you might not actually want to be mated to somebody. And so that's how Fae people see it. And then the shifter version seems to be a little bit more like a romantic. Like they are predestined to be in love.

[Natalie Jean]

Right. But I also feel like that is just a perspective that, you know, it is that it's like you couldn't view it that way if you want to or it's just. Just something that is biological, that is something that is chemical that could not be changed or undone. But I forget at this point, do we know? Because this is where they're just starting to really introduce this in the world of Crescent City, specifically. Right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's been. It's been mentioned.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Like, not really. It's been brought up. The word mate has been brought up, but not like much more than that.

[Natalie Jean]

Gotcha.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So the mate for the Malachem is used more casually, so it's sort of more synonymous with spouse. So in the angel world, maid is really just like the person you're going to spend your time with.

[Natalie Jean]

Right. That you almost like, it's almost like aligning your house with another.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. Like, it can be. Mayhood can be like a range.

[Natalie Jean]

Yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Essentially. In the. In the angel world, Bryce feels a lot of emotions to know that Connor thought she was her mate. Of course.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, of course.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ethan wants to know if Bryce loved him, which of course, she did. They talk quietly in the dark, even sharing a couple light laughs. But then Bryce asks Ethan why he quits Sunball. And he closes up. He turns away from her.

[Natalie Jean]

She felt Ethan tense, the mattress shifting. Because it's a stupid game, he said, voice empty.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce, I mean, we all know that's not why you quit. But she also quit dance.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, sometimes grief in your life completely consumes you and you're unable to take joy in things that used to give you joy. And also sometimes the perspective that it provides makes you really, truly see it. Like, oh, it's just a stupid game. Oh, it doesn't matter. Especially when you're up against and like being with people that are doing so much more with their time that, I mean, maybe I'm not speaking for myself right now. Interesting. Oh, it's therapy. That it is sometimes that you're like, what do I even do that is even adding to society.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, boy.

[Natalie Jean]

Again.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, no, don't bring Billy up.

[Natalie Jean]

Ethan's going through this right now.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, you are the. The healthcare worker of comedy.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So he turns and Bryce lay Awake afterwards in the silence, wishing to the goddess Luna for sleep to arrive.

[Natalie Jean]

Keep praying.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Go sleep. I don't remember the next part of that song. We return to Rune in chapter seven, who is in an argument with his father. God, these get.

[Natalie Jean]

See, that's the thing. If my abusive father had those ears, I mean, it's fucking feeling over here. You are very sexy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Let's see.

[Natalie Jean]

Trying to make the ears not stand out as much.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I can't be intimidating if they're sticking.

[Natalie Jean]

You can be intimidating as a Fae. You're very mean. Yes, that. That's it. Yes. Killing it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So we're with Rune at chapter seven, who is in an argument with his papa. They are in the Autumn King study. Cormac is also there, seemingly only to antagonize Rune alongside the Autumn King. They're obviously arguing about what has gone down at Ruhn's house. He's berating his father for allowing such archaic rules to reign in modern Crescent City that he would invoke the selling of his daughter to another territory.

[Natalie Jean]

In this day and age. Duddy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

In this economy. Oh, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

But also, it's like, you think in this economy, it's like, yeah, we gotta marry her off. There's big happening right now.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No excuses.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa. I'm trying to defend you, bro.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce will arrive willingly at the marriage altar.

[Natalie Jean]

His daddy said.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

As will you.

[Natalie Jean]

Daddy. Don't you do it to me too, Daddy. I know you're already doing it to me, but you can't do it to my sister.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, I can. And I will.

[Natalie Jean]

Keep the daddy voice.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I was still being him.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I'm scared of you. Cormac gives Roon a mocking congratulations for his engagement to Hypaxia. But then he adds that his fiance, Hypaxia, has such a strange bloodline. Run turns and sizes him up.

[Natalie Jean]

Because, like, the thing is, he don't want to marry her. But you ain't gonna fucking go after her either.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And doesn't know what he means.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What do you mean? She has rather strange blood. And he wants to look at Cormac to see if he's just trying to start a fight.

