The Britchannia Library Presents: Shield of Sparrows Part 2

Transcript

Speaker: you

Speaker: Welcome to the Britannia Library. we are your librarians, Brittany and Chandler. Every week we will be recapping and discussing our current read, anything from the latest trends to longtime favorites.

Speaker: Depending on our selection, we'll cover it over multiple episodes, so be sure to stick around to hear the full story. We have started our next read, Shield of Sparrows by Devne Perry. We return with part two of Shield of Sparrows and spoiler alert, we will be discussing what happens in the book.

Speaker: If you wish to read along, we will be covering chapters 22 through 42. You're welcome to catch up and come back and listen to our thoughts or follow along now. All right. So starting with chapter 22, Odessa wakes up and descends from her treehouse expecting something dangerous, but instead finds Tilia waiting to lead her to a training session with the guardian.

Speaker: The guardian is warned that if Odessa refuses, her next session would be much harder. yeah Yeah. She'd rather not find out. Yeah. So the walk through tree they walk trio and Tilia tells Odessa that a lion wick had been caught in the area overnight and relocated rather than killed, introducing a different cultural attitude towards monsters and like the chain of nature.

Speaker: During the training, Odessa wields her knives and spars with Tilia and Tilia decides Odessa isn't kind of ready to train with weapons and then instead puts her through hand-to-hand sparring. Yeah, i mean, better to start off small.

Speaker: Yeah, fair. And Odessa struggles. yeah She becomes exhausted and takes a blow to her side that sends her to a knee and feels everyone watching her fail. Telia definitely notes improvement in footwork and balance, but calls her form sloppy.

Speaker: Yep. After the session, the water boy serving pulls back from Odessa when he sees her unusual eyes, you know, the black and starburst. And Tilia reassures her that her eyes are different, but very beautiful.

Speaker: So sweet. So nice. Later, Odessa asks about her husband, Xavier, whether he'll return, but Tilia only knows that he's traveling from Paris to Elder and seems indifferent to Odessa's concerns.

Speaker: Feeling alone and abandoned, Odessa reflects that she's been on her own for... Pretty much as long as she can remember. Yeah, that's sad. So as she heads toward the dining hall for breakfast, there's a sudden rush of hooves.

Speaker: The Guardian gallops through the encampment in anger, and chaos erupts. Armed men on horseback, wearing the King's emblem, arrive and invade trio. ma Yeah.

Speaker: So they surround the Turin Rangers and begin burning books belonging to the library, tossing the volumes into a fire. Yeah. So... Tilia tells Odessa to stay hidden and watches from nearby. And Tilia approaches King Ramsey, who states that he's for his son.

Speaker: And Tilia tells him that he isn't there. And Odessa's about to go up to the commotion when Kathleen stops her. Then there's a quiet conversation between Tilia and King Ramsey, and she like can't hear this.

Speaker: And then the king and his men leave. turn So it's kind of interesting. Yeah, a little quick in and out. Kathleen and Odessa watch the library and books burn from afar and see soldiers ransacking tree houses and bringing books out to burn these giant flyers.

Speaker: Odessa asks Kathleen why they're doing but she doesn't answer. Odessa tells Kathleen, I'm sorry for all the books to burn to ash. I mean, I would be like a librarian's worst nightmare.

Speaker: Yeah. Any book lovers. Any book lovers. So Odessa actually goes back to the tree house and finds it over a visit. trashed. The ground that she left is missing.

Speaker: Her books are gone, and she finds that the journal stashed in a hidden satchel the only thing that's with her. So the guardian, who sees her retrieving it from the branch, now knows she's losing secrets. He obviously saw her.

Speaker: So the soldiers withdraw as quickly as they came, leaving the survivors stunned and silent amid the ashes of the library. Odessa feels panic, betrayal, and fear. not just the library or her books, but for the violation of her room and her loss of safety, and that the guardian now knows more than she wishes he did.

Speaker: She returns to her treehouse, dread heavy in her gut.

Speaker: and Okay, so moving forward, it's been a relatively peaceful week since King Ramsey's visit to Trio, full of training with Tilia, sketching, writing Freya, and exploring.

Speaker: And she's tried asking about Alistairia with no luck and spends her evenings dining with Riel and Jocelyn and then stretching and lots of dwelling at night. Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah, just questions of upon questions of everything that's going on. So training with Tilia one morning is difficult as Odessa is more distracted than usual and everyone in a trio kind of seems on edge.

Speaker: And then Tilia instructs her to start running around trio to improve her stamina. And so trying to stall, Odessa asks how she and Halston met. Yeah. She's like, don't want to do that.

Speaker: Which fair. I hate running. Yeah. She explains if they've known each other they were kids and that he was there to comfort her after the loss of her beloved dog. Returning to training, Odessa coming to throw a punch, but she just wants to be able to defend herself. Right.

Speaker: Of course, the guardian appears and mocks Odessa, which she's tired of, before taking over her training. So he takes let her off and Odessa has to look away to calm down, but the guardian doesn't let her off the puck.

Speaker: She asked him to start it and he slapped her before she can stop him. I know. So on the next strike, she deflects it and he realizes she's been practicing.

Speaker: She had actually spent her nights dancing until she was tired and thoughtless enough to fall asleep. Yeah. She was like, when all thoughts still, she was like, I would dance for hours. Cause she actually mentions that her dancing,

Speaker: teacher was like the only person that said she wasn't like hopeless from the beginning yeah she wasn't great but and like fighting and dancing have a lot in common yeah which like tilia or like someone else had pointed out exactly you know what so before they can continue the guardian is distracted by an evangeline who odessa realizes a little girl who she'd seen in the common yeah the little girl from earlier She had escaped her lessons and is about to return when they hear horses and whistles welcoming people to trio.

Speaker: yeah Evie takes off running and the guardian follows her, with Odessa deciding to follow to see who Evie is so excited to meet. The riders arrive and Xavier is with them. He notices the guardian and Odessa before Evie runs at him and yells, Papa!

Speaker: What?

Speaker: ah Um... Alex Cuffer? What? What's going on? Okay, so the chapter opens in the dining hall where all of Trio is gathered, the atmosphere full of reunion and warmth as rangers return and are embraced by their families. you know I love that there's like a good couple this too.

Speaker: It's awesome. So Brielle and Dawson mention that all the reunions make them miss home and Odessa realizes that she doesn't really miss Quintus as much as she thought she would.

Speaker: i mean, would you? No.

Speaker: Odessa notices her husband, Xavier, who summons her from the hall to walk with him outside. And the conversation is awkward. Odessa confronts Xavier about the daughter and the fact he had kind of withheld that information. mean, yeah.

Speaker: And he confirms that Evie is his daughter and that few know of her existence. Yeah. Ugh. Xavier admits that he wouldn't have told Odessa about Evie if she didn't follow her that day.

Speaker: He admits that he doesn't want her involved in court life. Odessa asks about her mom, in which Xavier explains that she died in childbirth. He goes on to say that she has spent most of her life in trio and elder and has learned to keep the secret of him being her father.

Speaker: Which, like, hard. That's a fork, like a little baby. In their conversation, Odessa asks if she can know Evie better. Xavier allows this, granting a desk of permission.

Speaker: And Xavier then asks if she's liking Trio. And she lets know that she likes it, but his other ladies' needs could be moving together because they're homesick. And he says that he will make happen the next day. That's sweet. Yeah.

Speaker: He's being considerate of hers. Nice. I guess. I'm still more of a fan of the guardians. So Odessa tries to ask more questions about where Xavier has been, but he doesn't answer most and says he sometimes just ignores questions he doesn't want to answer. Like, yeah.

Speaker: Sure. Yeah. I mean, good strategy, but... So he lets her know that they will travel to Eldar for the migration because it's safer. And Odessa realizes that she probably won't be going to Alistairia before the migration.

Speaker: And in a desperate attempt to do anything, she kisses Xavier on the cheek. He doesn't back away, but there was something like pity in his gaze.

Speaker: um Yeah. i grow She quickly apologizes, but he grabs her cheek and says, don't pee. But then he drops his hand and leaves.

Speaker: I don't know how to feel about this. It's awkward. It is. And that's why I'm this is where me like, I wasn't a fan of him from the beginning. You know this.

Speaker: like That's her husband. Forced husband. Yeah, I know. Still.

Speaker: Anyway. Moving on. When Alessa walks into her treehouse room, she finds the guardian waiting inside. He questions her with some very invasive and pointed questions about her past, her loyalty, her home, and her relations. Yeah, like one of the questions he was like, where's your home?

Speaker: And she's like, Roslow. so yeah But ah more and more I'm thinking in it's this treehouse. He was like, watch yourself. yeah Like, what? He even goes as far as to ask how many men she's been with and says,

Speaker: Xavier's not fond of women who reek of desperation.

Speaker: sir? You're gonna like the guardian with him saying stuff like that?

Speaker: She tells him to get out, real same, but he goes on to ask if her father sent her here to spy, and she says no. She asks, did I pass your test? In which he leaves, unhooks the ladder, and jumps over to his treehouse. I was just like, guess not.

Speaker: you Nope. Next chapter, on to toy five. Xavier is chastising Evie for leaving her lessons again as they walk around trio.

Speaker: Odessa and Xavier have been walking together, but this is the first time Evie's followed. Yeah. So Evie is still wary of Odessa, so she introduces herself to the child, and Evie then asks Xavier if he's leaving a again soon.

