The Throne of Honor and Blood Part 1

Join us as we dive into the latest installment of The Mortal Fates Series by J Bree, The Throne of Honor and Blood. In this episode we discuss the story, compare reactions, and talk fan theories of part 1 (chapters 1-20). Spoilers abound so proceed with caution. 

Transcript

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Welcome to Romance Recs, where three book besties explore the world of romance novels and encourage you to expand your TBR. Join us as we dive into the hottest releases and hidden gems of the genre. You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at Romance Recs Pod. I'm Jordan. I am currently reading Succubus Blues. By Rachelle Mead, and I am listening to You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi. Hey guys, I'm Dev. I just finished reading Face Off by Chelsea Curdo, and I actually also just finished listening to This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan. Hi guys, I'm Christina, and I'm currently in between books. Love that for you. Book break. Buckle up for some bookish banter. Very specific bookish banter. Yes, we got a good episode. We're talking about one book today. Which book? The book to book all books. Today we are talking about the second installment, or fourth depending on how you look at it. Second installment. J. Bree's Mortal Fate series and the book is The Throne of Honor and Blood. I love it. we're gonna start with a quote from this book specifically. And we're going to keep it going because we have lots to talk about this book. We got to jump in. I want to go, I have a quote from Gage, who is a goblin prince. You meet him in book one, but in book two, there's a lot going on. And he says, with all my respects to you and the Accords, Prince Soren, but if he speaks another word like that about your fate's blessed mate, I'm going to commit war crimes. If the lieutenant at his side doesn't take his eyes off the Ravenswyrd mother, I'll bleed him out and let the forest feast on whatever paltry power his blood can offer. I love that. I love that. I love the way they ride for Rooke. So yeah. All the men. Exactly. And yeah, Gage is just chef's kiss. Mm hmm. I love Gage. Mm hmm. I'm gonna go because I'm gonna let Christina end this up because I know what she's gonna do and I think that's a good one to end with. Oh, yeah, yeah, so mine isn't necessarily sexy, but it kind of encapsulates Rooke as a character and just, Her mentality and where she's at this point in the series. It's easy to believe a lie when it's crafted against the injustices you face, and although I may not look upon the witch armies with empathy, I'm also not oblivious to their reasoning. I just, I love it. Yeah, very worldly, very timely. Applicable to all worlds. Ours included. Exactly. This is a quote from Soren, and this is specifically about the wedding robes, that his bride is wearing. So he says, Those robes are an act of war. Their intention is surely a form of torture so merciless, I cannot believe that the noble and guileless favored children would be responsible for their design. He is so bothered, he is so bothered by it. I need fan art of this dress. I need fan art of so much of the clothing, so bad. Cosplay. Oh, yeah, you could do the robes. That's a good idea I'm, imagining like fayre's dress, but white that's kind of what I was imagining, you know Oh, I imagine a lot more but just like they open as you walk. I imagine like a lot of robe, but like they just Yeah. Like when you see everyone imagines it differently. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know. That's why someone needs to do the artwork for it because I would love to see those robes. So if you haven't guessed by now don't listen if you haven't read it or if you don't want all the spoilers. We are going to go through the entire book and we're going to talk about it all. So if you want to read this book still and you haven't, and you don't want spoilers, Come back save this for later. The way we're gonna do this I think is I'm going to I went through the book this week weekend And I summarized every chapter, so I'm going to do a quick, relatively quick synopsis, basically of the whole book, but we're going to do it in bits and pieces. So kind of in fourths is the general idea. Before you get into the meat and potatoes of the episode, we need to actually drop a disclaimer. Two things, really. Number one, real quick, we're not gonna linger on it, but the release and the editing. Yes. So number one, if you've been following Jay Bree and team, the release of this book was not great. It was actually pretty horrific. Yeah, very disjointed, but It happened. It is what it is. We have the book now. It's just definitely not the greatest release or the way that this book should have been birthed into the world. So we'll say that as it is. We acknowledge that the release wasn't the best. We're not going to ignore that. The second thing, if you have read the book, you also know that the editing of this book was pretty bad, especially the second half. And yeah, so that's the thing we, we are acknowledging that we're just choosing not to harp on these things. There