House of Sky and Breath

Cormac drops in unannounced at the archives to meet Bryce. Bryce’s star begins to glow. Cormac tells her this is because their union is destiny; an Oracle had prophesized he should unite with a princess with a star in her heart for the sake of his people. Bryce tells Cormac she has no intent to marry him or live in his “backwater land” (102). The Avallen Fae are far more orthodox compared to those living in Crescent City. Bryce asks Cormac to leave and he tells her:

“You’re immortal now, as well as Starborn. Time to act like it” (103)

Hunt is with Isaiah and Naomi, the remaining chief members of Micah’s personal army or triarii, otherwise known as the 33rd regiment. Since Celestina is now Governor, the angels will work for her. Celestina finally meets the angels. They are surprised at her gentle manner, so different from Micah’s cruelty. Hunt finds her niceness suspicious, sure that “this had to be an act” (106). Celestina tells the angels that half of Sandriel’s triarii is being sent to Crescent City to join theirs. Alarm bells go off in Hunt’s head, considering that Sandriel’s triarii is “the actual scum of the universe” (107). As if on cue, Pollux Antonius and Baxian Argos, the Hammer and the Helhound, enter Celestina’s office.

Baxian (known as the Helhound because he is an angel with the rare ability to shift; he shifts into a hellhound) has a long scar down his neck that Hunt gave him 30 years ago. Before working for Micah, Hunt was enslaved by Sandriel, a particularly sadistic Archangel. Baxian and Pollux had been his fellow soldiers under Sandriel. Unlike Hunt, they had shared Sandriel’s gift for cruelty. The sight of Pollux so enrages Hunt that Hunt tackles him to the floor.

At Bryce’s apartment, Ithan shifts briefly into his wolf form, but the change only makes him confront the reality that he is now a wolf without a pack. For a wolf, being an outcast from the Pack is akin to a “soul-wound” (111). Ithan decides to take each day as it comes. Meanwhile, Bryce arrives at the holding cells beneath Celestina’s office where Hunt and Pollux are being separately held after their fight. She bails Hunt out. Pollux passes several derogatory remarks about Bryce, but Bryce refuses to be cowed by his crudeness. Baxian surprises Bryce and Hunt by telling them: “Glad someone finally put a bullet through Micah’s head” (113).

Tharion is one of the few mer who prefers dry land and his human form. However, he needs to enter water regularly lest he risk losing his mer form. In the underwater city of Istros, enclosed in a glass bubble, Tharion hacks into Sofie Renast’s email account for information. An email from three years ago with the subject “Dusk’s Truth” catches his eye, as does another about something called “Project Thurr.” The mail exchanges are with an address called BansheeFan56 whom Tharion discovers is none other than Danika Fendryr. Danika and Sofie knew each other and exchanged emails until Danika’s death. Tharion receives more puzzling information: an abandoned boat has been found in the Nelthian Marshes, with a life vest from the Bodegraven onboard. The vest has the scent of a human teenage boy. Suspecting this might be Emile’s scent, Tharion visits the boat. Around the boat he finds adult human flesh and blood from an elite Ophion soldier. It seems Pippa Spetsos and her elite squadron had followed the boat, and one of them had died trying to retrieve Emile.

Tharion visits Bryce—who is his old friend—for answers about Danika’s connection with Sofie. Ruhn and Ithan are in Bryce’s apartment, along with Hunt. Bryce has no clue about Sofie and feels cheated that her best friend kept so many secrets from her. Bryce is motivated to help Tharion rescue Sofie and Emile. Hunt reminds Bryce that the couple are already under the Asteri’s order to keep a low profile. If they involve themselves with rebels in any way, “The Asteri will slaughter us, along with your entire family” (136). Hunt suspects Bryce wants to get involved in the search for Sofie and Emile to learn more about her deceased best friend Danika. Hunt doesn’t like the idea of being involved in another war since they always end in bloodshed. Ruhn, who has the gift of telepathy, silently communicates to Bryce that she is taking a risk by harboring Ithan, an exiled wolf. Ruhn tells Bryce that Ithan can come stay with him rather than her.

Since Ithan’s injuries have healed, Bryce lets him sleep outside in the lounge. Hunt and Bryce sleep in the same bed, and Bryce senses tension from Hunt. She suspects he might be concerned about her decision to help find Emile. In the morning, Bryce’s mother Ember calls her, having learnt the news about Bryce’s engagement to Cormac. Bryce tells her mother it is not a real engagement and asks her to give her space. A hurt Ember hangs up.

Bryce meets Juniper and Fury at the CCB. Though Juniper deserves to be promoted to the Principal dancer, she is being overlooked because she criticized Crescent City’s wealthiest for shutting their bomb shelter to humans during last spring’s attack. Bryce fills in Juniper and Fury about Ithan and the news from Tharian. Fury tells Bryce Ithan used to be in love with her. Further, Danika was not just a shifter, but a bloodhound or a wolf who can scent bloodlines. Being a bloodhound made Danika both valuable and dangerous because she could reveal people’s lineages. Danika inherited the gift from her unknown father. Bryce is shocked at the number of things she did not know about Danika.

Much to Hunt’s displeasure, Celestina asks him to team up with Baxian, the Helhound, to show him the ropes of his new assignment. Being around Pollux and Baxian dredges up the unpleasant past for Hunt. During the period Hunt was enslaved by Sandriel, he was in love with her twin sister Shahar. Hunt and some other angels, along with Shahar, had attempted to revolt against their enslavement. The rebellion failed, Shahar was mercilessly killed, and Sandriel transferred Hunt to Micah.

Baxian taunts Hunt for having changed and now wanting only a boring, normal life. However, Baxian also admits he did not work for Sandriel out of choice, as Hunt has assumed. Meanwhile, Pollux is annoyed about being separated from the Hind—his lover in Pangera. Hunt is surprised the Hammer can love anyone, but Baxian reminds him that Pollux does not love the Hind, he merely wants to control her. Hunt finds that difficult to believe as the Hind cannot be controlled.