Speaker: catching herself before she calls him papa yeah which like it's hard which odessa's like ah breaks my heart that she has to lie about that yeah And so the Guardian appears and takes Xavier off to have a separate conversation. So Evie tells Odessa that he fights the sick monsters. Ooh. Interesting. New plot.

Speaker: Before Odessa can ask more, Luella appears, catching Evie trying to hide from her. Luella and Odessa officially meet, and Xavier comes back to tell them he has to handle something. Evie has to go back with Luella and when Odessa looks at the guardian, his hazel eyes tell her that something is wrong.

Speaker: Luella escorts Odessa back to her treehouse where she finds Brielle and asks if she's heard anything about sick monsters. Brielle does share that she overheard some men talking about people missing from trio, but she wasn't able to hear more when the men saw her eavesdropping.

Speaker: So Jocelyn also heard that the king is recruiting men for his militia, and Odessa wonders if her father's mission has anything to do with the king's militia. And then asks Brielle about Alessaria, who hasn't heard anything. Yeah, like she thinks like maybe the king is raising his militia in response to suspecting my father. of You know, whatever.

Speaker: So Odessa wonders if Alessaria even exists, and Brielle points out that it's likely why they're stuck in trio to prevent them from learning anything. Yeah. I mean, even Brielle realizes that. Yeah.

Speaker: And as Odessa wonders over all of her questions left unanswered, she realizes that she's going to have to change in order to start getting answers, starting with the layout of trio.

Speaker: Ooh, yeah. Whew. Chapter 26, she is frustrated by being sidelined in Trio, so Odessa decides to act on her own. She plans to leave camp to uncover the truth about the spreading sickness, the burned books, Alessaria, and the monsters.

Speaker: Odessa tells Brielle about her plan to escape. And Brielle warns her of the danger, but helps her arrange a disguise and a travel plan. Odessa understands that she needs to do this.

Speaker: However, she contemplates what she would be if she wasn't at the mercy of men But she realized she has never even thought about those possibilities. I mean. She's never thought, like, do I want to be an artist?

Speaker: Do I want to be this? Do I want, like. Well, I mean, she was always a princess, so her life was always going to be dictated by men, which sucks. Now it's like she's like, I don't even. Yeah. I can't fathom it.

Speaker: So. They bribe a wagon driver to let Odessa travel disguised as a servant with her natural red hair. But then she also like covers it up in like was a star. With hood like just in case and yeah happens anyone else sees her.

Speaker: So she hides her identity and leaves Trio quietly at dawn. The journey is tense and quiet and Odessa is worrying about being discovered or attacked the entire time. She notices the world outside trio feels strange and unsafe.

Speaker: Towns no longer defend against monsters. Hmm. So Odessa reaches the town and tries to blend in while trying to find the inn. I think this is in Ashmore. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker: So she begins planning her next move toward Alisaria and gathering information. So as she's preparing to move through the streets, she hears a laugh she knows too well and spots the guardian unexpectedly there outside of the tavern. No. Yep. He's an Ashton or two.

Speaker: Luckily, he doesn't seem to notice her. Instead, he is fixated on a blonde in the doorway. She realizes he might not be there for her and she's a little jealous.

Speaker: Ooh. But she said it's annoyance, but, you know, we we don't believe her. come on girl. It's very clearly jealousy. You can't be, in like, yes, you can be annoyed, but it's because you're jealous.

Speaker: You're annoyed that you are jealous. Well, being jealous has the has an annoyance aspect to it in general. That's the irritation of it. And jealousy comes from annoyance. It's the off branch of that. Yes.

Speaker: So she arrives at the inn requesting a room for one night and asking for dinner to be delivered and heads up to her room. As she sits behind the door of her room and shuts it, she says, this was a horrible idea.

Speaker: and the guardian responds from behind saying, agreed. He is livid. And then says, hello, my queen. i The way i would have probably he my pants and just been like...

Speaker: Damn it. I would. Okay, my man did this to me the other day. I was sitting in the shower and he came home from work and I didn't hear him come in. Oh, no. And I opened the shower because I was done and he was just standing there listening to me The scream that I let out.

Speaker: The scream that scrumpt. Oh, my God. The scream that scrumpt.

Speaker: I'm always so paranoid about my guy just, like, appearing that I'm not going to hear. So I will literally randomly check. Yeah. Because I would probably fall in the shower.

Speaker: Knowing me. It was funny. I'm not going to lie. He doubled over in laughter. it was great. Oh, God. So the Guardian ah obviously is pissed.

Speaker: Yep. So his rage-filled silver eyes stare at Odessa as he yells at her for sneaking out of Trio. Yeah. She tries to apologize, but it doesn't help. So she asks why she was allowed to leave Trio, thinking that it was the only way she escaped, that the Guardian knew about this the entire time. Mm-hmm.

Speaker: And when she realizes that her plan worked, she wants to be happy, but the Guardian keeps yelling at her, wanting to know what she's doing in Ashmore. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he confirmed. She was like, you know why was I allowed to? He like, i don't know.

Speaker: It's the first thing going to the guards. She was like, girl, it got oh she'll get out. She goes with exploring her country. Good one. And he just stares at the wall in silence before telling her that they'll leave tomorrow.

Speaker: She snaps back at him, surprising them both, and rants about her choices having been made for her, refusing to go quietly into a cage. Which, fair.

Speaker: After a beat of silence, the guardian just asks why Odessa never asked leave, pointing out that her cage may not have been as locked as she thought. Fair.

Speaker: never asked. She was like, hasn't Xavier granted everything? Yeah, he has. He got Brielle and Jocelyn together. Like, every time... He let her train. He got our swords. He's letting her get to know Amy. Like... yeah come on. He got our horse. Let her keep Freya. Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah. So Odessa's dinner arrives at the door and she sits to eat ah despite losing her appetite and the guardian leaves out the window and Odessa gets ready for the night. Yeah, she's like, much I'm not going out. I'm just staying in.

Speaker: So Odessa reflects on her option of asking Xavier to explore, but worries that she wouldn't be able to explain the request to him since he's already suspicious of her, despite him giving her everything she's requested, like we said.

Speaker: And unable to sleep with her thought, flipping between wondering at the truth of her father's mission and wanting to help her people. She's just... Conflicted. Yeah. Her pillow is suddenly ripped away by the guardian, who has returned to her room to guard her by sleeping on the floor.

Speaker: Unless, of course, you want me to sleep with you. okay She asks how he found her, and he explains that her hair is noticeable. Okay.

Speaker: realizing this means he knew about her hair the whole time we kind of he states that he could smell her hair dye like from the beginning also there's that whole thing with like when he picks her hair up with the knife and it's like raining her like he could have gotten it on the tip of his sword too or when they pulled her out of the ocean yeah yeah God, we're so... He asks her for her reason to visit Ashmore and she says she'll share it when he shares his real name.

Speaker: Then she falls asleep to his laughter after some more light banter. um Kind of cute. Kind of cute. They're cute. Yeah. I'm sorry. They are. When Odessa awakes, the Guardian has left her a note that he has business and to not wander far.

Speaker: Okay. I love this because it's like he's giving her a little bit of he knows He knows that she's going to go out and next explore. She's not going to stay locked away. Yeah. So he's like, just just don't go far.

Speaker: So Odessa wanders through the town of Ashmore after breakfast, moving quietly and trying not to draw attention. She finds the ruins of the library, a charred pile of rubble where bookshelves once stood, now covered in ash.

Speaker: Another library! No! Well, mean, if he's Bernie Brooks, I'll But yeah, but why? Odessa is struck by the devastation and wonders whether the same fate would have occurred in her home base at Trio had circumstances been different.

Speaker: and Kathleen suddenly appears and after some conversation lets Odessa know that the Guardian is actually sworn to protect Odessa, then offers to show her around Ashmore. Okay, just pop it out of nowhere. I love how Kathleen is here. Like, yeah hi.

Speaker: Hi, friends. They walk together and Kathleen points out the migration tunnel trenches built under the town for shelter during monster attacks. Odessa asks why Kathleen is in Ashmore. i mean, same. and she asked why And she says that she was visiting an old lover.

Speaker: She says there probably won't be any future with her, though, but she wanted to still see her. Her lesbian librarian moment. I'm here for it. I am so here for this. I'm here for it.

Speaker: I love it so much. So when Kathleen asks Odessa why she is there, she tells you that she was there for the library to learn more about Tyra, but that it was hard without books.

Speaker: I mean, yeah. But then Odessa asks, how do they keep monsters out of Ashmore? Because when they came in, there were no guards. There defenses. And Kathleen explains that unlike many towns which use natural barriers for protection, Ashmore is vulnerable.

Speaker: There's open plains and fewer defenses in that they usually have soldiers protecting the towns, but the king withdrew his protection so villagers were taking up watch and guard.

Speaker: Oh my God. What kind of king leaves his citizens defenseless against the everyday monsters, but also the upcoming crux. It's crazy. So while they're walking, warning bells ring throughout the town and townspeople rush inside their homes, signifying an imminent monster threat. And she hears the recognizable clicks of the bear wolves.

Speaker: No, you not again. Yep. Again. These guys are going to come back a lot. Let's just, let's just practice that.

Speaker: But they do. So the next chapter begins and a chorus of cliques are bouncing off the buildings and Kathleen urges Odessa to the inn for safety before they take off running.

Speaker: Odessa sees a woman fall as she's running to the inn and gets back up with a limp as a bear wolf emerges. Odessa and Kathleen stop to avoid detection as Odessa takes in the sight of the creature.