are plenty of comments that you can go read about people talking about those things But we're actually just gonna focus on the content of the book the story the plot the characters just for this episode saying that though We can't dismiss the fact that there were some pretty major red flags Surrounding the release and the editing and we don't have any ill feelings towards J. Bree or her crew It just yeah things happen is what it is. Yeah, it is what it is We just want to enjoy the world. Yeah, we just want to be in the world. Right now, that's what we're about. Prologue really quick. Just to acknowledge it's from Roan's POV. Where he went into the mad forest. And Didn't this happen a few hundred years ago? Yes. Yes, very long time Rooke wasn't born. She wasn't even the mother yet. Yes. Yeah. Were. Yeah, her mother. Yes. Her mother wasn't the mother. She was the maiden. So her mother was the maiden at this time. So her mother was the maiden at this time. Yeah. Mm hmm. She saves Roan. But she saved him, if you remember, his people were being attacked by the blood witches. Yes. That is the interaction, that is the experience he had with the Blood Witches. So that little Easter egg was even in there in the prologue. She knew though, she made a comment, but she knew that Roan's fate was tied to her daughters. Mm hmm. So. Yep, she knew a lot. And his son. Yep. Yeah, that's right. It was a fun little prologue, I thought, but. Yeah, I enjoyed it. But they didn't do anything with it, which was the biggest issue to me. Right. He never talked to Rooke about knowing her mom. He knows that was her mom. Mm hmm. But he never brings it up throughout the book. Which makes me think he has something more to do with his fate later on because Aerly even mentions that she knows Roan's father. most of Roan's fate too. So there's more to his fate than just Airlie Yes, and his son, for sure. Yeah, I think so. I think he's hiding stuff. I did see some commentary online about, I think people are really hung up on the last line of the prologue, or the last, I think it's the last line where Roan says something about never betraying Soren. And so I think it looks like I didn't get this feeling, but people were, Very much looking for some betrayal from Roan throughout the book because they assumed that's what that meant. Whereas I personally took that as Roan basically saying that tying himself, accepting help from the witches being a part of this witch's daughter's future. Would be a betrayal to Roan, I mean to Soren. That's what I took it as. So just a tidbit from stuff I've been seeing. Yeah, I think that's what I got because we didn't even talk about that as it's standing out as anything bigger. So, no, I think we're all in agreement. Yeah, I think it just is what it is, like how he feels about the witches./Okay, so I'm gonna just Bucklin, I'm gonna read my synopsis of the first, I'm gonna go 11 chapters. It's the first quarter about of the book. The first book we leave off with Rooke passing out and Soren catching her. He's covered in witches wane. She is exhausted from the battle. Everything is covered in witches wane, which is really sad. Is, will kill witches, drive them insane, and there is absolutely no cure, there's no ibuprofen for this, there's no Advil, yeah, nothing to make it go away, no spell, not a tincture in sight, it opens with Soren going crazy, trying to get Rooke to safety, through all of the witches way, and he struggles to walk away from her, and we get our first glance at his territorial ways, When Rooke wakes up with PTSD from her time in the Fates War in the North, Soren attempts to offer help. He's there. He wants to help to find her brother. And she snaps at him and shuts that down real fast. So to stay busy, Soren takes up sparring and he becomes increasingly territorial over Rooke over the next few days. His alpha hole begins to show. Aura is still a bitch throughout the naming of her grandson. Mm hmm. Raiden and everyone gives him little blessings, and it's adorable. Rooke goes down to the village once she has enough strength to help rebuild. Word reaches the castle that Carl is expanding his oracle. His hold and claiming more land for himself, and it's apparent that Yrel, I forget what the castle, like how do you pronounce that, Yrel, is about to be attacked. They also get word that the Soul King sent an emissary to the Regent and wants to invite all leaders to a meeting or party, next year. It's gonna be so exciting. So everybody's freaking out about that, except for Rooke. Rooke finds Solas back in her garden and Soren starts to ask her questions and confides in her about his theories that the Regent is working with Karl. Which that's a big moment for them is sharing. Yeah. Ideas. Since waking after the fight for Yeager Rooke must keep fighting her memories and PTSD of the Eurene. She shares some of her history with Prince Soren but they soon travel to Yrel with their army for the first time in centuries. High Fae give an offering to the Elm's Walk Forest during their travels. That will aid them in the battle to come. When they get to Ural Castle, they must deal with Prince Mercer and his ignorant guards