Transcript
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. 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, One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig.
Speaker: We return with the final part of One Dark Window. And spoiler alert, we will be discussing what happens in the book. If you wish to read along, we'll be covering the final part, that's already broken out, which is chapters 29 to the end.
Speaker: So this will be a short one. You are welcome to read and come back tilll to us and do our thoughts or follow along now. All right. Part three, the blood. o So this card note kind of says, magic is ageless. It was there at our birth and will be there at our death.
Speaker: The spirit of the wood keeps the balance and our lives are fleeting to her. There is no escape from the salt. That's just not so ominous. There is no escape from the salt. There's not. Woo.
Speaker: Sorry. So, Elspeth dreams of helping children escape smoke and leads them into the room with the one window. Someone with a scythe card is waiting and makes Elspeth feel excruciating pain.
Speaker: She wakes on the floor of the chamber, having sleepwalked again, and she notices her arms are muddy to the elbow and that she has been digging at the base of the stone. What?
Speaker: What? She's, like, digging to, like, get dirt up, and it's everywhere. Yeah. So upon further inspection, she notices an inscription and then realizes that the center stone in the room is actually a tombstone. Because she also realizes that the building was on the edge of the cemetery as well. um So she wakes in a room suddenly thinking that it was all a dream until she looks down and sees her arms still muddy.
Speaker: She begs the nightmare to leave her alone, but he points out all the times he's helped her as a kid, you know, with Prince Hoff, with Lyndon, you When she tries to point out that her death would be the end of the nightmare as well, he only confirms that he is a monster.
Speaker: She can't handle him. you know She's like, not today when we have to get the well card. But the nightmare just warns her that she's running out of time. Elm meets her at the bottom of the stairs to go celebrate her half-sisters.
Speaker: Apparently it's their name day. So he, along with Raven and Jesper, were recalled to stone for training after the market day fiasco. They also brought Emery back with them. So a few days after they left, the youths received an invite to the Spindle House for Nya and Demi as a New Day celebration, like we said.
Speaker: And instead of avoiding it like years past, Elsbeth will attend with the Death Spears and a prince as company. Quite different. Definitely. yeah south However, they plan to use this opportunity to steal the wild card. As they walk to Spindlehouse, Elm and Elspeth kind of talk about King Rowan's frustration with Emery's departure and the loss of the infected boy. And apparently, we find out, Lyndon survived. However, he's going to have massive scars. yeah
Speaker: Elm kind of points out that the king is currently obsessed with finding the Twin Alders card, causing Elspeth unknowingly to recite the card from the Old Book of Alders. Elm goes on to tell Elstead that they're close to curing her and comments that he's closer to ending Oryth Willow. Now, I want to know, what does he have against him so personally? That's true. Because like, one step closer. Which, like, obviously, a man who literally goes about hunting children and killing them for something they have no power over, obviously, is a bad guy, and I would be excited to end that, but, like, it just seems more personal. i agree.
Speaker: So they approach the gates of Spindlehouse, where the others are waiting, including Raven and Jesper. Raven looks beat up, but Elspeth is still excited to see him. So he kisses her and explains that training was brutal, hence his injuries. Right.
Speaker: They're then led in the gates, where Elspeth's father welcomes everyone, and she realizes how different, you know, she is from her half-sisters. Right. And suddenly, the king arrives with Ioni, Prince Hoth, and her uncle Tyrn.
Speaker: And the party begins. Oh, Lord. She points out, she's like, I searched for my aunt and cousins, but they're not there. It's literally just any and awful. This makes like, stick to my stomach. Yeah. i was like, really? You're not going to bring, like... Really? Yeah.
Speaker: So, next chapter, we actually get the well card. And it warns the user to be wary of blue, stone, and shadows shown in the water. Your enemies are waiting. So ominous. For real.
Speaker: So once inside Spindle House, they decide to split into pairs to search for the card. Elm insists on having Elspeth with him to keep Raven from getting distracted.
Speaker: He also kind of says that, like, Raven has the mirror card so you can disappear and Jesper knows how to pick locks. So it's as she comes with me. So they divide up the five floors and Elspeth tells them that they don't need to search the six because that's where her room is and her father doesn't go there anymore. Yeah.
Speaker: So while Elspeth and Elm are searching, you know, kind of throughout the library and other rooms, they're, know, not having any luck, Elm suggests that he use the card and potentially saw them in it.
Speaker: Like Eric. Yeah, sorry, that her father used the card and saw them in it. So that's, you know, maybe why they can't find it. Suddenly, though, they're surprised when her father's servant... Phalian. Phalian. I wasn't supposed say Ballyan, but I'm like, that's not right. Ballyan. Ballyan.
Speaker: Ballyan. Balian comes to retrieve a book for the king or something like that. Elsmith dismisses him and he tries to leave, bowing Elm but not to Elsmith.
Speaker: But Elm makes him bow to her using his scythe card before going. She asks why he doesn't but he tells her it's just for fun. Yeah, and she questions him about it because she's like, it causes you pain and like the price of using it, but he kind of brushes it off. And when she tells him that it's a risk, he responds, so it's treason, and yet here we are. Yeah. I love that.
Speaker: Elizabeth asks Elm why he's doing what he's doing, and he explains he would do anything for his family, the ones that are just as loyal to him. and you know, he's worried that she's going to betray all of them. And she kind of reflects on her own relationships and feelings for Raven. And she says she won't betray them knowingly. Hmm.
Speaker: So the four meet on the first floor and none of them found the guard. Uh-oh. They go to the great hall for the festivities and Elspeth tells them to go ahead while she continues the search. Yeah.
Speaker: So Ione comes along and is, you know, again, not quite acting like herself. She tells them to follow them and they do. They all go and sit at a table and she has them each take a goblet of wine.
Speaker: Ioni toasts the twins and they all drink. and But Elspeth, like, it tastes a lot more bitter than she was expecting it to. And Elm suddenly grabs Ioni's face and says her name multiple times, but she doesn't respond. Yeah. Understanding now that she has been influenced by this ice card. Yeah, of course.
