House of Sky and Breath

Ithan decides to join Tharion in the search for Sofie and Emile. The two have just discovered the body of a selkie (seal-like) woman on an island off Istros. The evidence suggests she was tortured for information before she was let to bleed out. Ithan can detect a human teenager’s smell on her clothes, as well that of a woman. He thinks the selkie helped Emile on his way to Lunathion, was found by Pippa Spetsos, and killed by her. 

Ruhn and Bryce are on their way to the Aux (Auxiliary; the law enforcement group of Lunathion consisting of shifters of different houses) training facility to meet Cormac. Cormac and Ruhn are to begin training Bryce so they can discover her hidden abilities. Bryce shows Ruhn a postcard from her parents in Nidaros (her mountainous hometown in Valbara). She invites Ruhn home for the Winter Solstice. Ruhn is touched by the gesture, and agrees. Just then, Ruhn is attacked by a Reaper and dragged into a sewer. Reapers are among the most dreaded creatures in Midgard, agents of the Under-King, who often summon people to the Underworld of the dead.

Inside his mind, Ruhn can hear Daybright’s voice asking him to wake up as he is in grave danger. Her voice and scent seem familiar to Ruhn. Bryce jumps into the sewer after Ruhn and finds her unconscious brother being carried away by five Reapers. They tell Bryce they have a message from her from Apollion, Prince of the Pit. He wants to face Bryce at her full power. The Prince of the Pit is hurting for another worthy opponent in the Bone Quarter. Bryce thinks this means either Sofie or Emile, confirming her hunch that Danika meant for Sofie to hide in the forbidden region. Bryce uses her starlight to scatter away the Reapers, but more appear. Cormac appears in the sewer and hands Bryce the Starsword (which fell away from Ruhn during the attack of the Reapers). As he teleports Ruhn out of the sewer, Bryce attacks a Reaper with the sword and kills it. This is very unusual because Reapers are not supposed to die, being the undead. Cormac reappears. While Bryce is astonished to learn that Cormac can teleport, Connor is shocked at Bryce and the Starsword’s ability to kill the unkillable. He transports himself and Bryce to the Aux training center.

Tharion has been summoned by his master, the Istros River Queen. (There are four River Courts for the four great rivers: Istros, Melanthos, Niveus, and Rubellus. The Blue, the Black, the White and the Red. The River Queens are all sisters, with the Queen of the Blue Court the most temperamental). The Queen is upset with Tharion because he invited her daughter to the world above for a date. The princess is too fragile for Lunathion, “a wild forest of distraction and pleasure,” which might “devour her whole" (278). Tharion apologizes and the Queen bids him to find Emile fast, before Ophion or the Asteri. As a punishment for asking her daughter to a date Above, the Queen makes Tharion spear the garbage the land-dwellers litter in the waters. Ruhn visits the Autumn King in his study with the Starsword. He wants to learn the lore behind the Starsword, but doesn’t tell his father that Bryce used it to kill a Reaper. Ruhn lies that the Reapers shied away from him holding the sword

The Autumn King tells Ruhn the sword is made from the metal of a fallen star. Being from outside Midgard, “the sword exists beyond our planet’s laws. Perhaps the Reapers sensed it and shied away” (283). Given the sword’s power, the Autumn King wants Ruhn to keep it away from Bryce. Ruhn tells the King he has already offered it to Bryce and she rejected the sword. The Autumn King implies Ruhn should kill Bryce because she, a woman, is now stronger than both him and Ruhn, her kinsfolk who are men. Ruhn is disgusted by his father’s prejudice, but notes that the Autumn King and Bryce share many mannerisms.

Bryce, Hunt, and Cormac are one of the city’s docks. Bryce tells Hunt about the attack on Ruhn and Cormac’s teleporting abilities. Cormac tells Bryce she might be able to teleport as well, being Starborn, like him. Hunt and Bryce plan to look for Emile with the help of Declan Emmett, their tech-whiz friend. Declan can hack into Lunathion’s CCTV system to spot Emile. Bryce also plans to visit the Bone Quarter in search for Sofie. For this, she needs Death Marks, or magical coins that the river to the underworld requires as fare. She calls up Jesiba for the coins, and Jesiba agrees to sell her two Marks. Jesiba cautions Bryce that she will not find Danika or any other soul in the Bone Quarter. Bryce should instead focus on learning more about Danika’s life. This confuses Bryce because the souls of the dead are supposed to live in the afterlife in regions of the Underworld, like the Bone Quarter. Hunt will accompany Bryce to the Bone Quarter.

Hunt and Bryce go to the gym, making a stopover en route to the Meat Market to look for Emile. The Meat Market is Lunathion’s lawless district, presided by the Viper Queen. Hunt and Bryce are joined by Fury and Juniper, whom Bryce has called as back-up. The district brings back traumatic memories for Juniper because her brother Julius died there 10 years ago. Julius, a gifted fighter, was recruited by the Viper Queen for her fight club. She got him addicted to her venom and involved in a unbreachable contract. Forced to keep fighting, Julius died in a bout. Fury tells Hunt the only reason Juniper has come to the Meat Market is her loyalty to Bryce. The group find no trace of Emile.

Bryce and Hunt make love in the gym. Bryce tells Hunt that she loves him, and Hunt tells her the same once they finish making love. Bryce is the only person apart from his mother who has ever told Hunt they love him. Although he told Shahar he loved her, she never said the words back to Hunt. Bryce confesses that she has never told a romantic partner she loved them. She and Hunt have a bond unlike any she has experienced. They decide to call each other their mates, a term which among the Fae implies a lifelong, unshakeable commitment.

Ruhn imagines a bridge in his mind to reach Daybright. She appears in her cloak of flame, while Ruhn is under the guise of night and stars. Daybright is happy to see Ruhn alive. He is grateful that she tried to wake him up when he was knocked unconscious by the Reapers. Day gives Ruhn crucial information to pass to Cormac that the rebels can attack the Spine three days from now as it carries missiles, guns, a new mech-suit prototype to the region of Forvos.

Hunt books Bryce and himself a dinner and a room at a nice hotel so they can be intimate with each other in privacy. Before that, the two will visit the Bone Quarter for leads on Sofie because Danika had suggested that Sofie hide there.