in court. Though it weakens her to do so, Rooke places a ward around the castle and helps fight off ten battalions of witches, which a battalion is 555 soldiers each. When Rooke heals Nightspark, Soren's horse, after the battle, he strips the witch's wing covered clothes off of himself and rides her back to the castle. It's a big moment. It's adorable. Despite Rooke being weakened and injured, once again, Mercer insists on a ball to celebrate their victory over these witches. There, Rooke accepts a duel and wipes the floor with the Sniveling High Fae. Even though she's so weak. It's super I mean, she's worse than hungover here. She's not doing well. And in a show of absolute sexy rage, Soren demands a chair for Rooke next to him in a place of honor and makes a statement to all those there. And he loses control over his magic when she is again, disrespected. So that's the first quarter. I mean it's a lot but not a lot Yeah, that's a pretty concise summary though Those are I mean there are tons of moments in between those but that's like a good flow of like how the story is We that first quarter we get to see Soren, Number one be territorial and just like super possessive of his quietly Yeah, because yeah doesn't realize what he's doing and she's still pissed at him right as the reader. He's very loud As the reader, yeah, sword is very loud. Yeah, he is very upset. There was so much growling. But yeah, he doesn't tell Rooke and he's the she's not really noticing and I don't think he's turned up besides the Loss of his like control on his magic at Mercer's castle that's one of the first big times where he shows it to everyone like Y'all need to stop treating my man crazy. Stay back. This is mine. Yeah, and also that he has magic, which is also kind of a big deal as well. Regardless of whether or not anyone else picks it up. Cause I, reading that scene, I wasn't sure if anyone else thought that was a big deal. I feel like no one made it a big deal. No, it was quiet. It's no one really wanted to draw attention to it. I think like Roan even gives him a side eye during that and is yeah And I think some of them are wondering if it was really him, but his eyes maybe they're in disbelief his Eyes glowed. So I think it's pretty obvious. Yeah, no one else No one wants to say hey, did she do something to you? Because yeah, that's probably right thinking Yeah, that's true. That's true. But yeah, that was a good summary of those chapters. I mean, thoughts, feelings. I personally, to start out the gate, I was worried about Soren's groveling because when I tell you, I wanted to see him on his knees begging for mercy, like so, apologetic about the things that he said. And also the fact that he kept his mate in the dungeon for all that time. I really wanted to see that from him. I'm sad we didn't get that, but I do think hearing his internal monologue helped a lot because one thing Soren doesn't do is hide his feelings from you, the reader, at least he says what he wants to say with his chest in his head. He's not like shy about it. Like he admits it to himself he's not in denial. So Right, that's what I'm trying to say. Yeah, he's not denying it. A lot of books will do that, where the main character is still denying it, even when they see the proof that they were wrong, but he's leading with actions. I want to hear Christina talk about her thoughts about that though, because I know hers is very different than ours. Yeah. Yeah, I remember early on reading and saying that I already forgave him. And I know you guys were waiting for the groveling, but I was just You forgave him book one. Yeah. I didn't forgive him book one, I just said I didn't hate him book one. But in the beginning of book two, when I heard his internal monologue, I'm like, okay, I was forgiven, let's move on and be done with this. Yeah. Yeah, because he does say a lot. He says a lot in that internal monologue. And if you're like, strictly waiting for him to grovel, you will honestly never get that. Throughout this you will not get that unfortunately, which I do think we should have had a little bit at least He's definitely more of I'm going to tell you I'm sorry with my actions, which is also really good It's just not what we were expecting. I guess I like how they start to open up to each other though, too Mm hmm. Yeah, and it's just little ways, right? Yes, looking back on it While she always gives what she feels like she can now We know she could have been giving a lot more of information at this point and she's still holding it in if you go back and you look actually Soren really Opens that door of trust between them when he confides in her his theories about the regent working with Carl So yes thinking about it that way he was vulnerable with her in a way that a commander and King can be Right. He showed her that respect. He was a lot more, I think he was a lot more honest with her than she was with him. Oh, for sure. At this point, he's starting to be. This is the turning point where he starts to open up more and she shares, but she's like clinically shares. I feel that way throughout the book. Yeah. That's just my thought. Yeah. Well, book one, she shares, I