Speaker: When Hoth comes to the table, Elm immediately knows what's going on. Elspeth catches on when she sees the High Prince has a chalice card in his pocket. He takes a drink and sits with them. Yeah, he's giving them all like a little bit of crap. He's like, c come on, it's game.
Speaker: a um It's not just a game, homie. Well, he sits down and he's like, who wants who wants to who wants to tell the truth first? Um, sir? What? So, next chapter, we get the chalice card.
Speaker: It warns us to be wary of the sea, cups, and what you eat. Your stomach being sour, your tongue may twist dour. So, Hawk wants them to play a game.
Speaker: He encourages them to start with asking him questions first. He's like, everybody gets one question. And we learn that he's jealous of Raven. Obvious. I mean, are we surprised? no No. He tries to say no. He literally, he's like, and and yet yeah no yes, he's fine.
Speaker: And then, we also learn that he's trying to turn the desturers against Raven. And that he plans to challenge Raven for command. Hmm. Hmm. A lot of things come into light here. Yeah. This chapter was very interesting because you learn a lot. You learn a lot.
Speaker: And Elizabeth wants to know Hoth has used the Scythe card on Ione before. And he confirms that he has. And that's when we get to Ione. But she doesn't want to play.
Speaker: But when she's press pushed about it. She asks the prince if he has cheated on her since their engagement. And he tries to fight answering, but then says yes.
Speaker: i I will say poor Ione. She knew. I mean, yeah, but like still to have that revealed in front of everyone, it's still a little embarrassing. It definitely is. And I will say also he, he fought it because he realized when she asked that his face like joined the call, he was like, Oh God.
Speaker: Yeah. Realizing that he can't get out of that. Yeah. Because you can't lie. yeah you Men, you're not as smart as you think you are if you try to cheat. The truth will out.
Speaker: So Ionee offers to go next and Jesper worries about how to care of her. you know And she just responds you know as well as a brute like him knows how. So treat her. Yeah, which like again calls him out but also breaks my heart for her a little bit.
Speaker: Ionee doesn't love him. yeah Are we surprised about that? That was Elm's question though. Yeah. I liked it. That was interesting. He's asking if she loves him. Uh-huh. He is in love with her.
Speaker: I'll be in Ione forever. I'm here for it. um And i she also explains, though, that she just wanted power, and this was her only way of getting it.
Speaker: I'm sorry. What? Which is very surprising, because in all the times that, you know, Elspin flashes back to what she was originally... She was never like that. No. So... It's weird. The fact that she claims she wanted power just is surprising to me. Yeah. That doesn't seem like anything she had a taste for, it you know?
Speaker: Elm then goes next, and we learn that he thinks he's the strongest card wielder. Of course. Yeah. Truth is subjective to people, so he's now like, who's the strongest wielder of the cards?
Speaker: Well, me, duh. like Well, Prince Hoth is like, well, that's who's true. But I mean, yeah. He was able to hold off the people from entering the mist. He split an entire crowd in two.
Speaker: Yeah. Like, I'm sorry. He is a powerful guy. you know, like, and it's obvious. I think it's fair. I think that he is more powerful. I don't think that is subjective. I think Prince Hoth wants it to be subjective. Yeah. um He also does explain though that he lives with the ewes because he hates stones.
Speaker: And that he would destroy it if he could. Love this. yeah Raven just asks Elm if he trusts him. Which I think is cute. But Elspeth then asks about the pain from using the scythe. Ooh.
Speaker: Yeah. And he says it feels like glass cutting through my skull. Yeah. I'm like, oh my god. Poor baby. um Hoth then asks his brother if he thinks he'd make a better king than him. Freaking duh.
Speaker: And Elm replies, Yes, but you already knew that. Damn! do you I love that. Raven goes next, but i mean the chalice doesn't affect him, so he can really kind say whatever.
Speaker: Yeah. but he's He's like, I'll play. Yeah, and Hall's like, that's not fair. We'll just do it. We'll go. You put it in this whole old yeah game. So I only want like asks first and she wants to know if he cares for her cousin from the second moment perhaps is what he says and i'm like oh and hawk demands to know what he does at the time he's not with the destriors raven calmly says he's busy with the king's orders and then elm asks if he thinks he's more handsome than him
Speaker: That's so funny. i love that because he's like completely on serious. He's like, i don't know what to think. Yeah. He's like, I don't know what to ask. Like this, I guess. Yeah. And then it gets to Elspeth and she just asks if he's still pretending.
Speaker: And he just laughs and then kisses her in front of everyone and says he never was. my heart. I know. no So unfortunately, though, it's now Elspeth's turn for questions, and Nightmare can't help her with the chalice.
Speaker: And so Ione wants to know if she's in love, and Elspeth is super hurt by having this divorce from her so soon. She's like, I don't want to answer this. I'm not ready.
Speaker: She tries to fight it, with Raven kind of comforting her as she does, but ends up admitting that she is in love with him. And we kind of thought about this. We did.
Speaker: Because I am mad at Ioni for doing this. I am on Elsa's side. She is upset and hurt that her cousin forced this out. Because think about it. If someone else forced you to tell your partner that you loved them before, you were ready to say those words. You may feel it, but you may not be ready tooth to tell them that.
Speaker: And also for that come out in front of others, in front of Prince Hoth, that freaking jerk yeah like it is just like obviously it's not the ione we know obviously but like really there's like nothing as the old you know that that would be hard for her to talk about because think about it this is probably one of her first yeah relationships first love interest ever so like yeah i just like that it comes out though I'm like, I mean, yeah, I am a little happy that comes out because it's admitted. And like, I will say also, like, while she's fighting it, Raven the entire time is like, hey, it's okay. Like, no, you don't have to. But I'm like, and she just sitting here, and she's like yeah, yeah. And just like, hey, yeah. And just feel it. And don't lie.