Speaker: The woman is still trying to make it to the inn and Kathleen heads to the closest building, but Odessa doesn't follow. Yeah, instead she whistles to get the monster's attention off the injured woman, ignoring Kaplan's suggestion to run.

Speaker: She waits and watches the bear wolf stalk closer. Odessa notices a second bear wolf behind her and dashes away. The guardian arrives and slams into the one-eyed bear wolf before it can catch Odessa.

Speaker: The guardian makes quick work of one of the monsters and the one-eyed bear backs away before clicking to summon the others. No. ah Catherine arrives to pull Odessa to the safety of the tavern porch as the guardian and the one-eyed bear wolf face off.

Speaker: Catherine bangs on the door for help and Odessa watches the fight. The guardian is wounded and seven more bear wolves emerge from the darkness and one from the side of the tavern. So that's nine now.

Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. The tavern door is suddenly opened and both are saved by the blonde woman Odessa saw speaking with the guardian. She bars the door and sits in a huddle crying. Yeah.

Speaker: the fight as kaine warrants her to be quiet unable to stand by odessa goes to pull her k niive once out ro so on the wall as odessa grabs the grosco she makes eye contact with a bear through the tavern window she loads it waiting for the beowolve to attack After it backed away. She's like anticipating the jump.

Speaker: And the barrel suddenly crashes through the window closest to the blonde and throws her across the room. Bye, Blondie. Bye, Blondie. It's Soraya. We don't know her name yet.

Speaker: I thought we did. Not at the end. if We find out like in the next chapter or whatever. Oh. Yeah. Well. Sorry. Gotta edit that out, bud. Sorry, Clay. You can't ruin that. You gotta go back and cut out that I said Soraya.

Speaker: Soraya. The, the, the. The.

Speaker: Odessa fires the bolt, but it doesn't seem to slow the monster down. It chases them through the building and outside. Odessa loads another bolt as they climb the stairs, leading to an apartment. She raises to a window to see the guardian, heavily wounded, facing off three bear wolves after already killing five. Jeez.

Speaker: Before Catherine can stop her, Odessa climbs out the window and onto the ledge, and the balcony shifts beneath her. Ah! Taking in quickly and praying to the God of War, Odessa fires the crossbow and it hits the monster, allowing the Guardian to kill it.

Speaker: Then glaring at her for not hiding. Yep. She fires again and misses, but the Guardian is able to avoid the remaining two bear wolves. The one-eyed monster hangs back while the other fights first.

Speaker: Odessa goes to fire at the one-eyed bear but it disappears before she can pull the trigger. The Guardian soon kills the last one and Odessa relaxes. But the balcony falls as she's heading back inside.

Speaker: No. Yep. She catches on the railing and hangs for a minute before letting herself drop and the rest of the balcony above her begins to fall. The guardian yells for Odessa as he runs toward her and she realizes that the bear wolf that they had trapped inside was now heading towards her.

Speaker: No. Odessa fumbles for the crossbow and the guardian's sword flies past her impaling itself a wolf's head and it crashes into her. Oh. The guardian picks her up, covered in green blood, and pulls her close to him, trapping the cross above between them and daring her to do it.

Speaker: No! Yeah. Because she has it, like, aimed up at him. And she closes her eyes, trying to will herself to pull the trigger, but he demands that she look at him.

Speaker: When she opens her eyes, she sees a monster, not the man that's been her shadow this whole time. Like, Catherine comes rushing out, and then the guardian disappears. No.

Speaker: This is so tense. Yeah. So the next chapter, Odessa lies awake in the inn room after the attack in Ashmore, unable to sleep, because it built over the 17 dead, including the tavern owner, Soraya, the blonde that saved them. Yeah.

Speaker: She reflects on the horror of the attack, the smell of green blood, the charred bodies of beasts, and the overflow in the infirmary. The Guardian arrives unexpectedly. He appears to be drunk, but is startlingly healed from his wounds sustained in battle.

Speaker: The Guardian delapses on the floor near Odessa's bed. He refers her as my queen in Sparrow, challenging herself, self-blame, and telling her she's blaming herself for what others knew was a possibility.

Speaker: Odessa asks him why he calls her Sparrow, and he answers simply that, because you're a bird. Without further explanation, he's so drunk, and I'm just here for it. Yeah.

Speaker: She presses him about going to Al-Saria, a detour that she had hoped for, but he decisively says that they will not go there. They discuss the attack, and Odessa brings up oddities with the beasts.

Speaker: The green blood, the unusual behavior. The Guardian confirms that they are infected with something called Lysa. Lysa. Lysa? Yeah. They're infected with something called Lysa. When Odessa asks what Lysa is, the Guardian gives no explanation and falls asleep, leaving her with fear and unanswered questions. Like, okay, drunkie. You're just gonna, like, drop a bomb like that?

Speaker: And then... passed out okay cool so going into chapter 31 waking again to an empty floor except for her pillow she hopes yesterday wasn't real but realize it was when she feels her soreness she grabs her satchel and makes her way downstairs greeted by kathleen who hands her a book on tearing customs she also promises to bring more love that a she's Giving the books to our bestie.

Speaker: Yeah. So, Kathleen does a special bow, and Odessa asks about the meaning, having seen it before, and it was her wishing her a safe journey. Yeah. So, and she's seen it, like, the Guardian.

Speaker: people Did it with a roster. Yeah. And, like, she, Tilia did that, like, at the Fathers, like, yeah at the very beginning with the reserve cat. Mm-hmm. So she returns the gesture and the guardian approaches, hugging Kathleen goodbye. Odessa follows the guardian to his horse and wonders why there was no warning or protection.

Speaker: The guardian argues with her, but she believes she has a right since she signed her name on the treaty. He points out that they've already tried everything that they could think of, but she wants to help still. Yeah.

Speaker: The guardian helps her onto his horse and then climbs up behind her. The horse heads off and Odessa takes in the surroundings to avoid relaxing against the guardian. Well, yeah, there's only his horse available.

Speaker: She rode in on a wagon. So they're just super close together. She's just she's like trying not to cozy up to him. She asks him if he believes in the gods and he shares that he thinks he's cursed, not blessed with gifts.

Speaker: And that the gods aren't benevolent like everyone believes them to be. Instead of heading back to Trio, though, they're heading to Elder to join Xavier, causing Odessa to reflect on her husband. While she's rubbing up on another fan. Exactly.

Speaker: They ride along in silence until the guardian suggests she sleeps. Trying to keep herself awake, still, by looking for any kind of landmarks, she asks about the pack of bear wolves that attacked Ashmore.

Speaker: Thinking how lucky the town was to have a guardian there, she begins to drift off as the ride goes on. Yeah, she can't help it. Mm-hmm. It's little rock English when you ride a horse, so fair. The chapter opens with a nightmare of Odessa in her father's throne room, with May's knife at her throat.

Speaker: Oop. He had ordered May to kill her as punishment for not bringing any information on Alasgaria. Odessa and the Guardian ride together through the forest terrain toward the foresters of Elder.

Speaker: Like, she woke up and then realized they're still on the way. While writing, Odessa reflects on how little she knows about the Guardian, his family, his origin, his gifts or curse, as it calls them.

Speaker: The Guardian's eyes shift to a new deep hunter green, which unsettles Odessa. It's different than what she's seen before. And it signals kind of a change in him. She tries to make break the tension of looking in his beautiful eyes and says, I hate you.

Speaker: And he responds, yes, you do. Don't forget.

Speaker: So cute. Yeah. they were arrive at the fortress pass through heavy gates and odessa observes the large defensive walls and preparations against monster attack holes and streets the wooden spike massive log barrade yeah all that yeah the guardian laser to a house that turns out saviour's home husband familial estate interra He tells her they are not returning to Frio.

Speaker: Odessa realizes her personal belongings have been moved here too. She now faces a new reality, being placed in this fortress and separated from her previous base, Frio, and from friends like Briel and Jossie. No. Yeah.

Speaker: There's a moment where the guardian grabs at us his arm and she winces and he apologizes. And he says, and she says, you didn't hurt me. And he responds, maybe not, but I could have, which explains why he got drunk.

Speaker: Yeah. It was that moment where he was looking at her and like, do it. Yeah. Damn it. Damn it. Sorry. I had to. That's so funny. The Guardian softly tells Odessa, you don't have to hide who you are, Cross.

Speaker: Not here. Not with him. Signaling that Tura she might not need to suppress her true self. Odessa, however, is conflicted. She feels the shift is toward confinement rather than freedom.

Speaker: Senses the complex dynamic the Guardian with Xavier and braces for the unknown ahead. So much unknown. Mm-hmm. We learn that life being elder for Odessa hasn't been all bad, as Evie wakes her each morning at the door, and they spend time together before her afternoon lessons.

Speaker: Aw. They played hide-and-seek yesterday, and Evie left to play with kittens, making Odessa think she lost her. And Odessa reflects on her first week being mostly hiding herself away.

Speaker: so she... She suggests Evie showing her around Elder instead. Yeah, because Evie's like, let's go ahead and see. She's like, nope. Not again. go rules So she enjoys her private rooms at Xavier's house, but especially her own balcony, which she sits at to watch the city's people.

Speaker: She notices routines and special habits of some of the citizens. like People going to get pastries every day or guy who... The owner of the bakery brings his wife flowers every Monday or something like that. Yeah.

Speaker: cute little things that happen in the town. and We also learned that Evie has a tendency to act up, like making herself sick from sweets. Me too. Same. I did the same. Halloween like was just the other day.