mean, she shares what she has to. He doesn't share anything. Yeah. So that's why I'm saying this is the turning point where he becomes more open, more open with his trust of information. Yeah. And I guess that does track because book one ends with Rick saying, you're going to have to beg me to you know, whatever. And while we don't see her making him beg, we do see that like her withholding, right? Because at the beginning she was just going with the flow. The fates have led me here, I'm here, but yeah, book two, we kind of see her shifting Yeah. No, you actually don't deserve me. Yeah, you're going to have to work for it, which, so you're right. Soren is the one to reach out and open the gates of communication between them. And she's there physically. Like she, she will be a presence. She will be there. She will listen, but she does not contribute No. Unless she has to and it's for the greater good. it's very selective. Yeah, she stays quiet a lot. Yeah. A lot. Yes. She's very much Aelin, Ash River, White Thorn, Galathineus. Yeah, she's very like quiet. Plotting a scheme and making her own things. But moodier. Moodier. Yeah. Way moodier. And I don't know, I guess also thinking about that. Right. Not even a little, not even a little baby been wearing the same boots for 200 years. She, there is no materialism. Okay. She'd been in the same black Brown boots because we were undecided what color they actually are. If you notice that little thing in the story, that little plot hole, is that a plot hole? Continuity. No, no, I have nothing else. Yeah. Yes, that's what I was, that's the word I was looking for. Yes, thank you. So I did have one theory that I took note of during, his whole show of power. Yeah. And Luke's internal monologue talking about fey power. And also And we can bring attention to it as it gets brought up more about fey power. It's kind of a theme throughout this and I'll share at the end my big theory about him, but my theory about high fey magic is that the fates gifted it to the high fey. It's fate. It's like directly from the fates That's why and that's why witches gave their own People as seers to converse with the fates and help and that's why they originally helped the first high fay. Yeah, that's my theory about where that power comes from because the witches power doesn't come from The fates. It comes from the even older gods, older than the fates, and the world itself. The earth yeah. Well, it says, in the first book it talks about how each forest was an old god. there is a greater being that is the forest. That's my theory, is that's from the fates, because that came about the same time that the first high, the first fey came over. High fey. Mm hmm. And it was gifted to them, and that's why it's a part of them, and it belongs to them. It was. Right. And there's someone who has direct connection with the first Fae. In Rooke's group i've i'm just i'm just making that connection right now like just realizing that That's very interesting. Yeah, okay. Wait till we get to her character Yeah I mean they're at this point. We're still slow burn right at this point. We're still We're not enemies But we're definitely not lovers. No, we're reluctant Allies on Rooke's part. Yes, he's just like You Look at me. He is chomping at the bit. He wants her, this is his woman. And if another guard, if another male, if another being looks at her again, he will level this castle. That's the vibe he's bringing to the table. And Rooke is just cute. Remember when you kept me in a dungeon? Cause I do. But also I was there because I wanted to be. Confusion. Should we move on? The next part is more exciting. This is chapters 12 through 20. This is the second half of part one. Okay. Chapter 12 literally starts out with Rooke saying she still doesn't care for Soren. And says she doesn't think he's redeemed himself yet. Even after that show of power in the gray room, like her inner monologue is good for him. I, that doesn't change anything. She hates the careful way he moves around her, but when he gives an offering of magic to the lake on the way home. She starts to see that he is changing. That's the moment for her where she considers that he's changing. On the ride home, Soren asks Rooke about her family, very carefully, and about the goblin lands. So she starts to teach him goblin. Once they're back at their home base, the next shipment arrives along with Prince Gage. And Rooke's latest gift. So the gift is a scared high fey in the carriage, with a tiny bit of pixie in there we learn her name is Thea. She's deaf and mute and came to Uris when she was abused. That's where she came from. Sorry. So that's where the regent is hold up That's like their capital where she was abused and mistreated for the last few decades in true dramatic fates fashion, we learned that Theia is Terran's mate, and that's why he's been such a morose dick. Soldiers from Murel come and joiSorenin's ranks, and Soren and Rooke bond over weapons and judge the new recruits. So it's very much two commanders flirting about what's going on in their ranks. And I thought that was really cute. While Rooke works with Thea to help her heal her trauma. The