Speaker: What is that voice? I don't know. know now I don't love it. But for real. Yeah. So, you know, Hoth questions her neck, wanting to know what happened to her arm. Uh-oh.
Speaker: But when Ione tries to step in, she's like, I told you, dear, you know, it was the horse. But she's yelled at by the prince. And Elm then steps in to begin to argue with Hoth. And then Jessica's going, everyone's yelling. Everyone's yelling. Yeah.
Speaker: And, you know, Raven tries to comfort her and offer his help. Because clearly she's still, you know, trying to fight that response. um But before she can stop him... He uses the nightmare card to speak to her. He's trying to help, but no. And she's like begging him to leave.
Speaker: hey And then the nightmare steps forward and yells at him to go. He's like, get out. Oh no. And this startles Raven so much that he falls out of his chair.
Speaker: Yeah. And at this point, Hoth grabs Elspeth's wrist. And like during all of this commotion... Ione slips in and taps the card to turn off its hold on Elspeth. I'm like, thank God for Ione. Yep. At least she's looking out for her Yes.
Speaker: It's weird. Again, i don't understand the motivations behind it. And that's why I'm like, I appreciate the help, girl. But don't get it. But I don't trust it. So Ione leaves before Elspeth can thank her. And Raven gets the group to leave. But when she stands up, Elspeth falls over in vomits up blood. Oh. poisoned by the chalice for trying to lie too much. Oh.
Speaker: Oh, Girl. The next chapter. Chapter 32. The nightmare card. Be wary the dark, the fright, and the voice that comes at night.
Speaker: Oh, my God. i mean, Elspeth's got to deal with the voice all the time, except at night. She said that's the one time he leaves her alone. Yeah. So Elspeth wakes up in her room at Spindle House and finds Raven sleeping in a chair next to her bed.
Speaker: When Elm knocks on the door, Elspeth pretends to still be asleep while Raven wakes up and kind of overhears Elm tell Raven that Hoth must suspect them now and that they really need to be careful.
Speaker: Raven also tells Elm that he used the nightmare card on her and he explains how it wasn't like any other mind he had been in and tells him he he thinks he's going crazy. He's like, I don't know, man. This is new.
Speaker: Something's wrong. And at this point, the nightmare card speaks up and tells Elspeth that she shouldn't lie to Raven if she loves him. And so at this point, she opens her eyes and she immediately reminds him that he wouldn't use the card on her.
Speaker: And he apologizes and says that he thought he was helping. And I'm like... We appreciate it, bro, but she very specifically said no to the nightmare card. She had her reasons. But then the nightmare is telling her to tell him. Yes, okay. So...
Speaker: Yes. So Raven then asks, what was the voice that he heard? And Elm immediately perks up and questions. He's like, what do you what do you do here And Raven goes to explain to Elm that there was a voice in Elspeth's head that told him to get out of her head.
Speaker: oh And as she's sitting there crying because obviously her secrets are coming to light. And he tells her he just wants to help whatever it is. you know She says that she can't. but he wants to try, so she says that she'll show him. Ooh.
Speaker: She invites Raven to use the Nightmare card on her, warning the Nightmare to be kind to him. This part is so... Ooh! Yeah. So he hears the voice in her head again, and he questions what it is.
Speaker: Then she points to the nightmare card. She says she absorbs whatever the shepherd king gave to create the card when she touches a card with her bear skin. In this case, she absorbed the shepherd king's soul. Woo!
Speaker: So el Elm's freaking out at this point. yeah he' like what but And he continues questioning her about it. And she explains that the Nightmare is the one who can see Providence cards, not her.
Speaker: And when Elm asks if the Shepard King has been telling them where the Providence cards are, she says he doesn't speak for her. Not often. Like,
Speaker: ma'am, you literally recited the Twin Alders card the other day without knowing it. know. Clearly he's speaking for you sometimes. Yeah. um He continues to go on saying that that's how she's able to have combat skills. And she tells him that it's only when she asks the nightmare for help.
Speaker: And he's like, oh, so he's an ethical... Yeah. He's an ethical, you know, possessor. Yeah. When he questions if it's his yellow eyes that they've all been seeing in past weeks, she just stays silent. ah Raven asks him to give them some time alone, and she asks why she didn't tell him sooner, and she tells him a poem about keeping secret.
Speaker: The Nightmare speaks up and tells Raven that he knows that he's had his suspicions. Right. She explains that he's been trapped in her head for 11 years and that for degeneration.
Speaker: When she asks for his help, he gains more power. Raven asks if the nightmare has ever hurt her. And the nightmare gets like super offended and says that he protects her instead.
Speaker: I did listen to the audio book for this part. and He's like, hurt her. I protect her. oh And I'm like, he gets so mad. And I'm like, I'm so here for it. Is he a good guy? I'm sorry. She's truly having all these flashbacks and memories. um he was He was a good He was trying to save a bunch of kids from a fire. Yeah.
Speaker: You know? Like, what the heck? Yeah. or so Raven questions why he has grown stronger, and the nightmare tells him when he was killed by the Rowans, his soul remained in the cart, and Elspeth pulled him out and he protected her, but reminding them that nothing comes for free.
Speaker: Of course. Yeah. Raven asks what will happen whenever he becomes too strong for Elspeth's mind, but he doesn't answer. Elspeth tells him that the ruins are the shepherd king's castle and that the Roman king burned it down and murdered him and his family.
Speaker: oh This is a big blow. She then tells him that the Shepard King is buried underneath the stone in the chamber, but is suddenly interrupted by a knock. no like can just like Can we just get like five minutes to just fully talk and communicate? Please.
Speaker: Jesper comes to get Raven from patrol, and he reluctantly goes, saying that he will be back that night. Eric then comes to talk to Elspeth alone. And he asks about Raven, and she tells him that she does really like him a lot. It's such an awkward father-daughter moment. It really is. She's laying in bed, you know resting and recovering, and he's like very awkwardly like standing there.