Speaker: yeah definitely ate too much candy. Yep. Painting her furniture and stealing Willa's makeup to use for herself. All this makes Odessa fall in love with the little girl, which same.

Speaker: When Odessa suggests letting Luella know their plans, Evie slips that Luella is in the dungeons. What? What? She says that they're creepy and full of books. I will have to say, the voice that she does for Evie on the audiobook is fantastic. Yeah. It sounds like a kid.

Speaker: Aw. Like, And ah if you listen to the audio book, the girl who does the voices, amazing at doing male voices and kid voices and distinguishing between different girl voices.

Speaker: Oh, really? She does male voices too? Oh, impressive. She does like a deep voice for the guardian and stuff, like her own. And I'm like, I'm so here for it. Okay. Okay.

Speaker: All right.

Speaker: Going back into it, sorry. but That's where i was. Okay. Odessa thinks that Luella may be hiding books from the king and agrees to go there. Evie leads the way and Odessa wonders about the blue starburst in Evie's eyes, along with how Evie will fit in if, when, Xavier and her have children.

Speaker: e As Odessa thinks about the the potential help the Dungeons could provide in her mission, Odessa Evie leads them up the cliff edge and into a hole that's barely noticeable.

Speaker: Yeah. They're like past the barracks. like go through town, past the barracks. It's like up the side of a cliff. Yeah. You can barely see it. And it's like you, she, they literally say that you would miss it. You have to stand like in a spot. You have to see the right angle. Yeah. Unless you're like looking for it.

Speaker: So as they enter the cave, it's very dark, but then there are torches lit along the way further down. They pass empty cells and Evie explains that prisoners are sent to a different area of the dungeons.

Speaker: This area is where Luella hides her special books. that And like trinkets too. Yeah. Why did my brain though think it's my first thought was she's hiding spicy books. true That's exactly what she's hiding.

Speaker: passing more empty cells until Evie points out some filled with books and one with the cot and many scrolls. This gives Odessa hope that she'll be able to come back and get information for her father. Yeah, she can make seal it.

Speaker: She's like, hopefully one of those is map. Before they get too much further, though, Luella sees her throat, catching them, and Odessa explains wanting to explore Elder. Instead of chastising them, she asks how long Evie's known about the dungeons, having expected Evie to follow her eventually. She knows Evie's a smart little girl. Yeah, she's like, I should have known. we found me one day Evie's not in trouble, but Luella does make sure that she knows to only come with an adult.

Speaker: That's good. I love the The older people are teaching this kid very well. Yeah, it's not a lot of like chastising like angry. It's two things wrong teaching them how to do things better after.

Speaker: Yeah. So Kathleen emerges from the dark and greets Odessa and Edie as well as make sure she's okay. Because Ashmore, all of that. Mm-hmm. The book she'd given Odessa had been incredibly helpful in understanding Terran customs.

Speaker: So Kathleen motions to follow her and she picks out a stack of books for Odessa, including one of old myths and legends. She mentions her favorite thing about Sora, a woman that sailed across the horizon and it brought back animals to Calandra, stating that they came from another more powerful god.

Speaker: o Odessa worries that even discussing it will upset the gods. But Catherine just thinks that it'll be a favorite. Catherine then realizes that she went overboard.

Speaker: Girl, same. I just go and I like don't realize how many books I have. Yeah, brought back full stack. Yeah. And she goes to kind of like winnow the book selection down so they can take it back. She worries that the books won't last long, though, due to Ramsay's, you know, burning books. Right.

Speaker: And before Odessa can learn what he's doing, Luella asks Odessa to return Evie to the house. Odessa finds Evie, who motions her to hide next to her in the cell. This little spy! I know! She's better than Odessa! Yep.

Speaker: Mm-hmm. They overhear Luella and Kathleen speaking, with loe with Luella being upset at Kathleen for giving Odessa books and her being there in the first place. I love that Kathleen's like, girl, she just wants to read. Yeah, I'm just giving her things to read. And she's like, not her. She shouldn't even be here.

Speaker: Yeah. Luella worries about him finding out and worries about paying a price. Odessa kind of wonders who they could mean, but they can't hear anymore. Evie and Odessa then leave the cave and then head to play with the kittens because Evie wants go play with the kittens.

Speaker: So once there, Evie pulls out some of the trinkets she grabbed in the dungeons, and it's a figure of her favorite god, Furious, the god of Mischief. Fitting.

Speaker: You know. Yeah. For her. Yes. So Xavier appears and notices Odessa's hair being red, but Evie hops in to explain why it's different. She's like, oh, the hair dye is because Margot didn't like it and thought that brown suited her. Like, she goes on this full rant.

Speaker: Yeah, she's like, she's like you but isn't it pretty? so She also thinks that Odessa's starburst just blend into her eyes, not realizing that she doesn't have them at all. Yeah.

Speaker: So, and she's like, she just assumed it and I didn't feel like correcting her. yep So he compliments Odessa and realizes that the girls have gotten closer. oh yeah. yeah Xavier then spends a minute teasing his daughter about changing while he was gone.

Speaker: Before Odessa leaves to let them play with the kittens, he invites her to join them for dinner. She heads to her rooms to read the books, but the guardian is waiting outside her door. Obviously. She admires him, and then he tosses a sword at her.

Speaker: She doesn't catch it. Oh, well. I wouldn't be able to either. Me And he points out it's hers before telling her to follow. They're heading off the train, Odessa feeling butterflies at the thought, even though she shouldn't.

Speaker: Do you have an attraction towards this man? Just give in. Yeah. Sorry. Like, I'm sorry. Just deal with it. Just, just, you can't fight feelings. Um.

Speaker: Okay. Moving on to chapter 34. odessa spents a week training under the guardian using the elegant simple sword that he had given her the training is grueling she collects bruises struggleles with form and even deals with hairnoy and she refuses to cut her braid even though the guardian drags it during lunch like you'll pull on it kind of playfully So during a sparring session, the guardian nearly kills her by landing his blade near inches from her throat.

Speaker: A moment of intense danger and emotional tension. but Yeah. I mean, he's all close like that. Yeah. While the blade is at her throat, Odessa is overwhelmed by the guardian's stare. His eyes briefly shift from hazel to a vivid brain, triggering a rush of unexpected feelings in her.

Speaker: fear, attraction, confusion. At the end of their training session, Odessa asks if she could practice riding a horse since she has seen other soldiers do so and the guardian asks if she asks Xavier in which she responds, I didn't ask him, I'm asking you.

Speaker: And he says he will mention it to him. After training, she walks through the fortress Elder, reflecting on her status, though in residence here, she feels like no one notices she's a princess, let alone the Sparrow.

Speaker: She questions the very existence of the hidden Turin capital, Alasoria. She questions the very existence of the hidden Turin capital, Alasoria, wondering whether it might be a lie, and grappling with her role and mission and the fact that she may have been used.

Speaker: I mean... Yeah. Yeah. ah the chapter ends with the guardian and caring evangeline evi her and through the fortres after a tantrum due her father having to leave the guardian says he will be going to trio the next aid to get a horse oh He says Evie could come with if she behaves, then ask Otessa if she is coming.

Speaker: And of course, Evie encourages it. She's like, yeah, yeah, yeah, please, please, please, please come. So Edessa realizes she's drawn into this little family dynamic more and than she was expecting. Oh, I don't guilt. It really is.

Speaker: In the next chapter, Evie begins, Evie keeps asking if they're almost trio yet. They're on a trio. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Yeah. As she rides with the guardian, she begins to ask if she can name his horse, but he tells her that it already has a name, Orinda, after one of the twin moons.

Speaker: The horse was born early as a twin on the winter solstice. His twin didn't survive, but he did. And a foster priest claims it was because the twin gave its spirit to him, like Orinda gave a part of herself to keep Aurelia, the other twin moon.

Speaker: Aww. Odessa had just read about the twin moons and remembers that the sky was too heavy for both moons. So Orinda cut away her heart and cast it away to allow Aurelia to stay at her side in the sky.

Speaker: That's so cute. The heart that she sent away caused a crater and it said that that was the birth of Calandra. Aww. Evie then asks Odessa about Walsh to Priest, and she reveals that her father is the king of Quintus, making her a princess. Ooh.

Speaker: Evie slips up and mentions she's a princess, but Odessa promises to keep her secret. She also says she'll explain why she's in Turo someday. I love this part because she's like, Papa says that too, that he'll tell me someday.

Speaker: Someday I'm going to know that. That's just so cute. I'm telling you, the voice acting is so good. Mm-hmm. Evie then notices Odessa's necklace and asks about it.

Speaker: Odessa explains a little, and then Evie begins to fall asleep. Yep. Odessa begins her questions to the guardian, asking how he knows where to go, hoping that he has a map she can see. Mm-hmm.

Speaker: She wonders why Luella didn't join to watch Evie, but the guardian just tells her that he'll be protecting the child. Odessa thinks about how she's promised to protect Evie with her life as well. She's like, I haven't made a vow, but I'll die for that kid. Aw.

Speaker: So she then asks about Xavier if he's hunting monsters because of Lysa. The Guardian seems shocked to learn that she knows, but Odessa reminds him that he told her when he was drunk and ashen.

Speaker: He's like, what? No. And she's like, you told me. Yeah. He turns away to avoid answering, but she begs for an answer to not be dismissed or kept in the dark. ah He explains that Lysa is an infection, but they don't know much.

