House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City)
by Sarah J. Maas
Contents
Chapter Eighty-Nine
Overview
Hypaxia frees Hunt from his halo, and Hunt annihilates Sandriel, forcing the angels to kneel and ending the Archangel’s rule. Seizing command, Hunt organizes allies and departs by helicopter for Lunathion. The power shift defies the Asteri and sets a rapid return to the besieged city, with Bryce as Hunt’s driving focus.
Summary
The conference room shudders as Ruhn keeps Sandriel talking long enough for Hypaxia to lay a hand on Hunt Athalar and unravel the halo’s hold. As the tattoo flakes away, Hunt’s full power returns. Sandriel turns too late; lightning splits the room as Hunt attacks, driven by fury over the danger she poses to Bryce.
Ruhn drags Hypaxia under a table while debris rains down and the air thrums with ether. When the lightning dissipates, Hunt emerges holding Sandriel’s severed head, her body destroyed from within. The gathered angels, including Isaiah Tiberian, kneel, awed and fearful. The Autumn King pales under Hunt’s feral grin, while Ruhn grapples with Bryce’s long-kept Starborn secret and what she sacrificed to protect him.
Hunt immediately orders Fury Axtar to bring in her helicopter and assumes command without challenge. He recruits Ruhn and Tharion Ketos (with a nod from the River Queen’s daughter), and accepts Amelie Ravenscroft’s offer, despite Sabine’s glare. Flynn joins, and Declan stays behind to act as eyes in the field. The Autumn King, the Prime of the wolves, and Sabine remain as Jesiba and Hypaxia keep the City Heads in check.
On the roof, Fury’s military helicopter lifts off with Hunt manning a door gun and Tharion on the other. Hunt issues rapid directives to the departing angels to secure the city and triage survivors. In the air, Hunt asks Fury about Bryce’s past rooftop crisis; Fury admits Bryce had been a ghost for a long time and tells Hunt he brought her back to life. Hunt focuses his rage and power toward Lunathion, determined to reach Bryce.
Who Appears
- Hunt AthalarFreed from his halo; unleashes devastating lightning, decapitates Sandriel; takes command and departs by helicopter for Lunathion.
- SandrielArchangel adversary; overwhelmed by Hunt’s power and executed, her severed head ending her authority.
- Ruhn DanaanDistracts Sandriel; shelters allies during the strike; reflects on Bryce’s secrecy; joins Hunt’s team.
- HypaxiaWitch-queen who removes Hunt’s halo at great risk; steadies the group and remains to keep City Heads honest.
- Fury AxtarArranges and pilots a military helicopter; coordinates extraction; confirms Bryce’s past despair to Hunt.
- FlynnAllied fighter; boards the helicopter with Ruhn, ready to aid the city.
- Tharion KetosMer operative; joins with his queen’s leave and mans a door gun.
- DeclanTech support; remains behind to provide real-time intel as eyes in the field.
- Amelie RavenscroftWolf who defies Sabine and volunteers to join Hunt’s mission to Lunathion.
- Isaiah TiberianAngel commander who kneels with others, acknowledging Hunt’s overwhelming power.
- Autumn KingObserves Hunt’s dominance, pales under threat; stays behind among City Heads.
- SabineWolf leader; glowers as Amelie leaves but remains with the City Heads.
- Prime of the WolvesCity Head present; stays to maintain order as the strike team departs.
- JesibaRemains with Hypaxia to keep the Autumn King and Prime in line.
- River Queen's daughterAuthorizes Tharion’s involvement with a brief nod.