Speaker: So what of Raven? yeah What of him? It's so awkward. It is, but he places the well card in front of her and says that it was a gift from her mother when they wed.
Speaker: that But that he doesn't have a use for it, and he wants her to have it. oh He tells her that she doesn't have to give it to anyone, that she can give it for herself, but that if he could go back and do things differently, he would.
Speaker: ah He leaves, and she says thank you as he slips out. He's a man of few words, but least he owns a kind of distant state. His heart is in the right place. He protected her all those years ago. Which goes completely against everything he stood for as Captain of the Destriers. So, like, he is a good man. And also, I'm sorry, he hasn't completely disrespected her mother's memory. He still gets the flowers. You know, he's commented that she looked just like her mother and was, like, happy about And tree. Oh, yeah.
Speaker: the spindle tree in the tree next to it like yeah i'm sorry yeah yeah so elspeth you know is like okay i gotta get up i gotta go tell i gotta tell somebody so she rushes downstairs to catch raven before he leaves and she tells him about the well card and he's like it was that easy she's like yep apparently and he says that he will send philic for it so like he can bring it back And she apologizes to him for not telling him sooner about all these secrets.
Speaker: But he says that she doesn't owe him an explanation. And I'm like, our bro understands boundaries. We is love a man that respects boundaries. For real. Like, oh my God. A guy who's like, I told you everything. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. And he's like, it's okay. You told me when you could. And like and what and you know what?
Speaker: And men make fun of women for reading romanticism books. Because this is what we have to do to get the depiction of real men. um Not saying that we don't, because we got good guys. got good guys, so we're less good. But, come on now. This is why. Because...
Speaker: Men in real life ain't always like that, okay? If you guys find a man like that, a woman like that, whatever, you grab him and hold tight. We went through our fair share of... That is a whole other podcast episode. I'm not typing into that now.
Speaker: That's so funny. But... at this point but we love it we do we we love their his support of her and his understanding because and honestly that's probably why she feels so safe with him because he has that understanding she knows like he's not gonna get mad at me for holding on to this like i mean she was feeling badly she was crying yeah telling him about it because it's hard for her but like she still felt able to share that with him right so then she tells him to be safe But she doesn't realize that those are the last words that she will say to him out loud. Yeah, that's how that chapter ended. And I was like, I'm sorry. he's What?
Speaker: What? I'm. I wasn't ready for that. i was At this point, I literally, I sat up and I was on the edge of my seat for the rest of this book because I was like, no, no, no, no. no no no no no no I do want to say I was reading this one very late at night and my mind was like, could not comprehend what was going on. Oh, yeah, no, was reading this at like 1 a.m.
Speaker: I was losing it. Yeah, my guy's like passing on the couch and I'm like trying be quiet. He's playing the background and I'm like, yeah, dying, dying. All right. Next chapter. oh my God.
Speaker: On this card, you know, it it tells you that, you know, if you're wary to be wary is to be keen of those around you. You know, who use magic for wrong right purposes, evil purposes, whatever to be clever is be wise. You know, wise enough to not use the cards too often. And to be good is to be reverent of balance, the salt and the spirit. Right.
Speaker: I also love that this isn't just like to be good isn't just being doing good deeds. It's not being reverent in the spirit, which clearly, you know, a lot of people forgot. Please, Providence, card stop going to her. But like it's reverent and balance and understanding about all of that. Like that's, I just, I like that definition of good um for this story. Mm-hmm.
Speaker: So, Filika arrives to take the well card, and Elspeth walks him out to the door, but she's too tired to go back upstairs, you know, still recovering from the poison. So, she spends some time throughout the day in the parlor, hoping to see Ione, honestly.
Speaker: But instead, her uncle Tiaran finds her, and he offers to help her back to her room, since apparently her Aunt Opal is there and waiting for her. I don't trust this at all. Because she's like, he's looking around like Nervous. Nervous. And he's like... Pale. Yeah. He's like pale and sweaty.
Speaker: I don't like this. Me either. So... Elspeth, obviously still weak from the chalice game. Whatever. Yeah, whatever that was. She's kind of slow to go up the stairs. And she's on the sixth floor again. And her uncle stays behind her, kind of avoiding her gaze as they climb. Yeah. So she's up on the sixth floor, like the highest floor. So she's got some ways to go. And he's staying behind her this entire time. Weirdo.
Speaker: So the Nightmare senses that he's hiding something, and as they reach Elspeth's room, she realizes that Aunt Opal isn't there, but Prince Hoff is. No! more Yeah.
Speaker: He asks Karen to bring her to him, but didn't use his scythe guard. yeah What a jerk. He just asks Karen. He goes, hey, you're loyal to me now.
Speaker: Yeah, he was like, he was like you bring your niece to me. and because She's like, you used your side card on, and she's like, why don't you ask your uncle? And she looks at him, and he's still like avoiding her eyes. He doesn't say anything. And so she's like, how do you? i'm a done that so they had So mad. So wants to know the truth of what happened to her arm. And her uncle is dismissed, and he locks those with him.
Speaker: And despite her begging him not to leave her, He does. um i And she screams for help until Hoff uses the scythe on her to get her to stop.
Speaker: Because she slapped him. Yeah. She like turned around and slapped him. He's like, all right, hold still. Yeah. Dick. Sorry. thanks to her experience with elm she breaks a hold of the sight card shockguhoff you know and then hauntches him a couple times love it unfortunately though he does also have a black horse card as well yes and it uses it to speedily dodge her next punch And he grabs her injured wrist, like some doing, or like twisting it behind her back and everything. Yep. He drags her to a chair, claiming that he knows that it was her in the woods during the attack. Oh my God. you like has his arm pressed against her throat while she's in the chair. And threatening her further, he ties her to the chair.