group decides that they need to start healing the forest, so that they can use them as safe spaces from the betrayers. A nightmare slips through their mind connection and wakes Soren. He rushes to her naked and helps bring her back to herself. They bond and talk over tea while watching the sun rise. Taryn opens up to Rooke about his fate and Rooke takes it like an emotionally adjusted badass. To begin healing the Brindlewyrd forest when Soren attempts to make an offering to prove himself to the forest They show him their memory of what happened to its coven and little baby Hanede and how his life started in bloodshed They cuddle in the forest that evening and it's adorable The next morning Rooke talks with him about how high fey magic is different from hers and how little she knows about it They leave camp when they are alerted by the presence of other high fey They find the regent's men standing against Prince Gage and only a couple dozen of his men Nook provokes Soren by disrespecting Rooke. So Soren takes his head off and slaughters most of his men. Gage needs to get to Ris. How do I, how are you pronouncing that Ris, Iris? I, I say the wa I say it like that. Iris. Ris. Ris Regar. Ris. Yeah. Uri. Yeah. Yeah. Some make say sense to say and some don't, so. Yeah. Yeah. Ris thought it. Iris. I. Right, I like that too, but then it doesn't work with Irel, or I guess it's a, or Iregar, I don't know. I'm gonna say Yuris, we're gonna say it really quick. Maybe she'll release a pronunciation guide for the next book. Gage needs to get to Yuris, to save his mate so they accompany him through the Fae door. Rooke is shocked by how beautiful the Outer City is. Until they get into the gates of the Capitol and she feels how purely evil the land is. All its people are living dead. They get to the castle in the sky and it's covered in blood and death. That is the end of part one. Yeah. This is definitely where the story picks up a bit. Yeah. Which we completely glaze over the fact that Soren and Rooke have now shared a kiss, haven't they? By this part in the story? I don't think they kissed when they cuddled their first kiss is how they kiss. Not yet. When do they kiss? In part two? Is it in the second time? Okay, nevermind then. Yeah. On the way back? Okay, I thought it was on their way there. We'll get to the hot springs. Okay, so ignore this little part. I thought it happened already. No, they were very close that morning after they cuddled. Fully closed. Yeah. Yeah. Is that when he told her to take her boots off? Yeah. Yeah, that I, I highlighted that because stop, I'm so emotional. For me, that was the sweetest thing. He said, take your boots off. And literally that's all she needed, number one. You know, she's like a child of the forest baby. She don't need these boots on, but he rec, she was connected, he recognized, but he rec because she was squirming. She was like so uncomfortable, couldn't relax, and he just goes, take your boots off. Isn't, that's just like the most sexiest thing I think he could have ever said. That was one of my favorite lines. I remember highlighting it and thinking, this man really is changing. Here, let's back it up a little bit though earlier in the synopsis. Cause I want to make sure we talk about Thea too. And I know that is Christina's, probably, That's one of your favorite parts about the book. At least that's from what you talked about. So, you should do that charge. She's so sweet. I don't know if the little asshole that's her mate deserves her, but Well, he was mad because of what was happening to her. Yeah. No one knew. That's understandable, but blaming an entire people you don't know whether or not they're doing it to her just because you think it might be is ridiculous in my opinion. And even when you know better, you still don't adjust yourself right away? Right, it takes you a long time to adjust when you should be adjusting right away. Right, exactly. I agree. You're right about that. I love how Rooke could communicate with her because Rooke has taken the time to learn about all the different people and their different languages across the land. Which is great. Yeah, I love how she took under her wing and started training her as a healer. I was like, aww, that's so sweet. But her trauma was just so hard to read. It was really like, when she opened up about it, that's when I was crying reading this book. That's tough. it was heavy. We, it was very heavy. Thea's character, I think is going to be someone that we get a lot more from later on. I think she has a lot of secrets that either she's too afraid to share, unwilling to share, or honestly too traumatized to share. But I think eventually we might be getting a lot more of her story. And I'm very curious about that. I'd love to know. I'd love to know who her parents are. I think we're seeing so many theories and yeah, so I would say it's the regent. I read something where someone said it was Aura, and that just, I that blew my mind a little. I thought about that at one point too. Nah. Number one, I don't, no, cause she, it was technically Thea's young enough where she would have still been under the curse, right? So I don't know how