House of Sky and Breath

It is the day Ephraim and his triarii arrive in Crescent City. The streets are swarming with dreadwolves because the Hind appears to have brought her entire battalion with her. While fishing information from a spy, Cormac, Ithan, and Ruhn have a close run-in with Mordoc, a violent and twisted dreadwolf who is the Hind’s second-in-command. Being a bloodhound, Mordoc can sense a fae prince (Ruhn) is close by. Cormac teleports them to safety. Ithan tells Cormac that Mordoc might have recognized his scent. Mordoc once visited the den of the Pack of Devils, because he is Danika’s biological father (It is from Mordoc that Danika inherited her bloodhound capability). Ruhn is stunned at the reveal.

In the Bone Quarter, Bryce draws out the Starsword. The Under-King summons his “shepherd” (341), a 10-foot-tall black dog who is blind, and therefore immune to the sword’s light. The Under-King says the dog is a demon who was abandoned in Midgard. The shepherd lunges at Bryce and Hunt and they run. The dog splits into three dogs when Hunt strikes it with lightning. Bryce and Hunt head to the Dead Gate to make it to the river, but Bryce falls, losing the Starsword.

Ithan and Ruhn discuss their day at a bar. Ruhn suggests that Ithan move in with him, Dec, and Flynn. The Hind (Lidia Cervos) and the Harpy show up at the bar and join Ithan and Ruhn. She pulls out a pack of cards.

Hunt battles two dogs, hoping Bryce has made it to the river. The dogs merge into one and run off after Bryce. Bryce is surrounded by the shepherd and two dozen reapers. The reapers begin to chant to awaken the gate, so it can siphon off her light. Bryce lunges to grab the Starsword and the shepherd claws her. Hunt sense Bryce in mortal danger and jumps in front of her, wreathed in lightning. Bryce remembers an image of a Fae man using his hammer to channel the power of lightning. She holds out the Starsword so Hunter’s lightning falls on it “and the world erupted” (350).

As the lightning hits the Starsword, Bryce herself becomes a conduct for the energy. The shepherd splits into three dogs. Glowing with light and lighting, Bryce kills one dog with the Starsword. The other dogs hurl Hunt into the Dead Gate, injuring him. A fallen Hunt spots a well under the archway, as if meant to collect the firstlight fed into the gate. Hunt remembers that his body can conduct raw power because he can control lightning. He slaps his hand on the brass plaque of the Dead Gate. The firstlight from the gate and the well begins to travel up Hunt’s arm. He shots a bolt of the power towards Bryce asking Bryce to “light it up” (352). Bryce uses the light to kill the remaining dogs and she and Hunt rush towards the river. On the boat to the docks, they are attacked by Sobeks. Tharion emerges from the water to fight off the crocodile-like beasts. Bryce and Hunt learn from Tharion that the Hind and the dreadwolves are in town. Bryce needs to find her brother.

The Hind introduces herself to Ruhn since he is her half-sister Hypaxia’s fiancé. She wants to play his usual Tuesday night’s poker game with him. Her knowledge of Ruhn indicates she has been keeping tabs on him. The Hind mocks Ithan for pining after Bryce, whom his dead brother Connor loved. She wonders if Connor’s death made Ithan happy since it opened up a way to Bryce. A tormented Ithan loses his cool. Ruhn insults the Hind, but she seems to find it funny. She asks Ruhn to give Prince Cormac her love, making it clear she knows a lot about the lives of Ruhn and his friends. Ruhn and Ithan head over to Bryce’s apartment and the group exchange stories. Ruhn notices Bryce’s scent is different from before. Hunt is summoned by Celestina to be present to formally welcome Ephraim at the Comitium, the headquarters of the 33rd. Hunt has to take a rain check on his planned night at the hotel with Bryce.

Bryce tells Ruhn and Ithan about the actual fate of the dead. They look as sick as she feels at the revelation. Ruhn wonders if Aides sent the Reapers after him and Bryce so she and Hunt could go to the Bone Quarter and discover their combined powers. Someone knocks at the front door and Bryce opens it unthinkingly. Sabine, Danika’s mother and the leader of Crescent City’s wolves, jumps in, swearing at Bryce. Sabine is furious at Bryce for harboring the exiled Ithan and threatens Bryce and her friends with grave harm. Bryce messages Hunt to come home as it is an emergency.

Celestina is very anxious about meeting Ephraim. Hunt tries to calm her nerves. He wonders if Celestina has ever been with a man or if she even prefers men. He believes Celestina is trapped under the burden of tradition and promises to be around her all night. Celestina is reassured. The meeting between her and Ephraim is awkward, even though the two have been friends for a long time. Hunt gets Bryce’s message about Sabine’s arrival and leaves the welcome event. Celestina notes his departure with displeasure.

Sabine fears that Bryce is plotting to have her replaced with Ithan. She threatens Bryce, but Hunt shows up in time. Sabine ignores Hunt’s order to get out, but listens to Baxian who has followed Hunt to Bryce’s apartment. Baxian knows Mordoc was Danika’s father. He has seen Mordoc eat a human couple alive.