House of Sky and Breath
by Sarah J. Maas
Contents
Chapter 32
Overview
Bryce and Hunt survive the Shepherd by discovering a new way to combine their abilities: Hunt draws power directly from the Dead Gate, Bryce channels it through the Starsword, and together they destroy the creature. The victory reveals a dangerous new potential in Hunt's power and deepens the mysterious link among Hunt, Bryce, and the sword.
Elsewhere, Tharion learns the River Queen is urgently hunting Emile for her own purposes and is willing to hide him from Ophion. By the end of the chapter, the danger tightens as the Hind and Ephraim arrive in Lunathion and Bryce cannot reach Ruhn or Ithan.
Summary
At the Dead Gate, Bryce throws herself in front of Hunt's lightning and the Starsword absorbs it, turning Bryce into a conduit for its power. She wounds one of the Shepherd's hounds, but Hunt is slammed into the Dead Gate and nearly taken out of the fight. As Bryce holds off the remaining beasts, Hunt notices that power flows through the Gate in both directions and realizes he may be able to draw from it.
Hunt places his hand on the Dead Gate and pulls its stored firstlight into himself, even as the stone darkens from the drain. He sends that power into Bryce with the command to "Light it up," and Bryce channels it through the Starsword. Their combined power makes the Shepherd flee, and Hunt carries Bryce into the air so she can drive the sword into the creature's skull, destroying it in an explosion of lightning and light.
Exhausted and injured, Bryce and Hunt run for the river. The chapter then shifts to Tharion reporting to the River Queen that two more Vanir bodies have been found tortured and killed in a style he attributes to Pippa Spetsos's rebels. He tells the River Queen he believes Emile Renast is now in Lunathion, and she coldly orders him to find the boy and keep Ophion Command from learning if she gets him first. Before dismissing Tharion, she taunts him about the sexual punishment she inflicted on him the night before, reinforcing her control over him.
Back in the Bone Quarter, Tharion spots Bryce and Hunt and gets them onto his wave skimmer. Sobeks attack them in the river, but Tharion kills the creatures with brutal, pressurized blasts of water and escorts Bryce and Hunt safely back to the city. The three of them hurry to Bryce's apartment.
In Bryce's home, Bryce and Hunt admit they found no sign of Emile or Sofie in the Bone Quarter and are shaken by what they saw there. Hunt, still reeling from what he did with the Dead Gate's power, checks his phone and sees that Ephraim has arrived in Lunathion with the Hind, while Tharion confirms the Hind has brought her dreadwolves. When Bryce cannot reach Ruhn or Ithan, the chapter ends with her realizing she needs to find them immediately.
Who Appears
- Bryce Quinlanchannels Hunt's power through the Starsword, helps kill the Shepherd, and worries when Ruhn and Ithan vanish
- Hunt Athalardiscovers he can draw power from the Dead Gate and funnel it into Bryce to destroy the Shepherd
- Tharion Ketosreports fresh murders to the River Queen, is ordered to find Emile, and rescues Bryce and Hunt
- River Queendemands Emile be found and hidden from Ophion, while asserting control over Tharion
- The ShepherdUnder-King's houndlike attacker at the Dead Gate, slain by Bryce and Hunt's combined power
- The Hindarrives in Lunathion with her dreadwolves, raising the threat surrounding Emile and Bryce's allies
- Ephraimreported to have reached Lunathion with the Hind, adding another pursuer to the hunt
- Ruhn Danaanfails to answer Bryce's calls, prompting urgent concern at the chapter's end