[Natalie Jean]

Because we don't trust this mfer.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But Cormac seems surprised that Ruhn doesn't know what he's talking about. But it becomes clear that the Autumn King knows Hypaxia apparently has some unique heritage that Ruhn doesn't know about. And the Autumn King apparently felt that unnecessary to reveal. And we get a nice surprise news in this chapter that Hypaxia is the sister of a very specific person who we've met already. That Hypaxia's mother was the late Queen Hecuba. And she had two daughters. From two sires, they learned that Hypaxia was a powerful necromancer. And so she was kept amongst the witches. But then the other one inherited their father's gifts. Then he reveals the other sister was sired by a stag shifter. Everybody got that. Hypaxia.

[Natalie Jean]

Same mom. Okay. Same mom.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She's a secret sister.

[Natalie Jean]

Secret sister. Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hypaxia's witchy kind of powers were predominant in her. So she stayed with the witches.

[Natalie Jean]

Stayed with the witches.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But Queen Hecuba saw that the other daughter didn't have witch traits, but the traits of her biological father, and so her sister was sent away.

[Natalie Jean]

Cormac snorted Hypaxias.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yeah, he's Irish. Hypix.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hypexias. Half sisters. Better known as the Hind.

[Natalie Jean]

What? If you guys remember the Hind. The Hind is very scary. And we're scared of her.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, no. She's baddie. She's a baddie.

[Natalie Jean]

She's got a baddie sister. Got a baddie. Baddies. But do we support this sister? Nay. All right. Sometimes in a sisterhood, you gotta break it. Sometimes you gotta rip those pants in half and set them on fire.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Which pants?

[Natalie Jean]

This is her. To the Traveling Pants.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, the sister of the Traveling Pants. Got it. Yeah. Those pants were not cute.

[Natalie Jean]

No, just low rise jeans. Okay, everybody calm down.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So, big bomb drop there. Rune, obviously we know already despises the Hind. She is a cruel mistress of darkness. And we have been introduced to her again at the beginning of this book.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah, Killing somebody. Yeah, she's scary.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So now we find out Hypaxia is her sister and Ruhn is supposed to marry Hypaxia.

[Natalie Jean]

But, you know, maybe keep your enemies closer. Like, maybe it's a good thing. Maybe it's a. You're gonna line your houses.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You want to line your houses with those creeps?

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, it's better to make friends than enemies.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't know. If your friends are torturers, it might be, like, a bad idea.

[Natalie Jean]

I know. I just feel like I would be the weasel. That'd be like, I'll help you. Don't hurt me. Boss. Come on, boss.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You're.

[Natalie Jean]

You are.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The idea of killing a maggot has destroyed you internally, but you think you're gonna go torture people?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I'm so. I'm like.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You don't even know what the sound of a whip is. Waka chach.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm coming at you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What instrument of torture is that?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah, it's. It's gonna be bad. You're gonna see.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That'S what it is to hit somebody, right?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. See.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, I think it's probably not great to have to be in the family with the Heinz. Imagine the ills those holidays.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, God, no, thank you. And you have to pay for the flights. It's like too much.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Cormac explains further that apparently the hind didn't reveal. Again, I just said this. All the witch gifts as a child was shipped to her father. So Hypaxia, by default, being the only daughter of the queen, by default gets the crown. But there is some upheaval amongst the witches because of Hypaxia's necromancy skills. Because even in the witch world, that's not normal that she can talk to.

[Natalie Jean]

Dead things, which technically real badass.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I see what's the problem. That sounds cool as hell.

[Natalie Jean]

I say we all need to be adding a little bit of more necromancer into our lives.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Not.

[Natalie Jean]

Don't be digging up grains.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Not like sexually. No, no.

[Natalie Jean]

Necromancer is different than necromancer.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's not necrophilia.

[Natalie Jean]

Necrophilia. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah. Don't. You don't go that far.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Necromancy is not necrophilia.

[Natalie Jean]

Just so we're all clear, I hope Hypaxia knows the difference. We should probably ask.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Although, like, it seems like some of the dead people in this world can consent.

[Natalie Jean]

Can get it. Oh, yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The Autumn King is not concerned with the hind connection. However, he doesn't like the hind. He finds her insufferable. But he reiterates to Ruhn that he will marry Hypaxia and Bryce will marry Cormac. No discussion. Ruhn points out that Bryce and Hunt are clearly together. And it's not as though Hunt is just going to be willingly accepting of this atrocity. The Autumn King grossly points out to the other males in the room that Hunt and Bryce's scents have not scented that they have consummated it.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't like this.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't like any of this discussion. It also. What does that have to do with. Oh, she needs to be pure. Guess what? She's not. Bitch.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So he's like, the get relationship. The. The. The engagement is still on because they haven't had sex yet. It's like, okay, weirdo.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Do you realize that she's, you know, she's obviously had sex before. I should say obviously, but most likely you could assume she's had sex before.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ruhn is correctly repulsed by this conversation. Cormac dismisses her relationship with Hunt, mentioning that only an idiot would throw away a kingdom for a bastard angel.