Speaker: They're just trying to stop it from spreading. The infection makes an already deadly monster completely bloodthirsty. They'll kill whatever they want. Odessa thinks that it could be from the crux, but the Guardian points out that this has only happened within the last four years.

Speaker: The last immigration was 30 years ago. The Voster ruled out the crux as they had been researching How do say it again? Lysa. Lysa. Okay. Yeah. As they have been researching Lysa since it appeared.

Speaker: Apparently the infection travels by bite, but so far no normal animal has survived an infection bite, an infected bite. When Odessa asks about people, the guardian remains quiet and she realizes that he has Lysa.

Speaker: Yeah, when she puts this together in her brain, she's like, oh. Oh my God. Oh. Oh. He takes the leather cuff to show a bite mark from a bear wolf. They haven't heard of anyone else being bitten and surviving, mostly because people don't usually survive a normal monster attack.

Speaker: Fair. Odessa asks, what do we do? Showing her alliance to this cause. And the Guardian just explains that they plan to kill all the monsters that are infected.

Speaker: There are unspoken words, though, that Odessa picks up on. He includes himself in that plan. mean, he said we kill every last monster. He's referred to himself as a monster. Yep.

Speaker: He smarks and tells her that her father will be happy. And she can even tell him that she killed him, just like he asked. He knows! um my He knows! We had to assume he kind of knew.

Speaker: i mean, yeah.

Speaker: The Guardian reveals to Odessa that Lysa heightens natural abilities and that his battle fury is tied to the infection. He admits he sometimes loses control in fights and that the infection is worsening.

Speaker: He explains that he didn't know about Lysa until he was bitten, which obviously brought up a lot of questions whenever he lived, and especially questions from the Volster and Xavier. No one knows where Lisa came from.

Speaker: Dang it. It's okay. no You're reading. I'm listening. So it's, I get it. You have been reading it like Lisa and I i get it. ah No one knows where Lysa came from, but the Guardian believes that the main priority should be to stop it from spreading.

Speaker: Odessa questions why they only have some hunting parties, and he explains that there are only so many men they can spare because others are protecting towns and villages. Odessa asks why the kingdom isn't using its militia to eradicate the infected monsters, and they the Guardian explains that the king knows about the infection, but chooses to do nothing about it.

Speaker: Ugh. Yeah. Welcome to, ugh, gross. They discuss whether or there is a cure for Lysa, and the Guardian says there is none, and that time is running out, especially ahead of the limited migration of the monsters, Crux board.

Speaker: Because if we think about it, if they get infected, it's just going to be... It's going to spread everywhere because they attack everywhere. Yeah. They attack humans, monsters, everything. And they're 10 times worse than bear wolves. So bloodthirsty Crux is going to be horrible.

Speaker: Awful. He goes on to say that it has spread as far as the Crescent, which was the ocean. That was the past, yeah. Which means it could get to Quintus. Odessa quickly says they need to warn her father.

Speaker: The Guardian explains that every king in Calandra already knows about Lysa. But they've simply decided it it's Tura's problem to solve. Oh. He states, the shield of sparrows prevents war, my queen. It does not require allegiance.

Speaker: Oh. He also explains that not many turns know about Lysa because the king didn't want to cause panic. Jeez. Because keeping everyone ignorant is great.

Speaker: Yeah. Great. That's wonderful. Hmm. Not really. We're totally kidding. Okay. ah Suddenly, soldiers arrive with urgent news. The encampment at Trio is under attack by a Tarkin, and the Guardian must leave to respond.

Speaker: So the Guardian hands Evie to Odessa for safekeeping and departs to meet the threat, leaving Odessa in a vulnerable position. They head for Odessa's treehouse, and we get a mention of Evie's nickname for the first time.

Speaker: Little star. Oh, so sweet. And so the guardian waits for Evie and Odessa to make it up to the treehouse, and then he goes towards the shouting. Odessa sees another Tarkin lurking under the treehouse and then stalk away into the forest.

Speaker: So there's two, not just one. While waiting in the treehouse, Odessa overhears children outside in danger. and realizes the attack is more immediate and personal than she expected.

Speaker: Odessa hurriedly tells them to make their way up the ladder, but the girl steps on a stick, and Odessa knew that the target would be on its way. The wind shifted. Yeah. Yeah, we knew. So she starts down the ladder to help.

Speaker: Once she reaches the ground, she urges the girl up, and the little boy is so overcome with fear that Odessa has to pick him up and attempt to climb the ladder with him in her arms. Oh my god. The Tarkin makes its way to the ladder and lunges at it.

Speaker: Thankfully, they are far enough up that all he did was scratch her calf and make the ladder swing wildly. She urges the little boy, Marco, we find that his name, to hold onto the ladder in case she falls so that maybe he can hang on.

Speaker: As Evie is screaming for help, Odessa looks down to find that the Tarkin was backing away to make a running jump. And when it does, it hits the ladder and then the ladder snaps to the ground. no Both Odessa and Marco slammed to the ground and Odessa was met face to face with the Tarkin and took that time to cover her body over Marco.

Speaker: She's going to protect this kid. And I'm like, I'm obsessed. As she hears it growl and expecting death, she suddenly hears nothing. The guardian appears, having just killed the Tarkin, and checks her all over for injuries.

Speaker: She says she is okay, and then he takes her face in his hands and says, you're o okay. Kind of reassuring reassuring himself, almost. Oh.

Speaker: The Guardian calls Odessa reckless, but like, come on. She just saved kids. Yeah. You know? Then Marco and his sister are reunited with their mother. She thanks Odessa for the Guardian. She wasn't sure who. It was just directed at them. so Yeah.

Speaker: As she's looking at the dead Tarkin, she feels that f prickle on her skin and sees the Voster High Priest in the distance. Like, great! Like, really? She just, she fell from a treehouse, landed on her back trying to save the kids,

Speaker: And then was facing death saved. And okay. Okay. Now this. Chapter 37. Chapter 37.

Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. going off and the high priest's magic isn't helping odessa feel any better cyllia approachd her to see if she's okay and she lies the guardian and i look over among body and then lead allowing odessa some relief yeah tylia goes to takeodessla to the infirmary despite odessa wanting to check on evi but she feels dizzy and then agrees to go Odessa walks with Tilia at her side, who compliments her brave act of saving the children. She was like, I know.

Speaker: She goes, it was reckless. She goes, I was going to say brave. Yeah. And I'm like, my girl. ah Tilia explains that all the kids were out playing before the attack, but no one knew about the second park end who separated the kids from the adults. a Like, no.

Speaker: um Odessa was high with the youngest victim being a 17-year-old. Brielle and Jocelyn are safe and had come by to check on her while she was asleep. The monsters weren't able to be stopped and the Guardian was fighting until he heard Evie scream.

Speaker: Tilly is surprised to know that Odessa knows about Lysta but then confirms that both Tarkin had it and they believe that they came as a pair to have a distraction. Like, they aren't normally pack animals. No.

Speaker: Yeah, they usually come similar. Yeah. After Tilia leaves, Odessa gets up to leave but feels the Voster magic closer to the exit. She sees the High Priest in a room with the Guardian, seeming to use a spell on him. Ooh.

Speaker: Oh no. The Guardian appears to be in pain and Odessa goes to help when the door is closed in her face with magic. She begins to wonder if the Voster is behind Lysa since the blood matches their eyes and nails and almost runs into Brielle as she leaves.

Speaker: Brielle finally caved and is wearing pants. Oh my god. I love it. She's like, what in Dura? What in Dura? They go to the dining hall to catch up with Odessa keeping some things to herself. Obviously not giving everything that happened. She doesn't mention Evie and she doesn't mention Xavier talking. Or Lysa either. Or Lysa, yeah.

Speaker: So Briel asks if she's learned anything about Alistaria, and Odessa thinks it could be fate, which Briel kind of ponders over. She's like, hmm. Odessa leaves to head to her treehouse, noting that she has a new ladder and that there's no sign of the dead Tarkin. Well, that's nice. She tries to climb the ladder, but is instantly scared again. After a guard checks on her, she climbs up to find Evie asleep in her bed. Oh.

Speaker: When they're up and eating together, Evie asks if the monsters were sick, then declares that she'll have a pet monster one day to protect her from the sick monsters. A girl can dream. I mean, yeah.

Speaker: Fair. Like, I love Evie. Evie asks to sleep with Odessa that night, and Odessa agrees, calling her my little star. Evie asks about it, and Odessa explains that Evie is bright, beautiful, and brave. I'm dead.

Speaker: Evie eventually falls to sleep after a night of games and a bath, and Odessa slips out to speak with the Guardian outside his treehouse. Odessa realizes that the woman he had been speaking to was likely Evie and feels a sense of relief. Yeah, because he's like, she normally takes over my room.

Speaker: I get a cop brought up for her, but don't it's abusing it. And I'm like, okay, um the fact that you are relieved, and um on your home that you like him, you were jealous.

Speaker: You were jealous and then you found out that it was a little girl and now you're like, oh, okay, that's cool. Like, he's protecting her. I'm like, yeah. but Hitting myself in the face.

Speaker: She asks about the high priest and he explains that he was, he was siphoning the Lysa out of the guardian. Odessa thinks that there's a cure, but the guardian quickly tells her to stop that you know line of thinking. Yeah.

Speaker: The high priest may have an answer due to research showing a similarity to fennec tusk powder. They don't know much, but Lysa and Corican seem to be similar. And Corican is the poop of tavern monsters, which are creatures smaller than Wolverines that live in the sands.