Speaker: And he assumes she's infected due to Raven's protection of her. But then shares that her uncle confirmed it. Like, way to go. Yeah. Tyrion was upset and being forced to care for her and didn't want to risk his hard work to advance himself for harboring her. Yeah, hard work. Hard hard work. You did nothing and you got paid. Supposedly, you killed the Highland Men for the Nightmare Card.
Speaker: Like... That was it. Like, ugh, ugh, this makes me so upset. It makes me so mad. So, Hoth wants to use the knowledge of Elizabeth's infection to blackmail Raven into telling him what's going on.
Speaker: And he's noticed, you know, that Raven, Elm, and Jesper keep disappearing and keeping to themselves. So he's just, you know, questioning everything. It's too much. Yeah. It's too much.
Speaker: You know, not happy with it. No, I'd like, I literally, I was pacing at this point because I was like, serious. Like I literally did not know what was going to happen. Right. My heart was racing. If Raven tells Hoth everything and steps down as captain, you know, and if Hoth, you know, satisfied with it which I think he's just going to make up some BS about it. So we can't be satisfied um that the king won't know of her infection and that they may be allowed to live.
Speaker: No. Really? Okay. No, not how this works, buddy. Enraged, Elspeth spits in Hall's face and he punches her. calls for the nightmare for help, but he's worried.
Speaker: Like, he's like, are you sure? Because she has little time left. oh She takes a last look at the spindle tree from her bedroom window and says a quiet goodbye, giving in to the nightmare's help.
Speaker: As someone knocks at the door, the nightmare suggests she free herself from the restraints. And despite the pain, Elsbeth frees herself and is dripping blood on the floor.
Speaker: Someone one enters the room and Elsbeth recognizes the metal claws. Orith Willow has arrived. No! yeah It just keeps getting worse from here on out. No! It's funny enough.
Speaker: So, next chapter. Only two left. So, on this card, the the spirit doesn't forgive. She calls everyone's name. She watches the mist as a shepherd and gives those she traps the great final sleep.
Speaker: Which I think is a cool way to describe death in this. That is what death is. I mean, yeah. But the great and final sleep. Like, they don't make it sound like it's a scary thing there. I like that, too. Mm-hmm. So Hoth and Oris are discussing Raven, Jesper, and Elm's treason as Elfis sits in the chair in the room. Elspeth pleads to the Nightmare about them killing Raven no matter what the outcome.
Speaker: The Nightmare asks her to trust him and that Raven won't need to die. She knows that she doesn't have a choice. yeah Oris suggests that they call the other Jesperators, but Hoth doesn't want to involve Raven yet and explains that he won't do anything if Elspeth's life Elspeth's He won't do anything if Elspeth's life is on the line. For sure.
Speaker: And so Elspeth at this point can see the destroyers arriving and then the nightmare tells her it's time. No. No. So then Elspeth lets out an animalistic scream and then kicks Orith to the ground.
Speaker: Hoth tries to stop her, but she lunges for him. He dodges using the black force guard, but then she's able to get to him on her second attack and he goes down. Orith runs to Hoth's side, but as she ran for the door, Hoth was up and had punched her in the stomach.
Speaker: Yeah, it's just crazy. He has no qualms about hitting the lady, apparently. nope But then Orith uses his claws to, like, dig into her arm, and they both drag her to a corner of the room. And, like, at this point, like, it's so crazy, because the way that they describe her, like, she's twitching. Yeah. Like, in the corner, twitching like an animal that's scared. Yeah. I'm like, that's such a...
Speaker: Great description. And so Orth explains that he wants to test her blood before presenting her to the king. He recognizes the dark eyes and that she was the one who helped the boy escape on market day. No. yeah Hoth is furious, now understanding that she was the one who named London that day mist.
Speaker: ah Yeah. He's like, yeah it was you. yeah You're done for now. Yeah. there's I'm sorry. There's literally no hiding it. There's not.
Speaker: Yeah. So when Hoff threatens to find the boy who escaped, Elspeth attacks again. This time, she's like beating his face senselessly. I'm obsessed. Yeah. He pushes her off of him, and during this guffle, he loses his scythe guard.
Speaker: They both dive for it, but Hoff hits it first. He attempts to use it, but Elspeth and the Nightmare just laugh, telling him it can't help. Yep. This time, Orth attacks, but she dodges every swipe. He questions what her magic is, but Hoth says her uncle said she didn't have any. i love this. Bros for keeping it a secret, ma'am. Yay!
Speaker: So she reaches for the latch on the door, and magic hits her suddenly. Raven enters her mind to make sure she's all right. I'm like, yes, stop.
Speaker: Great timing, bud. Like, you literally messed everything up a little bit because that one hesitation makes everything worse. But it's fine. um Orith tells Hoth that his father would want to know about this and that they need to call the Death Streeters for help. But Hoth says he can handle it and then throws her head against a stone wall.
Speaker: Like stone wall, buddy? Like, okay, sure. And Orth rushes over and looks at her and says that she cracked her skull. o And she kind of starts to slip away, thinking about her aunt, Ioni, her father.
Speaker: She sees, like, the yellow eyes looking back at her in the mirror. And then lastly, she thinks about Raven. And, like, the look of concern and wonder. And I'm like... oh So, she reaches out to Raven in her head. And she tells him that Hoth and Orith know what she is and are waiting for him.
Speaker: She tells him he can still find the twin alters, save Emery, but not with Hoth and Orith after him. oh I'm like, no. I really don't like this part. The nightmare tells her to get up, but she gives up.
Speaker: And he tells her to let him help her. And she slips into the darkness.
Speaker: No. I was going to come back. Come back. Suddenly she sees a vision of children running burning castle, escaping into a chamber.
Speaker: And at the edge of the mist, a boy with a row and insignia. It then quickly changes to the infected children being sent into an inferno. Oh my God. Before she opens her eyes, she sees herself, we think.