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, here's the thing. It's not a nice way of saying it, Cormac. Like, I feel like there's better ways to communicate that means aren't wrong. But I wouldn't run away a kingdom.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You. I don't know. Running a kingdom would be awful.

[Natalie Jean]

I'd be so good at it. Think of me putting together the functions I am made to sit upon.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Staple. Oh, this is not this world. There's no patriarchy. You would be running the ship. You're not putting parties together.

[Natalie Jean]

I want to put parties together.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I think you just have to be a party planner.

[Natalie Jean]

All right. I'm going to be a party. A royal party planner.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

There you go.

[Natalie Jean]

It would really be difficult to keep all those plates spinning, but I think I can take it down.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The plates have to be spinning while they eat.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. What else do they expect?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The Autumn King heartlessly tells Rune that she should have kept her lineage secret if she didn't want to be forced into this role. Incensed, Rune challenges the Autumn King, saying that he's doing this simply because Bryce showed him up in power, which may be true.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa. Whoa.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The Autumn King insults Ruhn and then tells him she needs to be put to her only good use, which is. Wow. To breed and to form a union for him with Avalon. Real Game of Thrones shit.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. You're being real Autumn King right now, and I don't appreciate it, but you look great. Even though your nipples are in the outer space.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. No way up here. But look at these. These. These triceps and these delts.

[Natalie Jean]

You look great. Oh, yeah. No, you're really. It. It looks good. Besides the nipples and the abs, it's unfortunate they're.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't know who this is supposed.

[Natalie Jean]

To be made for.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What, like an adult costume?

[Natalie Jean]

Who can wear that?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's not. It's not placed correctly. I'll say that. So Cormac adds to the. Cormac adds to an enraged Rune that her breeding is vital to the lineage of magic in general, that Fae power has been diminishing over the generations, and that her star power is the strongest in that time. So she must be bred like an animal. Of course, you can't let women make their own decisions. Oh, we need to make sure she's Milked or whatever.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, man.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The men continue to argue, bringing up the time Cormac tried to gut Declan during their ordeal. We're going back to the ordeal because these guys are really stuck in that cycle. So they're fighting again about, you know, they both wanted the star sword and Rune got it. So that's kind of why Cormac's been a little bit of a whiny baby this whole time. But he did try to kill Declan during that situation. Cormac only continues to punch lower than below the belt, suggesting that since Ruhn is so concerned with his sister's bed, maybe he should return to the ancient Fae practice of interbreeding. Gross. Weirdo.

[Natalie Jean]

Good one.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Cormac Ruhn is about to start a physical fight, but Cormac walks out, leaving him with.

[Natalie Jean]

I can't keep doing that. Yeah, you're that brogue, bitch.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You might. You might rebel all you like, Rune Denan. Yes. You are Crown Princess Mai. Our fates are the same, but I know which one of us will rise to meet it. Perfect.

[Natalie Jean]

That was great.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Natalie Ruhn, still angered, is caught by those parting words as he mulls over the Oracle's predictions again. The secret prediction that he has. He wonders if he mean if it means. Because if you remember, it is that the royal bloodline will end with him. He's never told his dad. He wonders if that prediction means that he's going to die before his crown king. Or could it be that Cormac will be his killer in a grab for the crown? Is that what the prediction meant?

[Natalie Jean]

Man, how do you not bring that up to anybody? I feel like I need to really process and discuss. I know he has to.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

He'd have a bigger, like, bounty on his head if that were the case.

[Natalie Jean]

I just feel like I need to talk about it. And maybe this is just me, like, having all my emotions on my sleeves, but. Sleeve me up, Scott. Dad.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But see, you can't. This is why you couldn't be a crown prince. Because there's all of these things that are. I mean, you read the spare.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. This is.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know how hard life is.

[Natalie Jean]

It is hard. This is. This is the only reason why I can't be a crowned prince.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

And it is difficult to understand about yourself.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It is. It's. It's a hard. It's a hard truth that you need to have sometimes in your life.