Speaker: It's caverine. Caverine. It's like Wolverine. Yeah. Yeah. I knew as soon as I said it, I was like, I thought it was caverine. Yeah. No, you're good. When their poop is boiled and made into a paste, it can make someone hallucinate.

Speaker: So it's often used for amputations or surgeries. It's like a sedation too, is what it said, I think. No, it's a pain reliever. Pain reliever. Yeah. So they can't feel anything. They hallucinate. So they're like completely oblivious to what's going on. So it's often used for amputations and surgeries.

Speaker: However, people often get addicted to it. Again, like, you know, a little patience. It's a pain reliever and hallucinogenic. Like, people going to get addicted to it.

Speaker: Odessa slowly realizes that this means Lysa could have been created, that it might not be magic at all. But the Guardian hints that there may be others with magic, not just the Vosker.

Speaker: Odessa offers to help find the person that created it, if that's the case, but the Guardian refuses her help. She begs to let her help and explains that she can be used to find trouble since Margo always thought Odessa was trouble. I love this.

Speaker: Yeah. She reminds him of her promise on the cutter, but changes it to promise to listen to him. She points out that she's capable and can handle herself and asks again to join him. He reluctantly agrees and she thanks him, honestly surprised that he agreed.

Speaker: And before she can go back to her treehouse, he calls her by name. and thanks her for saving the children before bowing to her with his hands on his heart.

Speaker: He's sweet. He I'm sorry. He made me a little antagonizing sometimes, but he's cute. So, chapter 38, the chapter starts with Odessa Telia training.

Speaker: She gets distracted because she sees the Guardian, which lands for a hit on Telia. They end their session, and Odessa follows after the Guardian. She tries to be sneaky, but the Guardian spots her and asks why she's following him. He's like, dude, I can see you.

Speaker: Yeah, he's like, you're not sneaky at all. You're not quiet. Odessa wants to know where Evie is, and he lets her know that she's with the other children being protected by all the other parents. Everyone's on high alert. Oh, yeah.

Speaker: He asks again why she's out here. And she says that she wants to help with finding the source of Lysa and that she wants to go wherever he's going. She explains that she has a hunch about him leaving to find more information about Lysa and how she hasn't acted on her hunches before.

Speaker: But hey, now's the time, my girl. Yep. She's like, I've had hunches before and I'm just... I'm going to follow through now. Yeah. She got nobody to... report to? Let's go. Except for the guardian. no Yeah, but that's the person she's trying to go with. so the He reluctantly agrees to let her come along and then continues on.

Speaker: He explains that they sent scouting parties to see if there were any other parking in the area, but that they found a den, so they're going to check it out. Odessa trips and the guardian catches her, causing her to get a little flustered and confused, like always.

Speaker: When she escapes his hold, she tells him, please don't touch me like that again. You don't mean that. You don't. but You don't mean that. And then she quickly changes the subject to the den.

Speaker: After his eyes change from green to hazel, he continues on through the forest. He finds an area covered in footprints. He explains that the female lived here and had babies and that that is what they're there to find.

Speaker: He then goes on to say that they're there to see if the babies have Lysa. And when Odessa asks what they do... will he kill them? He says he will. He does say that he doesn't think that they will because it seems to be transferred by bite.

Speaker: He says that after he was bitten, he was intimate with another woman and she didn't get Lysna. And there's an awkward moment between the two and Odessa gives the one-liner, I guess you'll just have to be careful not to bite her. The way she says it in the audio book is like that too.

Speaker: Like she's like, you better not bite her. And I'm like, I love it. Odessa tries to redirect them back to finding the pups, but she can see his eyes shift from hazel to green, which she thinks is when she's amusing him and he tries to press this conversation.

Speaker: yeah They have to crawl up a little slope and Odessa gets a full view of his butt and totally loses it. Girl, we do. Yeah. Anytime. Yeah. But she gets frustrated because like you know she has a husband.

Speaker: and Girl, get it together. yeah She lets out just like an exasperated sound and ah tells the guardian that she scratched her palm. yeah he learn all in mind He looks back and he's like, you good?

Speaker: She's like, fine. He's like, and you're flustered. He helps up the last little part and they approach what sounds like a kitten's yowl. As they approach, there are three dead Tarkin pups who have starved to death.

Speaker: babies because they were so young and their mom left them they couldn't survive then doing another once over they see a tarkin pup who hasn't died and odessa runs over to save it the guardian stops her before she can and tells her to look away because he's going to kill it No!

Speaker: Not the baby! It's just a baby! She asks why asks to, and he says he's putting it out of its misery because it's just going to starve to death anyways. But she asks why it has to.

Speaker: Odessa picks up the Tarkin pup, and the Guardian says, that's a monster. And she responds, does it have to be? And recalls Edie's words from the other night about having her own monster.

Speaker: She tells him that she wants to keep it. But he says, no, because it might have Lysa. She tells him to test it. She says, death isn't the only mercy. I love that. I love that. I'm like.

Speaker: Because it isn't. I'm going to cry. Don't cry. You guys hit me off. I know. I'm sorry. Yeah. And she says that when it can survive on its own, she'll let it go. Oh, she just, just getting it strong enough to survive. I know. I'm like, I'm sorry.

Speaker: He asked, what if it is infected? And she says that she will kill it herself. So he takes out his knife and nicks the pup's leg. Thank God. Red blood. Yay. He's not sick. Okay, no more crying.

Speaker: Yeah. He asks if she would really have killed it, and she responds yes. Then he asks, would you kill me if necessary? Which she realizes is a loaded question because he's asking that if he loses control, will she show him that same mercy and put him out of his own misery?

Speaker: And she responds, yes, if I must. He makes her swear it, and she does. He says, i will hold you to that vow, Odessa. And then says, you asked my name, in which she responds, you told me I had to earn it.

Speaker: And the guardian says, Ransom. My name is Ransom. We have a name. I have goosebumps. I do too. Like, why? i already read this part of the book and I'm reliving it and I just, this book is so good. I'm reliving it all. Okay. um I'm not crying. You're crying. Stop.

Speaker: Okay, next chapter. The baby Tarkin is keeping Odessa up until she cradles it. She sits back in bed and the monster falls asleep. Ransom gives her a hard time about not using the crate, but she's been too tired to try. Yeah.

Speaker: She's also missing Evie since the Guardian returned her to Elder. Instead of being afraid of the monster, Evie had loved it immediately and named it Faze. Aww. She threw a huge tantrum when she had to return to Elder and be separated from him.

Speaker: He asks about her moping and mentions a lion wick attack at a nearby village. Odessa immediately asks to join, despite it being a long ride, and goes to change and pack. Yeah, she was literally just complaining about only getting like two hours of sleep at a time. She's like, never mind.

Speaker: Okay. Let's go. She loads Faze into a sort of baby carrier and learns that they're heading to Revali to do research. but Ransom tells her to leave Faze behind.

Speaker: She points out that she can't because she has to keep his existence a secret and there's no one that could watch him. Brielle and Jocelyn are an elder and we're honestly too scared of him. yeah anyway Their horses are ready and waiting for them at the bottom of Odessa's treehouse, proving that he knew she'd come along.

Speaker: He also braces himself for all of the questions that he knows are coming. I love that. They leave Trio with the whistle from the watchtowers, and Odessa doesn't relax until they reach beautiful open field.

Speaker: She begins her line of questioning and asks Ransom if there are others that have sworn her vow to kill him. He explains, Tilia, Halston, all the rangers in the party, and Xavier was the first to swear it.

Speaker: oh He's very nonchalant about dying nude and Odessa struggles to picture life without him, refusing to accept that there's no cure. um telling Girl, you want a cure because you like him.

Speaker: i You want him alive. So be with him. She asks about Revali and Ransom explains that he hopes to hear gossip of anyone that may have created Lysa and that he chose Revali due to the recent attack like this stirring gossip. Right.

Speaker: He taunts her about being a queen based on her actions, but she doesn't want to be a queen. She then asks if he's talked to any pony riders, but he's silent. He's annoyed that he didn't think of such a good idea first.

Speaker: Right. He's like, they travel across the country. I'm sure they've heard stuff. And he's like, oh, you're right. You're right. She is so proud of herself in this moment, as she should be. She should. She's smart.

Speaker: Ransom then asked her about keeping Faze, but she's sticking to it. I guess I have a soft spot for monsters. Hoping that monsters were more than they seemed. Because they are. Oh my god, I love this.

Speaker: It's just like a Rottweiler, you know? Pitbulls. Exactly. People see them as these vicious animals, but it's all in how you raise them. Exactly. Babies. Okay, chapter 40. we arrive in revolley and all of the buildings are scattered and unorganized throughout the town are also dug into the ground like the roofs were basically at eye level when you walked down the streets like all the buildings had there go down yeah once they reach the end odessa is completely lost They go inside and it's empty.

Speaker: The guardian gets them two rooms and then asks if she wants anything to eat or drink. But we know our girl wants to explore. So she declines and they go back outside. She's also like, and it's super stuffy in here. No, thank you. Yeah. but She was like, no. And then I love when he gets them two rooms and she's like, oh, two rooms.

Speaker: He was like, do you want one? Yeah. Um, I also love a little interaction that they have before they leave because she's like, I would never cause trouble. And she goes, that you actually believe in yourself is the most terrifying part of that statement. She goes, hey, trouble finds me.