Speaker: Yeah? Yeah. I think it's herself. I think it's her. It's got to be like a full circle moment of like, she is now the nightmare looking at herself. Yeah. So she sees herself in a looking glass and she asks for her name, but she tells him that she is the nightmare in the night. Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, it's like, this was so hard for me to write because at this point, Elspeth and the Nightmare are kind of talking as one. Yeah. I mean, I didn't know how to keep, like, summarizing the rest of it, too, you know, for our talking points because I'm like, do I say Elspeth? Do I say the Nightmare?
Speaker: Do I say the Shepard King? I don't know. What do I say? So Raven reaches out again and says they're almost there. When she opens her eyes again, Hoth questions Orrith why her eyes are yellow, and she tells Raven to not save her, and then she strikes at Orrith. She rips his claw off and uses it to stab him in the throat, oh no killing him, and then she crushes Hoth's face into the floor.
Speaker: I'm like, my girl. i mean, she ain't holding back. Not at all. i mean, the nightmare ain't holding back, I should say. Yeah. So before the nightmare takes over completely, she makes him promise and hope to help the youth.
Speaker: He promises to help them in all of their endeavors. And lastly, she repeats their story in poem. One last time. How they become one. The girl, the king, and the monster they became. Yep.
Speaker: Yep. Okay. The last chapter. I'm not ready for the work. Me neither. Hey, we have a whole new book. Yes. So we see the twin alders card.
Speaker: And it says, Be wary the green trees and song of the wood on your sleeves. Okay. If you step off the path, you'll face blessings and wrath. dun da no So Raven and Elm are waiting in the dungeons, and Raven admits to having nightmares. He remembers arriving at Elspeth's locked room and being unable to hear her when using the nightmare card.
Speaker: He orders Jesper to break it down and they see Orit's body along with Elspeth against a wall. She's cold but stirs when Raven tries to wake her.
Speaker: Jesper says that Hoth is alive but something's wrong with his legs. I hope he's paralyzed. I know that's so bad to say and I hope nobody ever quotes me saying that but about the character in the book who is not a real person. The character who is a massive Butthole.
Speaker: We hate him. We hate him. I'd be okay if he was paralyzed. Yeah. Yeah. Honestly. ah So Raven is absolutely relieved that she's alive and helps her to stand slowly. He asks what happened and she explains Koss' plan. you know, that he was going use her ah as like blackmail against Raven.
Speaker: And Elm points out that her killing Aurith ruins their plans to lift the mist. Yeah, about that. um She suggests that they turn her in so that they'll know that she acted alone. And then Raven sees that her eyes are yellow. Yep.
Speaker: this is He tries to speak with speak to her with the nightmare cardigan, but the nightmare just tells him to let her rest. oh Raven then tells the others that the nightmare has taken over, but Elspeth just surrenders herself.
Speaker: she puts She puts her hands out. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, Elspeth's nightmare. You see my dilemma here. i didn't know what to put. It's the nightmare in Elspeth's body. It's a Freaky Friday situation, I guess. Yeah. don't know. It really is.
Speaker: my God. So she's just, like, sitting around, like, trust me. Yeah. Did I hear you? Yeah. So back to the present. And Raven shares that the Shepard King plans to help them. And Elm is a little bit skeptical about this. He's like, really?
Speaker: But he's like, yeah, he told me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, we're good, we're good. No, we're good, we're good. So the king and some destriers arrive, and they all go to Elspeth's cell. She's asleep, and Raven struggles to see her like this.
Speaker: Like, she's got, like, dried blood in her hair. She's, like, like she's curled up on the floor. yeah In the coldest part of the dungeon. They're like, her her cell is incredibly cold. So he's like, how is she okay in this? Which she's i mean yeah but you know despite knowing that it's really not her anymore it's the nightmare yeah and as he gals to cure her the king kind of wonders why she isn't restrained but the destructors explained that it was too dangerous as she has injured several of them and he orders her to be woken so that they can speak they're like okay yeah wake up and they're like they're like bang on the bars to wake her up
Speaker: I'm like, is this an Annie Griffith episode of like being on the jail doors? I don't i don't know. I'm gonna sleep because of y'all. That was a tag of Michael Sass. I'm gonna sleep because of y'all. Y'all sleep because of me.
Speaker: No, 100%. Okay. ADHD. Yeah. Apparently, Elspeth, Nightmare, whoever, claims that they'd only speak to the king as she has an offer for him. The king points out that her crimes make her, like, the worst criminal. She's like, you know, you killed my physician. My heir is maimed.
Speaker: Like, nah, nah, I'm not letting you out. um So he doesn't see any reason to accept any kind of help offered. um She doesn't really seem to care if she's killed, though. Like, speaking in a riddle about being the nightmare in the night. Like, I won't disappear. This body may disappear, but my soul won't.
Speaker: Yeah. So the king goes on to slam the bars, but he's stopped by a look in Elspeth's eyes. She quickly approaches the king and says that he will never unite the deck without her and that he'll be forgotten when the mist consumes blunder, but she'll live on. Right. Like you said.
Speaker: His soul is in the cards. So like you can't get rid of it. So then, mist is lifted, his soul going to go back to the card? I don't know. Oh my god, we'll get to it in a second because we're almost done with this book.
Speaker: So, the king asks what she wants and she states that she wants to collect the deck, but first requests that Emery be released to his family. yaa Surprising Raven, Jesper, and Elm. I mean, none of them knew. like Again, because Raven's like, oh, he's going to help the you know Nightmare, Shepard King, whoever's going to help us. And Elm's like, yeah.
Speaker: How? How? Well, one, they're not in prison with them for taking part in it. Like, Elspeth's already keeping Elspeth Nightmare whoever's already keeping their secrets. So, like, already helping. But that was a total shock to them. Mm-hmm. And so, the king needs his blood, though, until Elspeth offers her own.
Speaker: When the king wants to know why he should keep her alive until solstice, she claims that she'll help him find the twin alders. The king obviously doesn't believe her since it's been lost for so long, but Elspeth or the Nightmare just recites a riddle about its location.