[Natalie Jean]

You.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And he can't tell people this because it would literally put a target on his back. So he's only ever, you know, he's. I Think he has told no one. He turns to his father because Cormac, kind of after he mocks Run, in this way, bails. He leaves. And so now he's. Rune and the Autumn King are left in the same room, kind of just staring at each other, and Run, asks why he's doing this, to which his father replies that asking shows that he's no son of his. Rune, thinking of the scars on his arms, covered by the tattoos that, of course, the Autumn King gave him, feels the sting of these words far more than the physical lashings he received from his father. He holds these emotions back. Of course, he doesn't want to give his father the pleasure. He asks if the Autumn King figures he'll get the son he wanted by having Cormac wedded to his biological daughter.

[Natalie Jean]

His father's lips curled upward, eyes as lifeless as the pit.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Cormac has always been the son I should have had rather than the one I was burdened with. Ah, cheese, bro.

[Natalie Jean]

Do not appreciate the tude right now. It's like you already are, given all the physical bullshit that I have to fucking deal with, and then you're still with it. That's all I hear. That's all I hear from Daddy's mouth. You bird.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Daddy, I'm the king. Doesn't matter.

[Natalie Jean]

It's like you're not even, like, that strong. Did you see my sister stronger than you? Did you see? It's not even her power. Oh, look at him. Oh, he's warming about. I'm not mad about it. Oh, I just want to use you at the end of a fish hook, you worm.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Jesus, I thought we were supposed to have him be, like, morally gray still over here, and I'm being a villain. We don't know. We thought maybe there was a second where the Autumn King was showing some kind of compassion, but, like, that's one of the meanest things I've ever heard.

[Natalie Jean]

Nah, don't you look for no snape over here.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, there's ain't no snake.

[Natalie Jean]

Look away.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, that's gonna be a tough statement to come back from, Will. He'll be able to make a recovery arc. I mean, swear Jin did on Deadwood.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God. Oh. Oh.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Did he tune in to find out at chapter eight. We're back with Bryce and Hunt and are preparing to take on a various level of battles of wills in each of their respective days. We've got Bryce. She needs to dodge her mom and avoid anyone who may have questions about the engagement while she goes to work. Hunt has to go meet Celestina, the new archangel, for the first time. And they've had no sleep. There's a bloody wolf in their house.

[Natalie Jean]

That can't go anywhere because that's the thing. It's like, yeah, you have tonight, and then you have to leave. But also, he doesn't have a pack anymore.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Next thing you know, they're gonna walk outside, is gonna be construction on their street.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God. They can't get out hooting at your nipples that are on the top of your head.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, I know. I'm just putting them out there for it. But, I mean, what do I expect?

[Natalie Jean]

You did ask for it. Yeah. Dress like this white turtleneck. Yeah. On a July day. Yikes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

5:00 clock shadow made out of makeup.

[Natalie Jean]

Looking good.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So, you know, they're trying to help each other go get through these emotions. Though Hunt is extremely apprehensive about this archangel coming in. The city is in a fervor, getting everything cleaned up and decorated and putting up ribbons for the arrival of their new overlord. Who knows if they're actually excited, but they're just probably afraid.

[Natalie Jean]

Exactly. It's like, what portals. Don't worry. Are you gonna come in and start a war?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What are you gonna do, my beautiful liege?

[Natalie Jean]

Yes, Putin, like, very scary, Harry.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So they're in the kitchen getting themselves ready. In the apartment, both are trying to pump the other up while also being apprehensive about their own troubles. Bryce reminds Hunt with fire in her eyes of what they did to the last two archangels who messed with them because she can sense Hunt's worry, which, while I don't condone killing, is unfortunately extremely badass and hot that she is. Like, I'll kill them again. Don't worry, honey.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Especially because the sentiment goes both ways.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

That is just. It's just hot.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It is. We're with Hunt.

[Natalie Jean]

It's book hot.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yes. In. In fake. Fake world. Yes. We're with Hunt in this section, and he seems to agree with us that it's very hot. It also melts his iced over heart that she's so cares for him. They begin to ponder over Ethan and what they're going to do. When Ethan walks into the room, Bryce tells him he can stay as long as he wants, which is. Which. A now healing Ethan because of his, you know, wolfiness, he's, like, mending faster, but he's still kind of messed up. And he doesn't seem interested in arguing or feigning resistance to the idea of he can stay. He's. Oh, I couldn't. He didn't even, like, do that. Yeah, likely because.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I mean, this next slide. Yeah, likely because he woke it up and realized he doesn't have a damn place to go. It's like. Yeah. He's also like, thank you for saying that, because what, was I gonna go sit at the library while I actively bleed?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. So he's in a nice apartment now, and he's not gonna complain about it. As they're all standing in the kitchen, Hunt hands them both coffee, and we see Ethan's mug says, I survived class.