she was under the tube. She lived because she was pixie and then Right. Her mom or someone that cared for her gave her a need and gave a good name. A sign. Right, exactly. That meant cherished one. Cherished one. Cherished one. Yeah. So someone loved her, but also I was imagining like, it, it wouldn Sorry, go ahead. No, I was just gonna say it can't be her otherwise. Aly would have part pixie in her too and she could have had a kid unless it, well, no, I think aura's. No, I think it's a different demand who like, let's say it was the dad. Maybe Aura does have someone she loves. Yes. With, with someone she loves because we'll talk about her relationship later, but we know that Aura's current marriage is not mean, fates blessed, but not like a loving fates blessed relationship. Yes, it's not a love match, and I think there's a possibility that maybe she has this love match baby with someone else, and I don't know, it would be, Aura is at the bottom of my list. There still needs to be more data, but I'm, I've, I've still got my eye peeled. Because the regent makes sense. Because Thea knew that the regent is trying to become a An ancient. Yes. Or not an ancient, but like to cheat death, live forever. They haven't mentioned the ancient yet. Live forever essentially. I was imagining something like the regent and like a kitchen maid or something. Like he forced himself upon somebody else. Yes. Who wasn't full faith. Yeah, absolutely. That's kind of what I was thinking. I think that's the most believable track honestly to think. Well, here's the thing though. I don't think it could be a lower Fae because she presents a hundred percent high Fae and the only reason that we know she isn't high Fae is because Rooke could sense her blood and knew it was a tiny, tiny part pixie. Right. That's why I think her mom is high Fae. I think it's someone that hit it and then got caught once there was a baby. Yes. And then could you, let's say it is Aura, and she was taken, yeah, she says something about that. Oh, once they got pregnant and they delivered, they must have known that it wasn't all, I just, here's another reason I think it's the regent, because, Later, in the next section, we learn, once they're at the castle, Soren says her four sisters, and Gage goes, no, there's only three. So one died or went missing, and I'm wondering if, instead of killing him, he just sells them out, and to other lands, and that is, I mean, I'm sure he kills some of them. Or since her carriage went missing, she just, he just assumed she was dead and declared her dead. Right. Or he told Sari that she was dead and she just sent her off. To me, that could be that. That's under, I don't know. Yeah, I think, like I said, I think those are, Like very easy explanations for it. My fear is that knowing the type of writer Jay Brie is that's too easy. Do you see what I'm saying? Like I can't even, yeah, I feel like the plot behind exactly. That's how I feel about it. It could be the region. She could literally be Sari's missing sister. There's no doubt in my mind that's just how the story wraps up. When I think about Jay Brie as a writer, I'm just like, You're skilled. So I feel like if that's too easy, then what is the most extreme thing we could think of? She's Aura's daughter. She's a half sister to Airlie. Or a's husband or that had affair or that. That's interesting. I mean, but I will just, we just know she's royal because I think she would figure out that that was her daughter in the castle. And I think we would've seen her freak out before now. I think we would've her, but she's never seen her though. She knows she's there. Aura. She knows she's there. She's ho about Aura knows that there is not at Capitol. At their capitol. No. Yeah. Yeah. I know. I didn't know. They'd let her know. I think everyone knew because it was announced when they were out in front of the wagons, Soren made the announcement, no one is to go in there. No one is doing anything like this is she's high face. She could hear all of that. She could hear all those conversations. She would be for sure. It's about them. Yeah, that's sure. What were you going to say? Christine? I was going to say that their obsession with, you know, the Pure blood is just absurd. Yeah. I think it only got heightened because of that curse. I think it only became worse because of that curse, right? Because then any tiny little bit was outed. Yes. True. And so they probably became resentful of anyone that could have a baby. Like why do you deserve to procreate? Yeah. I don't agree with it. I'm just saying that. Right. I can see them and that's, that's how it is. Yeah. Absolutely. And they already think so highly of themselves. that's super believable. So yeah, we get there, which, and, and Torrin, which is also a plot line I can't wait to follow closely. I want to see their relationship kind of unfold. Hopefully they warms up to the idea. It's not clear whether or not Thea knows that he's her mate. Yeah, so I didn't have any interaction at all. Yeah, exactly and I'm not sure just if the fates were whispering or singing to her because she doesn't, I mean she's so traumatized she could just be. Not listening