Speaker: Only I can find the twin alders, for it was I who left it there. Okay, I'm a little confused here. What's up?
Speaker: Only i can find the twin alders, for it was I who left it there.
Speaker: Yeah. But the shepherd king had that other room on the castle grounds to go speak with the spirit there. So how's it in the middle of the woods? And how the king know that? Because he was just transported back, remember, because he was tricked.
Speaker: Is it the spirit? Probably. ist No. The spirit can't be trapped in the corner. No. no i I don't know. I don't know. i just want answers, guys. Okay. This is a crazy, crazy, crazy moment.
Speaker: I didn't write down the theories I called because we kind of... You really just mostly had questions. You didn't have as many theories. I mostly had questions more than anything. And some of your theories or of your questions you still can hold. Mine mostly... i still believe that Elspeth is the spirit of the wood descendant.
Speaker: Still agree to that. The shepherd being being the nightmare, that was confirmed. I was right. Yeah, that was kind of my biggest. myself. That was my biggest theory too with you. Sorry. I still want to know.
Speaker: I guess. So yes, the theories, i mean, a lot of the theories or questions you had kind of got answered. Yeah. Yeah. in this, which, you know, i appreciate. I do too. I like having answers at the end of a book. I mean, there's still definitely a quick answer because what happens next.
Speaker: Yeah. Like what happens next is a great question rather than i don't know what is going on. Yes. Then I just don't know. And I need more. Yeah. Speaking of questions, let's get into ours. Yay.
Speaker: All right. Who was your favorite character for this part? The Nightmare. yes I'm sorry, but as soon as he said, hurt her, I protect her. I was like, done. Done for.
Speaker: I'm sorry, but he gives, like, dad vibes. And, like, I don't know. I love him. Yep. It's like, Taryn. From fourth wing. It's very protective, but also, you know, cynical old man vibes. It really is. I don't know. Like, I really enjoyed him this part. And I like that he, like, you kind of see. He's concerned for her. can see the shift of concern and detection. She literally, i mean, again, we know that he's always protected her when she's asked for help. But very specifically, when she asks for his help in the chair. And he's like, are you sure about this? Like, you don't have much time. Like, are you sure you really want this kind of thing? And him promising to help the youth. Yes.
Speaker: Like, but we also think that that's connected to... i Yes, I also think that's partially connected to them being literally his descendants. But, you know. I mean, it would make the most sense. But also, like, he did promise her that.
Speaker: And then he's holding up his words. So, like, I don't know. man of Honor. Man Honor. He's not technically like a true, true physical character, but like he is a character. Yeah.
Speaker: No, he's a character. Yeah. Personality. POV, everything. Okay. Who was yours? Dope. Nightmare. Same. Yeah. don't know. I mean, yeah, Raven too, because he's still not giving up on Elspeth. He's still fighting and wants to help her. Yeah. Which is also a sweet. love that.
Speaker: Yeah. What was your favorite twist? Her freaking uncle betrayed her. I mean, like, that is so horrible. And like specifically, she even says like, I don't know what hurt more. The fact that my family betrayed me or that I'm not surprised. That that that broke me. That part broke my heart. It genuinely is the most devastating thing when she turns around and asks him and he's just like avoids her and still doesn't answer. He still doesn't have the balls to own up to what he's done. yeah That's how were a very heartbreaking moment. He's a small man.
Speaker: i will say that. I also had two other ones. I wrote down one, but I didn't thought of one. When Eric gives her the low card. Yeah. That was a good twist. Because we weren't expecting it to be that easy. No.
Speaker: it was great. But I think my last twist that I really like is Elswood turning herself over. She's taking the place of Emery. oh you've been turning herself over her in terms of as being a sacrifice. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: Because turning herself over, that that was just the nightmare. Yeah, not turning herself, but like and literally offering herself up as the sacrifice yeah to let Emery live. Yeah. That's a good twist. Yeah. Because we didn't see it coming. Yeah. Neither did Raven, Elm, or Jesper. Nope.
Speaker: What was your favorite quotes? I didn't have too many from this one. I mean, I had a couple throughout, but like the two that kind of like stuck with me was obviously the like, are you still pretending? I never was.
Speaker: Like that part was great. It's, uh, it's just, it kills me. And then obviously one that I'm going to get tattooed on my body, be wary, be clever, be good. It's just poetic and Simple. And simple. But it has a lot of meaning to it. Yeah. Because like we said, the be good isn't just doing good deeds. It's being reverent and understanding a balance. Yeah. And like, we've already looked at the cover of the Two Twisted Crowns. So I have the special edition, like sprayed edge version of it. That's why. And on the special edition of Two Twisted Crowns, on the hard cover of it, it has a really pretty metallic red. Like like window almost. Yeah. Yeah. I just said frame. It's a window. Yes, I know. Window frame is a thing. Yeah.
Speaker: You're right. Applicable. So it's like a really pretty like window frame with like a tree in it. And it says, be worried, be clever, be good. Yeah. And I'm like, okay, yeah. That too. Right there. Done.
Speaker: I honestly was so caught up in what happened that I didn't register many quotes. Me too. I just, I inhaled it. I read it all in part three all in one sitting and I was just like, yum. there was ah Yeah, too many. um i I really loved the, you know, I used to pretend that it never was because bitch is good.
Speaker: But I loved this when she goes, my heart thrashed in my chest as if it beat with dark, powerful wings. Like a raven? Like the man she loves?
Speaker: So beautiful. yeah mean So beautiful. So cute. She is imagining her heart as the man she loves.
Speaker: It's super cute. I love it. She's so cute. All right. What's your biggest question or theory for Two Twisted Crowns? Our next book we're going to cover. It is the second book in this duology, so it is the ending to series. Hopefully we get answers to these.
Speaker: Um, i want to know if Elspeth will be in the Nightmare's mind, you know, like how he is for her. I really like that. Because the Nightmare said she's, he just said that she's resting. Let her rest.