[Natalie Jean]

Of 15,032 and senior week. And all I got was this stupid mug.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's giving us a brief reminder of the kind of timeline we're on here in Midgard. And, man, just talking about Midgard. I just re. I re. Got to the end of the second book once again. And, man, the reveals are just revealing at the end of the second book.

[Natalie Jean]

Just. Yeah, there's a lot. There's a lot here, guys.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Talking about Midgard just remind me one of the plot points that I really enjoy. Towards the end of the book, Ethan.

[Natalie Jean]

Notices, trying to suss it out in my brain.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, I mean, I don't think you'd be able to figure it. There's so many reveals.

[Natalie Jean]

There's so much. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ethan notices the mug as well. And Hunt watches, totally not threatened. As Bryce and Ethan reminisce about that particular senior week. Since they were both apparently participants in the senior week. They were both, surprise, surprise, hella drunk.

[Natalie Jean]

Having a good time.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Did your college have something like that?

[Natalie Jean]

Yes. Yeah, they had like a. I didn't really participate.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

See, we had one day. We didn't have like, frat houses and stuff at my school, but we had this thing called gig. It was called get into Gaucher. It was one day at the end of the year. Oh, and some they have, like. Sometimes they have, like, rides and stuff. It was really fun, but it was mostly about doing drugs and just being pure.

[Natalie Jean]

That was the thing. Most of the senior things I would go to was just a reason for me to drugs and not really participate.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, the only thing that people. For gig at my college, there wasn't anything to do but hang out. It was like a fun party carnival kind of day, but. And it was so fun. But I look back now as an adult and just think about, like, how insufferable that must be to clean up after and stuff.

[Natalie Jean]

And also think about, like, I feel like, as you were describing this, like, we had a couple of, like, senior lock ins? A lock in.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Why?

[Natalie Jean]

I mean, I understand so that you know that the kids aren't gonna go anywhere and that they're all gonna be safe. But it's like, you know, you can bring drugs into the lock in. What's right. Lock in. So they. They would. Like I would. When I ran a boys and girls club section, we also did lock ins for the kids where it's like they would be dropped off that overnight. Seniors, they would do lock ins. And it's like, yo, what do you think we're going to do in here?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I've never heard of that.

[Natalie Jean]

For grown. Yeah. We were too old to be still having lock ins.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's just gonna be fucking and drugs.

[Natalie Jean]

Well, not as much fun. It's trying to see what you can get away with because there's still like, teacher. Like, there's still chaperones, but the chaperones have to go to sleep at some point. Chaperones? Yeah, man. Oh, there are chaperones.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

My. My college was very different experience.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I was thinking of high school.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, high school.

[Natalie Jean]

High school. I was thinking of high school. No, no, high school.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That makes more sense.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, still, that would have never happened in my school in a million years. There. There was like. We had so many heroin addicts and stuff in high school. Like, there was. It wasn't a cute. I don't think.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, yeah, no. Florida. It was pretty. Right? They. It was pretty easy to get. Whoa.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Anyway, we got to finish this episode. Having a lot of memories.

[Natalie Jean]

All right. Right. Look at my chest hair. Oh, look at all this fur. All right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

At gag, we had a thing called Captain's Challenge every morning. Every. Because there was one every every year. So I went to three.

[Natalie Jean]

Is that like a King Cup?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, you start the day off with a bowl of Captain Crunch. But instead of milky is Captain Morgan. Whoa.

[Natalie Jean]

That would. Man, that's the sugar alone. That's what I think about more.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yeah.

[Natalie Jean]

Than anything that. Think of the crash you're gonna have at 1:00pm well, at that time you're just drunk, so it doesn't matter. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Anyway, Hunt is probably a little jealous.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But is more touched to see Bryce smiling broadly, even if the memory seems bittersweet to her and is thankful for seeing her happiness. Bryce excuses herself to prepare for work, and the males then proceed to have a bro off in the kitchen. Hunt faces Ethan and does a bit of an out alpha thing of you.

[Natalie Jean]

Mess with me, brace, I'm gonna beat your meat. Okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But not sexually.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, but it sounds like you meant sexually.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, face meat.