Speaker: I don't go looking for it. And they decide to head to the local blacksmith to find who killed the lion lick. Odessa hangs back to let Ransom interact with the blacksmith. Mm-hmm. The blacksmith kind of glances at Odessa and turns to the guardian to ask about her.

Speaker: He replies with her name and that she's the sparrow, causing the blacksmith to bow to her. I love it. So formal. Odessa realizes Ransom's plan to gain more information by using the novelty of not just his presence, but Odessa's as well.

Speaker: So she does her best to compliment the blacksmith, who is very proud of this shot. Oh, yeah. Ransom asks about the lion wick attack, and they learn that Turins are starting to catch on to something being wrong with the monsters. and that the local paperman got injured. Ooh.

Speaker: This excites Odessa because she hopes that means more information. The blacksmith explains that the paperman is from Quintus and has been in Revali for six months. The blacksmith urged the paperman to print stories instead because people would like them, but he's apparently set on the king's militia. He also pointed out that like most news most of the like news that's shared is shared at the tavern first, so by the time he prints it, it's old news. Yeah.

Speaker: Mm-hmm. So Odessa feigns ignorance, ignoring Ransom, and asks about the militia. There hasn't been one in a while, but the blacksmith suspects it's being raised for the upcoming migration.

Speaker: a Odessa doesn't find that suspicious, but wants to speak with the papermen next. They leave the blacksmith very formally, like bowing, and she's like, gosh, is this going to my life now? Yep.

Speaker: And Odessa asks Ransom about the militia, but he dismisses it. She then asks him about his plan to bring attention to her, which he confirms. And she also asks about speaking with the paper man.

Speaker: They've stopped walking and she realizes that they're at the paper man's shop already. He's like, um, hello. He's like, I'm already. Yeah. He's like, just look up. Yeah. They enter and then are greeted by the paper man with Amber Starburst, which reminds her home. She's like, oh.

Speaker: Before they can ask anything, a boy comes in excited about the news of the guardian in town. Ransom clears his throat and the boy notices him, kind of in shock from having a hero in front of him. He literally like sways. He's about to faint.

Speaker: The boy turns out to be the paper man's son and Ransom goes to ask about the injury to the paper man's arm. Jonas explains that his dad saw the lion wick first and shot it with a crossbow.

Speaker: His father further explains that the monster's tail injured him as he was firing the second bolt into the monster's neck. He was like, I was too slow yet to load it. So when I fired, it was super close and the tail whipped out and got me.

Speaker: And others had come out to help and take it down at that point. Yeah. Like everyone else was armed. The blacksmith said it took like six people to take it down or something. Yeah. yeah So healers had helped his arm and he should be fine, but Jonah seems to kind of be reliving the memory. And he also shares that the monster's eyes seemed cloudy.

Speaker: He noted the green blood and that the monster smelled worse than cave ginger, yeah which we learned that cave ginger is often sold as a candy, but that it comes from like bogs and swamps that alligasts live in, which alligasts are like another monster, similar to alligators. Yeah. And ah those are found in Ozarth.

Speaker: Mm-hmm. So Ransom notes that he must be well-traveled knowing about those, and we learn that the paperman's wife was the traveler, and they just joined her. So when Jonas shares that she was killed two years ago, Odessa feels for him, and the father shares that they came to Tura to start over.

Speaker: Odessa then asks why Revali, and he shares that he wanted to get as far away from Quintus as possible. Ransom then asks for the man's name, and we learn it's Samuel Hayes, the man who wrote a horrible book about Quintus. Oh, Odessa is pissed.

Speaker: As Ransom goes to introduce her, she introduces herself as Odessa Cross, and Samuel bows, instantly feeling awkward. He's like, oh, oh, my bad.

Speaker: so phase chooses this moment to stir and jonas notices him where did he scared to the recent monster attack she's surprised to find jonas very curious about it and asking a ton of questions he's like is that a is is that target is that a target he's like how old is it what does he eat what's his name yeah all this is so adorable just so cute childhood curiosity and like It's not fear, even though literally his father was just attacked. He was just having flashbacks about it.

Speaker: And he's like, so interested. Yeah. I love it. Odessa pulls Faze out to let Jonas hold him, and the boy is just ecstatic. He's so happy. He calls Odessa a legend tamer. Ooh.

Speaker: And Ransom smirks. She knows she has another nickname now. Ransom tries to get them to leave, but Odessa offers to stay, so Jonas can play with Faze. She also hopes to learn more about the king's militia from Samuel. Makes sense.

Speaker: Ransom seems to sense her intentions and just warns her not to wander off. After he leaves, she turns to Samuel to ask him about the book. She literally was like, so let's discuss your talk.

Speaker: And I'm immediately you like like principal oh God, he knows he's in trouble. I love it. Okay. We learn about Samuel Hayes and his wife, kind of a Romeo and Juliet type story.

Speaker: After a decade of travel in Calandra, they returned to Quintus to care for his wife's mother. Shortly after that, his wife was killed. And another rough year inspired Samuel to write his book.

Speaker: Samuel had invited Adessa to stay for tea as he explained everything and shares his regret over writing the book. he was angry and thought that the money would help. And when Odessa asked him about saying that her father killed her mother, he explains that he embellished a rumor he had heard from a drunk nobleman.

Speaker: And it helped. But he did say that this book helped them start their new life in Torah. Yeah. So it's, you know, it was rumors, but... Yeah, he was like, I embellished it a little bit for sales. And she was like, yeah, how much sales did he get you? And he goes, enough to start our life here. Yeah. what Which, like, fair.

Speaker: I know it's it's rough, but, like, he's doing what he's got to do. Yeah. Despite wanting to know more about the rumor, Odessa asks instead about the king's militia. Samuel shares that no one has heard from the soldiers that have enlisted, which is odd since the men that served the king when they were younger found it strange. Because when they served, they would get letters. They were able to go home.

Speaker: Like they were able to, they had that freedom and now they're like, this is weird. They don't get that. They aren't interacting with anybody else. She asks if he's ever been Alessaria, but he hasn't, and learns that no one talks about it.

Speaker: He wants to know about the secrecy, but he really also just doesn't want to risk Jonas' safety. yeah She mentions her thoughts that it's not real, and Samuel explains that there's actually a woman in Revali who has been, he claims that the road is treacherous, it is guarded by a stone wall, and the only way to be granted entrance through the gates is by blood oath to keep the location a secret. Like, what? What?

Speaker: So he warns her of her curiosity in that Perns don't trust outsiders, even the sparrow. He knew it was supposed to be her sister instead, but when Odessa mentions never seeing a map of Tura, Samuel explains that maps are forbidden and you can be executed for having one. Uh-oh.

Speaker: So Odessa wonders how a country can exist without a capital, and Samuel says Paris serves as the capital mostly, as it's where the king gives out his decrees, which are spread by the army and Tony Riders. Yeah.

Speaker: So he also believes that all of Turo's knowledge is kept in Alasaria, which the Turins feel bitter about. They're like... He mentions like scholars and alchemists like live in Alasaria and Odessa realizes that it's people that could create an infection. Yeah, all the people that live there are the people that are smart enough to create an infection. And like the Turins, like the everyday Turins are like... Civilians. civilians are Civilians are like looked down upon. Yeah, they're like lesser than them. Yeah.

Speaker: Which is crazy. Yeah. So she wonders if Ransom would take her if she asks and Ramsay is the one. ah yeah other She wonders if Ransom would take her if she asks and if Ramsay is the one who created Lysa and that's where he's keeping it a secret like why he's keeping it a secret.

Speaker: Her head is spinning with one question after another when Ransom returns. She takes Faze back from Jonas and follows Ransom out. Mm-hmm. He shares that the Lion Lake attack had Lysa and that there have been more attacks in the area recently.

Speaker: Odessa throws out her theory that someone in Alasaria created the infection, but he dismisses it and tells her not to bring it up again. Okay, but why? why you dismiss it? It's so easy. Uh-huh. So they return to the inn and everyone inside goes quiet.

Speaker: It's like full now. Yeah. They're all staring at them. They head straight for their rooms and Ransom tells her that they'll leave at dawn the next day. He also shares that Ramsay is supposedly going to arrive in Revali tomorrow as well, but they won't be here when they when he arrives. Yeah. He's like, we're not going We're going to be out.

Speaker: Yeah. She thinks Ransom has a problem with Ramsay And he kind of gives a non-answer. Like, he's not going to answer that. He looks like he wants to say more, and Odessa mentally begs him to, but he just bids her goodnight.

Speaker: She calls him by name, and his eyes shift from green to hazel before he slams the door and locks it. He may hate it, but she likes saying it. Yep. She likes saying his name now that she knows. Yeah.

Speaker: Oh my god, it's the last chapter. Okay. Of this part. Of this part. Odessa is up and ready to leave Revali and she meets the Guardian outside the inn with their horses. Before they can leave, though, she hears a horse and Ransom seems anxious as he looks around. o Suddenly, the streets are full of riders with some in regular clothes and some with King Ransom's insignia on their uniform.

Speaker: Oh god. Civilians are coming out of their homes to see the commotion. As they're surrounded by soldiers, Ransom continues to prep his horse and tells Odessa to get on hers. So they're both mounted and it seems as though some soldiers part to let them through, but Ransom knows they won't be allowed to leave and commands Odessa not to speak.

Speaker: Ramsey rides through the path and just stares at Ransom until FaZe makes a sound from his carrier, forcing everyone's attention to Odessa. Oops, so I was just staying hidden. Yep.