or however the fates work in that way. So yeah, I, I would love to see that aha moment for her. Hopefully when she's like a little stronger, she can take on a little more. I'd love to see them interact by themselves. That would be really nice to read. And then where, where else? What I was thinking about all the other things you discussed in that little segment. There's so much This is where like the story really starts to kick off. We see Soren finally release some of the pent up rage in his body and just off Noruk and all those soldiers. And honestly y'all, that was like a highlight. He was sick of it. He just went. Kill that man in front of everyone and we know that we're here because gage Has a mate inside the castle and gage has just received a vision from his mate That like he believes her life is in danger. He needs to get to her he has waited long enough. He is impatient and he is willing to take on the regent himself to get to his mate that's where we leave off He knew he couldn't go get her until the favorite child returned, right? That's also part of his he's been a few months Exactly years before that, but he's been waiting a few months, right? A few months Exactly. And now it just makes it even more clear why he was like, do you want to come back with us? Can I help you anyway, like Can you, do you want to leave? I'll take you home right now with me. He had an underlying motive. Yeah. So that's really sweet. And it's also just sweet to see their relationship, him and Rooke. So now we're at Rhaegar. This is part two, right? Sorry. Now we're not at Rhaegar. We're at Iris. Wait, hold on. Christina wanted to talk about something. And I just want to say that this part is like that part that we just talked about is when I fell in love with Soren. When I was okay, I'm a Soren Stan. Yeah, for sure. This is like kind of the turning point. Definitely. Absolutely. But I think, Christina, you wanted to talk about the town, like our first impression of it. Yeah, I want to know more about this, like about why everyone is dead. Are they truly dead and like animated corpses? Or do they just feel dead because there's like shadow magic or dark magic or something? That's what I want to know. Are they really actually all dead? That's unclear to me too. I don't. I don't get it. So there's a couple comments throughout the sec part two of the book that relates back to This magic that she feels she makes a comment when we'll read here in a minute About when the blood witches come in to play and she goes this explains a lot of what I was feeling but also in regards to the whole town, I think at the very end when she steps into that magic circle that Carl has left behind She says it feels like Just like the evil and the undead, but on a way higher scale, a more amped up version of that. So to me that implies that Carl is pulling the strings at that castle and contributing to that. And so he's been doing some maybe bad magic on everybody. Like siphoning the life out of it. Yeah, maybe siphoning their magic. Oh, yeah, because we know he siphons his army's magic and what I'm assuming that what little magic Those Fae will have in them if he removes that because they all have yeah They all have at least a tiny thread of magic within them whether or not they can feel it, right? So if he's pulling that He's pulling that then Yeah, they're like dead. The land is dead. There's nothing there. So that is very interesting to about, it's a magic fe to feed the land. So if there's no magic, it's being siphoned out. The land would feel dead.'cause it is dead. It has none of its life giving magic in. Yeah, it has nothing. Yeah. But then I wonder if the regent knows or if he doesn't quite understand that, because that's how Carl could take the castle easily. Right. I wonder if he can feel it. He doesn't know. I don't, because even Soren was like. They don't use money to barter though. Everything is just there for them because these people are like empty vessels. So. Yeah. I feel like he has to know something. I thought the no money thing was more like because they're all just so rich. They're using all the resources. Yeah. world and just at their expense. That's what I thought at first. But then she says when she looks closer at everyone selling, she sees that every single person selling is just glassy eyed and dead. So maybe some kind of spell. I don't know. Yeah. Yeah, it has to be some kind of spell like indentured servitude or something like where they just, they're just there to serve these high fey or something. Yeah, I definitely would like more of an explanation in the next book, whatever comes out about why the what's going on at the castle for sure that that would be helpful.

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Thank you for listening to part one of our deep dive into the throne of honor and blood by Jay Bree, we had so much to say about this book that we made it into two separate episodes. The best is yet to come in part two. So go ahead and press play on that next episode. If you are new to romance Recs, please make sure to follow us on Instagram and Tik TOK at romancerecspod. Keep reading and we'll see you soon.