[Natalie Jean]

Okay, well, I guess I'm scared.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ethan's all, yeah, why don't you try to beat my meat and see what happens?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, you gonna jerk me off? You gonna jerk me off?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

What they're really saying is that Hun doesn't want Ethan to come in and mess up the future that Bryce is trying to build. Even is furious that Hunt would suggest he would do anything to affect her life.

[Natalie Jean]

Interesting, because you certainly weren't around for her when she really needed you. But also, you needed her too.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's true. He throws in the barb that he knows her for years more than Hunt and that they've had way more couch time where their knees touch.

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Than Hunt and her have ever had. He didn't say that, but he was thinking.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, he was.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hunt wants to know why he bothered to defend her in the newspaper in the first place. That got him tossed out of the wolf's den. Ethan replies, danica showed up for her. My brother and the rest of the pack of devils showed up for her this spring. If they're not holding a grudge, how can I?

[Natalie Jean]

Whoa.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hunt.

[Natalie Jean]

Big of him to think, you know it's true.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Hun sort of like mocks him, asking him if he needs his dead brother's permission to be nice to people, which is like, ouch, Hunt. And then he stood by, by the way, for the last few years, watching Amelie be a complete jerk to Bryce. They both bear their teeth at each other until they are interrupted by C Ranks asking for second breakfast.

[Natalie Jean]

Very cute. Somebody's coming for kibs.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yep. Coming for gibbies. It calms the tension enough that they step away from each other as Hunt goes to poor searing some food. Ethan's still pretty pissed though, and as he walks over to the couch to watch tv, he mentions aloud that it took Bryce five years to agree to a date with Connor.

[Natalie Jean]

Hunt kept his face unreadable as Syrinx devoured his second, potentially third breakfast. So Ethan turned on the morning news before propping his feet on the coffee table and interlacing his hands behind his head.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You're at five months, bro. Good luck to you.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, I mean, it is. It is a funny, cutesy back and forth, even though it's not cutesy to.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Them, but it is cutesy to look at.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it is.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

We cut over to Bryce, who is at her job in the archives, thankful for the solitude, but there is still this ache of longing in her for Griffins, especially the ever present tittering of Lehiba as She watched Fangs and bangs.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh God.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So she has already mentioned she enjoys this Fae archives job for not having to communicate with like all the customers. And the kind of gets spent alone time. But she does have this. You know, this ache for this other time in her life, this bygone time. And she misses her friend. Losing herself to her memories. She reaches out for Syrinx, her steadfast companion. Only to remember that he was left at home to watch over Ethan that day. She recalls with sadness that after the great demon battle the past spring, how she watched the boats at their sailings. Wondering if there was going to be a tiny boat floating out with Lili. Oh, little tiny boat. She didn't see that. And doesn't know if sprites can have sailings. Especially since Lele was extinguished. Nothing remained of her.

[Natalie Jean]

The memory remains. God damn it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She should have her own little tiny boat.

[Natalie Jean]

Make her a little coffin. Oh God. It's the tiniest coffin I've ever seen.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Your house and you're just making a tiny.

[Natalie Jean]

Crying by myself, still covered in blood. No, I'll never stop.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Make it a tiny.

[Natalie Jean]

She was so little. There's nothing left.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce.

[Natalie Jean]

I'm fine, guys. I'm fine.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, that's Jack. He's just making a tiny coffin.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Just let her.

[Natalie Jean]

Let her be. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce calls Jesupa to ask about the sculpture she is supposed to be archiving at the moment at work. A depiction of an old God named Thur. Where they apparently they get their the name Thursday from in Midgard.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh my God. I do have my Thursday socks on right now. Natalie. Yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, yeah, it's Thursday.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. I've. I've purchased day of the week socks.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, good for you.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

If whatever sparks your joy.

[Natalie Jean]

Thank you.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I need new socks. I had to throw a bunch of them out today because of the maggots. So.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, no, I mean, I'd never touch my clothes ever again. I think I'd just live a nude life.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You wanna bring me some new socks?

[Natalie Jean]

Sure. Yeah. I'll get you some socks. Great.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So.

[Natalie Jean]

And then I'm crying making a little cough and you're crying doing the laundry. It's just like what? You know, what are we gonna do with all these women?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

There's just a lot going on right now. So. She thinks about how she often would use her time in ballet class to go over questions of should she have done something different in that moment? Should she have. You know, was there something she could have done to spare Lele's life?