Speaker: Maybe she'll be able to talk to him. Maybe she just needs time to recover right now because she literally just lost, like, that whole swap over like, the main soul, I guess. Mm-hmm. don't know. That's my thought.
Speaker: Um... I did already mention the whole, it was the eyes and left it there. Shepard King, you know, didn't know. i already talked about that. So whatever. I'm also confused because like there's two nightmare cards. So is his soul split between the two?
Speaker: i was questioning that too. So like, is she only getting like the more like animal side? No, that doesn't make sense. No. I know. But no, that is a very good question because if there are two cards, how can this will be in two?
Speaker: cards That's why i was like, maybe it's different aspects of them. Maybe. don't know. The nightmare offering Elspeth's blood to the king.
Speaker: Do we think it, like, has to be, like, a full-on sacrifice? Like, does it have to be her life for, like, all of it? I think so. You know, I'm trying to be optimistic here. That's going to save our girl. Okay?
Speaker: Okay. Let me have this. The only reason...
Speaker: The only reason I say it is it because if you think about it, this whole book is about balance. yeah um means And it's a greater... It is someone dying to bring life. To live the whole myth. Yeah. So I get it. It's greater price you have to pay for a you know greater gift in return.
Speaker: I get it. That's why I said let me have this. I understand I'm not being logical. No, it's fine. Yeah. um Also, my biggest question, I guess it's not a question, it's a theory. I am convinced of it. you know, Brutus Rowan killed the Shepard King.
Speaker: Oh, yeah. Well, so Elspeth said, like, yeah, like, I think that's what happened. But no, like, we didn't specify it in one of the flashbacks when the Shepard King is getting the kids into the room. oh no, we do.
Speaker: No, but we didn't specify. as he As soon as he gets inside the room with the children, he sees he gets like inflicted with pain due to a scythe card.
Speaker: And who always has the scythe card? The Rowans. L. Smith points out that that's something that the Rowans always have. So, the Rowans, I think, you know killed the Shepard King. Also, also think i also think that, you know, they mentioned a little boy as they were running in Elspeth's flashback. They saw a boy at the edge of the mist, and I'm wondering if that, like, the youths, like, maybe a shepherd king isn't descended, isn't, like, an ancestor of the youth, but, like, somehow is connected to that boy, and that boy is somehow connected to the youth, and somehow survived. I think that boy is a moment.
Speaker: The boy at the edge of the mist is described as having, like, Gray eyes like the Rowan or green eyes like the Rowans. I thought it was gray and Raven had gray eyes.
Speaker: think it might be. Because also why would a boy Rowan, a younger Rowan be there? Because if the Brutus Rowan is the captain of his guard, it's an older guy. That's true. So that's why I was thinking the little boy at the mist was the U. Maybe that was one of his heirs because they say he died with no heirs, but it wasn't even that. He had heirs. They died before him or something. It could have been one of his heirs. So I think maybe one of his heirs had actually survived and maybe that's it. That's how the U's Because maybe the shepherd king only went by the shepherd king and normally knew more by U. And so the U family was just there not naming connection to the king to
Speaker: claim safety, you know, it's a good point anonymity. I don't know. That's yeah. But also kind of related to this theory. I want to know who all the kids were that the shepherd king was trying to save in that flashback. It seemed like kids that were infected. That was that was my guess was that it was infected because back then they were, you know, taken care of Yeah.
Speaker: I think that's what the whole thing is that And maybe Brutus killed him because he's... I mean, obviously we know the Rowlands are hella against magic. So I mean, he did that because he was like, you're not the king I swore to follow because magic is evil. How dare you? Yeah, I think that's a very good point.
Speaker: Oh, I cant need to read more. I know. Well, my questions weren't answered. So um and again, what happens if she touches another card? I'm sorry. Like, we get to see how the scythe affects her. We get to see how the chalice affects her.
Speaker: let Let her touch a card. Let her touch another one, please. Well, I mean, especially, she specifies that she absorbs what the shepherd king paid. Yeah. Like, he paid his horse and armor.
Speaker: How is she absorbing those? What is that going to happen? Like, I don't yeah get it. Like, the maiden card, he gives his hair. So I'm like... she going to get some long-term locks? Like, mean I just don't understand, and I just don't know. My thought is she's going touch the black horse, and suddenly, poof, the horse is just going appear. And it's going to be like her trust is deep. Oh, please stop. Oh, my God. She's like a centaur. She's part horse. This was kind of question in the second part, too, but, like, when the infection is cured's lifted now, will Elizabeth die because the nightmare already is taken over completely?
Speaker: Or, like I said, well the nightmare go back into the card? yeah. But then again, actually, i mean, ah with this, if the curse is being lifted, she's going to Because she's getting sacrificed. Yeah. So, yeah.
Speaker: I don't know. I don't know. Oh, well. My last question is so funny. um Does this mean no spicy romance for the next book? Because if not, I'm going to be upset.
Speaker: I'm sorry, but if the nightmare takes over her mind completely and there's no kissing, there's no romance. I'm sorry. Do you think Raven's really going to want to kiss her knowing that it's a nightmare in her mind? No.
Speaker: I know, but... We know that Raven is respectful. He would not do that to Elsa because then he's literally using her body without her consent because she's not there. That's fair, but...
Speaker: But I agree. I'll be a little upset about it because I like the little moments. I'm just asking because I'm going to miss the moments. If this next book is just going to be all like ah forward, it will just plot and nothing romantic, I'm going to be ah a little upset because yeah that's why I liked this book so much was the battle between her, the Nightmare, and Raven. It's a love triangle between the three of them. Yeah.
Speaker: Like genuinely. Yeah.
Speaker: It's a love-hate triangle. Kind of. It's a love-hate triangle. Yeah. All right. Well, we will be back next Thursday with part one of Two Swisted Crowns, the next one in the duology. And again, that book is broken up into an existing three parts, so we will just follow the parts that those are broken into.
Speaker: All right. See you next week.
