House of Sky and Breath

Bryce is sure Baxian is lying, because Danika never told her she was in love with someone. In fact, Danika had claimed Bryce was the only person whom she had expressed her love. But then Bryce recalls how Danika had stopped dating anyone two years before her death. Baxian tells Bryce he and Danika met two years ago when Danika visited Pangera for a gathering of wolves. Danika sought him out because she was interested in his unique bloodline, Baxian being an angel who could shift into a hellhound. The two fell in love right away. They would meet at a hotel in Forvos every two months. Danika was interested in ancient and unusual bloodlines because she believed they could give her clues about where the non-humans of Midgard came from. That is also why she sought out Sofie, a thunderbird.

Hunt now knows why Baxian’s behavior has changed. His love and grief have transformed him. Bryce asks Baxian if he knows what the numbers on Sofie’s arm mean. Baxian knows the sequences. He is the one who gave them to Danika. They are room numbers in the Asteri Archives in the Crystal Palace in Eternal City. Baxian had realized they were significant because Sandriel—his former master—had appeared very shaken on visiting these particular rooms on one of her visits to the Archives. Later, Danika gave Sofie the mission to sneak into the rooms and discover the secret information inside. Danika or Baxian couldn’t do this as they were too recognizable. Sofie had carried out the mission successfully, but before she could share the information, she died.

All the friends—except for Cormac—gather at Ruhn’s place. Bryce gives Declan the numbers in the hope that he can hack into the Asteri’s system and access the information. Declan says he can access only the CCTV system at the archives, not the information inside the rooms. Bryce realizes she will have to go to the Archives herself. Tharion and Ithan decide to tie up loose ends since a battle is clearly approaching. Meanwhile, Pippa has escaped the temple. Pollux, Mordoc, and the Hind are being hailed as heroes for saving the temple.

Tharion visits the River Queen’s daughter to break off their engagement. They are aboveground in the Bone Quarter. The princess is hurt and enraged at Tharion for stringing her along for a decade. She commands him to come Beneath with her. Tharion refuses and the princess dives under to report Tharion’s betrayal to her mother. Tharion realizes he has greatly underestimated the princess. In thirty minutes, Tharion will begin changing into his mer form and have no choice but to go Beneath and face the River Queen. There is only one person who can help him out of this situation.

Ithan visits the Prime and tells him about the wolf mystic trapped by the Astronomer. He wants the Prime to help the woman. Sabine, who is present at the meeting, refuses to help Ithan in any way. But out of Sabine’s earshot, the Prime asks Ithan if the wolf’s scent was “like snow and embers” (716). Ithan confirms this, shocked at the Prime knowing the scent. The Prime tells Ithan he suspects the wolf is a Fendyr heir and carries that scent. This means Sabine is not the only one alive of that ancient bloodline. Bryce asks Fury to help her get into the archives, as Fury has been to the Crystal Palace before.

The person whose help Tharion seeks is the Viper Queen. He exchanges his freedom in return for her protection. He would rather be an enslaved prize fighter for her than “be required to breed some royal offspring” (718) with the River Queen’s daughter. If she can provide him means to immerse himself in water once a day, Tharion will never have to go Beneath. The Viper Queen is dumbfounded as a free civilian hardly ever offers themselves into slavery, but she agrees. She asks him to drink her blood. The blood masks Tharion from the River Queen and binds him to the Viper Queen. Tharion tells his new master he wants to help his friends once before returning to fight for her.

If Sabine discovers the mystic wolf’s lineage, Ithan believes she might kill her rival to the Fendyr bloodline. He decides to stay back in Valbara to guard the wolf from Sabine.

It is the first time since the night of the Equinox and their kiss that Ruhn and Day are meeting on the mind bridge. Day says she will have to stop contacting Ruhn, as they have become close in a way which can jeopardize them and their mission. The man with whom she is involved (the one who pulled her away from the bridge) will slaughter Ruhn if he learns of their closeness, and make her watch. Ruhn tells Day to leave the man, as her fate is bound to Ruhn. This is evident because their minds can now find each other even without the help of the crystal. Ruhn reaches out to Day and they make love. Day changes the sad ending to the story she told him earlier. The witch lived in her monster form for 100 years, but was redeemed by the love of a warrior who saw her hidden goodness and beauty. Ruhn tells her about the plan to go to the Asteri archives. Just then, the dangerous man close to Day grabs her attention again, yanking her off the mind bridge. She can only tell Ruhn that “they know … the dungeons” (728) before their contact is broken.