[Natalie Jean]

You did so much girl.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Which is not a good idea because you will never have this conclusion if you are just this idea of, like. It's not gonna give you closure.

[Natalie Jean]

No.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's chasing this pain because you think you deserve it.

[Natalie Jean]

Right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Also, not a good time to. It's not a good use of ballet class.

[Natalie Jean]

No. You need to be kinder to yourself.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

The best part about dancing is you have to be utterly present. It's really great for anxiety and things like intrusive thoughts. If, like, that was some of my only reprieve from it for years, was, like, being able to be in ballet class because you can't think about anything except not your form.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, I bet.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

But she's thinking about this, which is what? Her choice. But she's also cycling through survivor's guilt, questioning why it should have been Lehaba that died and not her. That Lily was a better person than her who should have been able to enjoy her newfound freedom. Which is understandable, but also, again, it's just not. I wish you could just say, that won't help you, and then that you would stop. But of course you won't.

[Natalie Jean]

It just keeps going.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No. So Bryce is thinking about all this time in ballet class. She is trying to make this call to Jesiba at the same time asking about this sculpture she's supposed to be archiving. And it's this Thursday. This. This Thur. The Thursday.

[Natalie Jean]

Not Thor, but Thor, yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Which I did look up to see if there was a form of Thor named Thor, but I think she kind of just, like, made an alteration on.

[Natalie Jean]

It, maybe from Boots Roots with the third.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

No, see, actually, when I looked up if there was a third, the first things that come up is the chingy song. Right, sir?

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, like, I'm going to do it right there, right there.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Which I assume that is about the. God.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, it must be.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I love it when you do that. Right, sir?

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah, right there. Right. Yeah. Like, ask it. Yeah, I think that's what.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's right there. But, yes, we get Thursday from Thor in Earth on Earth. And so she's kind of doing the same. Same diff. She's asking Jesper if she can, like, help her figure out where the sculpture comes from. And Jesus being her normal, spicy self in the phone call. But does show this level of camaraderie with Bryce that is hard to define. But you get the sense that she cares for Bryce in some way. But she's also, like, very sharp with her. Almost militant in some ways. And so it's like you don't really know where you stand with her. It's a little bit like the viper queen. You're not exactly sure who this chick is.

[Natalie Jean]

She. Is she an enemy? Is she on my side? It's like, yeah. Because again, SJM loves to play with these morally gray characters.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. So we don't really know, but you can kind of see that they have this relationship still. And she does sometimes show her hand that she may care for Bryce. Sometimes times. So Jesper hedges when Bryce asks if they are friends during this conversation as they're sort of like needling each other. But then Jesupa is like, I'm, you know, she's not really answering the question. But then suggests she supposed it would be an honor to be friends with the starborn princess.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, okay.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

And then she inserts and the future queen of a villain. So Jesupa's heard the news, which is not surprising. She seems to know everything. But Bryce is a little bummed that Jesiba already knows this thing that's happened.

[Natalie Jean]

You know, it is like a big thing you want to say when you're engaged, you know, and you don't want someone else to say it.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Well, I think Bryce would prefer to not be engaged.

[Natalie Jean]

No, I think that. No, I think she's upset because I think she's excited because she wants to celebrate.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh yes, very much so. Bryce, you know, she's not surprised, but she's bummed. She asks how she found out and Jesiba basically suggests that the creature, the people she's turning to creatures have been whispering to her.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, her creatures are whispering.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Which is, you know, a non answer. Very much like the Viper queen again where she has this sort of network of people like crawling around.

[Natalie Jean]

Right.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Finding stuff out, I guess. But she also remember in the basement of Griffin's had all of those creatures in like terrariums and stuff that she told Bryce were people that, you know, wronged her. Bryce doesn't know if Jesiba was ever being. She doesn't know if that's real or not. She still doesn't know if she's just making being like, you know, kind of like snarky.

[Natalie Jean]

She sighed again.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I don't suppose you have any insights as to why the Autumn King suddenly decided to ruin my life.

[Natalie Jean]

Jesiba Tisked males will always try to.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Control the females who scare them. Marriage and breeding are their go to methods.

[Natalie Jean]

So rational.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

I mean, so put together. Not wrong, is she?

[Natalie Jean]

No, she's not. How is it? It's a. What is it, 15 it's not 1532. It's like, you know, 1540 something. I feel like even then in this, our age of 1540 something.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

15,000.