Speaker: Ramsey points her out as the bride cries for Sparrow And she retorts that she has a name. Not realizing she spoke out loud until Ransom looks at her. Yeah, she's like, oops.

Speaker: She's like, it's always the worst times that I can't see i can't keep the inside thoughts inside. Yep. It's insane. I'm like, girl, that's the king. You can't.

Speaker: Okay. okay When Ransom points out that Odessa won't be brought to Alistaria until she can be trusted, she's heard it first, but realizes that she won't, she can't, betray the Turins that she's come to care for, including Ransom.

Speaker: Right. Yeah. She doesn't care what her father is searching for, but she won't let him hurt the turins. Ramsay comments on Odessa's hair before allowing them to leave. As they're passing through the soldiers, though, Odessa notices smoke, and Ransom pushes through the soldiers as he draws his sword.

Speaker: um They approach Samuel Hayes' home, which is on fire. No! And surrounded by men with torches. No! Jonas is outside, calling for his father. His dad's not there? Yeah.

Speaker: As people rush to help put out the fire, they're stopped by the soldiers with torches. Ransom is off his horse and runs inside before they can stop him, with the fire singing to avoid him.

Speaker: Odessa goes to hold Jonas in comfort and to prevent him from running inside. As he tries to pull away from her, Samuel runs out with his arms full of their things, like a bunch of books, a bunch of like clothes and childhood memorabilia. Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah. Jonas and Samuel embrace, and Ransom steps out with his arms full as well. picked up The soldiers tried to take the books Samuel carried out, but Ransom stops them with a menacing growl. I love it. The guardian is out now. Ooh.

Speaker: Ramsay yells over the flames for his men to leave the city, and Odessa knows that this was done on his order. She turns to face them and calls the king coward. Okay, hun. I love this.

Speaker: He tries to snap back at her, but she just claims only fools liars are books and people's homes. 100%. Go. Get her. Queen. Literally. really As he tries to intimidate her, she just hardens herself and throws an F-you look on her face. Yeah.

Speaker: Don't like, here's what saying. But he just states that his prize golden, the Gold King's eldest daughter, weak, which hurts her more than she liked. Yeah. Like, they basically chose her because they knew that she was the weaker one.

Speaker: Mm-hmm. He goes on to say that Hera needs a few fires, but Ransom comes up behind Obessa and tells Ransom to leave. Ransom just tells Ransom that he has one month before leaving.

Speaker: One month before what? Mm-hmm. Now that they can, neighbors rush in to help put out the fire, and Odessa tries to ask Branson what the king meant, but he's gone.

Speaker: What happened next? Oh, my God. All right, got to jump into our questions now. This is crazy. So who's your favorite character for this part? Evie or The Guardian?

Speaker: Okay, Evie is adorable. Evie is my absolute favorite character. Just because I i work with kids. You get it. i get it. And it's it's the cutest thing to me that she feels smart.

Speaker: I love it. And then also the guardian. Just because we're learning so much about him. And he's opening up. And he's, you know, opening more up to Odessa. All the smirking annoying. Okay, but now you like him.

Speaker: Kind of. i And that's why. and I definitely love Kathleen, especially after the attack on Ashmore. Oh, yeah. She just appears in the library. And I don't know what books love her. She always just appears around books.

Speaker: I love it. But I also love Tilia because, like, we learn about her and, like, she kind of puts up with... Odessa, you know, trying to train her. but She puts up with Odessa trying to pause.

Speaker: like She indulges her a little bit, but she also doesn't take it easy on her. She also helps teach her how to fight as a woman, but she doesn't get with training with the Guardian. It's a whole different training. We love it. Also, shout out to Faze. I love it.

Speaker: Oh my god. I knew you were going to put Faze. Oh my god. Tilly was my favorite in the first part. So yeah, I'm right there with you. She, she, it was a tough one to pick. I wanted to be someone different.

Speaker: Did I? Yeah. Evie. Oh, Evie. Yeah. Um, what was your favorite twist? Okay. So it wasn't really a twist, but I love that the dungeons and elder is secret library. i love that. Yeah.

Speaker: Kind of. I mean, it's not anything like major, yeah you know, to the storyline, but like, Love it. Gotta keep the book safe. Always have to have a super note of books. And again, I still think there's going be some spicy books mixed up in there.

Speaker: la My favorite choice was definitely that Xavier has a daughter. has a daughter yeah And that she's amazing. Yes. I mean, obviously, that was a huge twist.

Speaker: That was a giant twist. And then I also, I didn't write this one down, but ah finding out, like, the word for sick monsters. Like, finding out about Lysa. That twist.

Speaker: When he tells her being drunk, like, that was a good twist for me. Because I'm like, but we don't hear, like, people, like, releasing their drunk thoughts usually back in this time. So it's cool.

Speaker: Yeah. What was your favorite quote? Okay. This is a, this is a problem. Yeah. Cause I have four. Yeah. And you didn't even pick the one that I was like, Oh, easy. This is going to be Brit's favorite quote. I got this.

Speaker: And which one was that? That was, i guess I have a soft spot for monsters. Yeah, that is one of my favorite quotes. and i didn' love it here and It's actually highlighted. I went back and checked. Yeah. um So I have a couple and we've said some of them before.

Speaker: So like my first one goes back to my favorite character when Evie asked, what does that mean about her nickname? And she says that you're bright and beautiful, that you're brave even in the night.

Speaker: Oh, it's so sweet. It's sweet. It's very sweet. And then a lot of the ones kind of go with the guardian and it's, he gave me the freedom to be myself, to stop hiding. Cause that's how it's about me and my man.

Speaker: Right. So then the next one, same thing. He was a man who followed me off the cliff, who'd jump at my side, not pull me away from his edge. Like,

Speaker: We love that support. Find a man who's going to support you through anything. And then the last you actually said up there, it was, I would never tell you trouble, that you actually believe yourself is the most terrifying part of that statement.

Speaker: Hey, trouble finds me. I don't go looking for it. Because that's me. Yes, i did you but that is a is me to a T. Love you both. Dang. Yeah. So i I'll end with my favorite because it was so intense.

Speaker: Yeah. i I liked this one as well. I'd always been on my own. the only person I could count on to take my side to see me was me. I felt that way, you know? Like, I've always felt misunderstood and everything.

Speaker: So, like, you've never got that until now. And all of a sudden, someone else it gets you and you're just like, oh my God. Oh my God. It's amazing. And then I said it. It is my favorite. It gives me jokes just now.

Speaker: Only fools and liars are in books in people's homes. A thousand percent. Because, i mean, history alone proves that. It don't work out, guys.

Speaker: Just an FYI. Yeah, no. And Banny is the way to lead to burning. Banny is burning this is a problem. Yep. Okay. What's your...

Speaker: just the over that What's your biggest question or a theory from this part? yeah There's so many questions and theories. There's way too many questions. I couldn't even list them. So I really only have, it was a really small thing.

Speaker: here But when Kathleen mentions a legend about Sora, sailing across the horizon, arise men And coming back to the land like time like decades later and like finding Calander's change and all that.

Speaker: I think that's connected to Odessa somehow. I think it may be that maybe it's Sora's necklace. Oh. And she's somehow a descendant of Sora. i don't know.

Speaker: I don't know. What if she's a reincarnate of Sora? I mean, also a possibility. Yes. But like, don't know. about you? know I have a couple. So like ah we still haven't found out what happened with Benner's brother, the guardian. Yeah.

Speaker: So curious about that too. So that's one of my biggest questions. I like to see wrapped up because we still have this unanswered. And thinking that Lysa was created in Alistoria.

Speaker: That's my biggest question theory. Like my theory is Alistoria was definitely, or Alistoria, Lysa was definitely created. Yeah. Because- Well, mean, like she comments on the fact that it has similarities between fennec tusk powder, which is only made or handled. With alchemist. i Well, by humans. Yes. Like, I mean, it's not natural. Like the horn by itself, it's not until it's made into a powder that it can be bad for you. And then the same with the cabarean poop.

Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. yeah And then like cave ginger, even that's mentioned the fact that like, it's something that you eat as candy, but it's made in the bogs where monsters live. It's byproducts of animals. They're like, it's just weird. It's byproducts of like monsters. Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah. Interesting. and just That's what's weird. Yeah. I mean, it's affecting the monsters. So yeah. But alchemists and scholars would be ones that know about properties and stuff like that. So that makes sense. i I still think the Buster Rican is green. What if it's combination of both?

Speaker: Maybe. Like, what if the Buster got with the alchemists and were like, hey, let's just come to the book. yeah

Speaker: That's messed us That's messed us up. Oops. Oh, my gosh. But, yeah, I'm so excited to see what's moving forward. i just I just want more Guardian Odessa.

Speaker: I want more... would just say, right, because finished it already, but... I haven't. so Yeah. Okay. Jandler is having an existential crisis. I really am, guys. Because I need to finish the book so we can actually talk about it.

Speaker: I'm getting Please come back for part three because, oh my goodness. She's very efficient. It's so good. I will say. When she was trying to tell me how good the book is, how good the ending of the book is, she started to tear up and cry. I can't, you guys.

Speaker: So we are ready for it. I'm not ready for it. i I'm ready. We will see you next week. All right. Thank you for listening and tune back in next week for part three.

Speaker: And if you have a story want us to tell, you can let us know on one of the platforms listed in the description. And while you're there, you can like and follow to stay up to date for the next story. Thank you for stopping by for our tale.

Speaker: The library is now closed. Bye-bye.

Speaker: you