Ruhn reveals his meetings with Day to Bryce and Hunt. He fears she is in danger and wants to go to the Eternal City immediately to save her. Bryce says Ruhn is being too reckless. Ruhn reminds her she would do the same for Hunt. Bryce concedes and they make a plan to get to the Crystal Palace. They study the map Fury has drawn them of the Asteri’s headquarters. A distraction will be needed so Bryce, Hunt and Ruhn can get into the palace. Bryce calls Cormac for help.

Cormac and Tharion join the others. Cormac has intel that Pippa plans a raid on the lab where the mech-suit prototype was made. He and Tharion will raid the lab first so Pippa and her soldiers come after them. The Hind, Pollux and the dread wolves bound to follow. The government forces will be directed to the lab, buying Bryce, Hunt, and Ruhn time to enter the Crystal Palace. Declan will hack into the security cameras of the palace and turn them away to give the group more cover.

Bryce leaves a message for Juniper, apologizing for meddling in her affairs, and telling her she loves her. Before leaving for the Eternal City, Bryce takes with her a photo of her with Danika, Juniper and Fury.

Cormac and Ruhn chat at a bar the night before going to Eternal City. Cormac tells Ruhn he envies him for his friends and the fact that Ruhn has retained his goodness despite his father’s cruelty. Cormac let his own father’s abuse of him turn him cold. He had hoped marriage to Bryce would undo “the damage my father did to my soul” (736), but sadly that is not to be. Ruhn comforts the pensive Cormac and tells him that once the battle is over, he wants them to start afresh and forge a friendship free of the influences of their fathers. Cormac tells Ruhn it will be an honor, smiling sadly.

Hunt collects all his arms from the barracks as well as his Umbra Mortis helmet. Celestina meets him. Hunt inwardly wonders if she knows about his plan to go to the Eternal City. They talk about Ephraim. Celestina implies she will keep visiting him until she gets pregnant. Hunt is outraged Celestina is being forced to be a breeder for the Asteri, but to his surprise she says: “I go to the mating bed willingly” (738). Celestina tells him she is there for Hunt if he needs an ally. Hunt cannot make out where Celestina’s loyalties lie.

Disguised as imperial officers, Tharion and Cormac manage to enter the grounds of the lab, 20 km north of the Eternal City. The group have travelled to Pangera via the Depth Charger’s submersible-pod. Cormac notes the grounds reek of humans. The authorities transport human slaves in and out for labor every dawn and dusk. Pippa will use one of these particular times to strike because the scent of the laborers will mask that of the rebels. He thinks Pippa is already at the lab, waiting for Cormac and Tharion. She has somehow learnt of their plans to intercept her raid. She has a score to settle with Cormac because Cormac resists her authority in the Ophion rebellion. Meanwhile, Bryce, Hunt, and Ruhn are outside the Crystal Palace, waiting for Cormac. Cormac teleports to them from the lab grounds so he can take them into the Palace one by one. As he takes Hunt away, Ruhn tells Bryce that it is time the Autumn King’s tyranny was overthrown. If they survive today’s raid, he wants to back Bryce in a coup against their father. He wants Bryce to become the Autumn Queen. Cormac catches the end of the conversation as he comes for Bryce. As he teleports her, he tells her he agrees with Ruhn. He now understands that when the Oracle had said the union with Starborn princess would bring prosperity to his people, she had meant union as allies, not in marriage.

Being in the palace brings back horrific memories for Hunt. He can recall his wings being sawn off as punishment for the rebellion, Shahar being killed, and “Pollux laughing as he pissed on Shahar’s corpse in the middle of the throne room” (747). Bryce, and then Ruhn, join him. Cormac teleports back to the lab. Ruhn uses his shadows to cloak himself, Bryce, and Hunt as they wait for Tharion’s signal. Soon, Ruhn communicates with Tharion telepathically and learns Cormac has begun the raid. It is time for Hunt and Bryce to enter the archives. Ruhn will go off in search of Day.