[Natalie Jean]

15,040 something.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah. Bryce concurs with her, but she doesn't think that's why the Autumn King is doing this. As they talk, Bryce is doodling BQ +HA in a heart, which is cute. Though Bryce claims to have called about the inquiring about the statue to Jesiba. You can sort of read between the lines that maybe she's really called Jesiba to get some kind of advice or even comfort. Jesiba is familiar with the games of the veneer and the massive amounts of power and, like, what that entails in a way that Ember just doesn't. So maybe Bryce kind of is looking to Jesiba as like a sort of aunt figure or something, where she's like.

[Natalie Jean]

She will be your mommy figure. Put your darn. Yes. All right. Yeah, she'll be your mommy figure. Yeah. Yes.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So she. And she's kind of like getting this stuff out of Jesiba. And Jesper tells her, in a Jessica way, so not like, straight up nice, that she's actually kind of relieved that Bryce is the starborn heir, that she has faith in her. She says this in a more snarky way, but that she's kind of alluding to that, like, maybe this isn't the worst thing for maybe you are right, mentally right to be.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, my God, are you actually giving me wisdom? Are you actually, like, shut up. Supporting me, Mommy.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, no, you can't. Jesma can't be Mommy.

[Natalie Jean]

New mommy. She would never call her mommy because of Ember. So, yeah, you know that.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

She also mentions that Bryce is like Ruhn and means it as a compliment. Bryce gets a little existential, wonders why her star power is even valued. This is just like what you were just talking about.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, what was that made for?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

It's not like she's going to use the horn. Jesus seems almost disappointed when she says this. Almost kind of calls her a coward for. Yeah, you know, like, bowing down to these.

[Natalie Jean]

What do you mean? Yeah, they run the entire planet. She's trying to stay out of trouble. Jesiba.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Jesiba's like, whatever. And she suggests, though, even if she doesn't use the horn, her star power is pretty special anyway. You killed an archangel without access to that power, I imagine that you can now do a great many things. Quinlan.

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce stiffened at the words spoken so casually over an open line. She had no idea what Jesiba had done with the God slayer rifle. Honestly, she never wanted to see it again.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Only Jesse would be talking about killing an archangel on open phone lines.

[Natalie Jean]

She can do whatever she wants. Arabada scared about everybody scared of her and she's got bugs in the walls. And I'm not talking about your laundry right now. I'm talking about her listening with her neck network of spies.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Bryce goes on to continue the conversation when she gets buzzed on the intercom at work. So she's still on the call with Jesupa when she gets a call to like leave the office. She tells Jesus she has to go but would appreciate if she could get some help and some info on this therapist. Jesiba tells her that she's busy. They exchange clip dialogue that is sort of like a loving antagonizing or just was like I can't. What am I doing your job for?

[Natalie Jean]

Cute.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Jesper tells her she's going to turn her into a toad if she keeps pestering her and Bryce replies that that's fine since she won't have to wear heels anymore.

[Natalie Jean]

Jesiba let out another soft, wicked laugh.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

A word of advice, Quinlan. Think through the advantages of a marriage to Cormac Donald before you decide to be a cliche and refuse.

[Natalie Jean]

Bryce stood, cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Who says I'm not?

[Natalie Jean]

There was a lengthy pause before the sorceress said good girl and hung up. It's like, I know we shouldn't be turned on when she says good girl, but it's really difficult not to be. I mean, Jesiba says good girl and I say how high?

[Jackie Zabrowski]

You know, she only likes consenting adults. It's all just fun.

[Natalie Jean]

I don't know. She's really into turning people into creatures without their consent. So I. You know, I.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Sex.

[Natalie Jean]

You're right, it's not sex. And who's to say that Jesiba might not be a consent queen? I just. I know that as a creature Turner, she's not.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

So let's hope for the best as a wolf shifter.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Oh, she's like taking your culture.

[Natalie Jean]

Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for recognizing that, Adley. As I lay here bleeding upon the cat.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Ouch. You should have been healing this whole time.

[Natalie Jean]

Oh, it takes so much effort. Okay, I'll go heal now. Thank you for reminding me.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

Yeah, to go take some heel time.

[Natalie Jean]

Fine. I'll go self care just like the other wolves don't want me to.

[Jackie Zabrowski]

That's. That'll show them success. The best form of revenge.

[Natalie Jean]

Please read a until chapter 11 for next week.