I Read What?!

Last time in this terrible terrible book, we met Duncan, a thankfully so-far not rape-inclined member of the Cheysuli. I'd like to take this as a sign that the book might become a hair less racist, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope so far.

Also we had the least surprising parentage reveal ever.



We rejoin Alix where she's sitting wrapped in a blanket, and realizing that she'd fallen asleep in the "shapechanger's presence". Ms. Robinson has made it pretty clear that in this world "shapechanger" is a pretty nasty epithet that targets a race that's already being persecuted in an attempted genocide, so I would find it a lot easier to like the heroine if she STOPPED USING IT.

I'm not saying she has to like the people who captured her, but maybe focus on THAT part instead of the race? Please? "numbly aware that she had slept in [her captor's] presence" works just as well.

So the flap opens and Carillon comes in. She realizes from the withdrawn look in his eye, and lack of warm welcome, that he knows about her identity now. She doesn't want to look at him and see his rejection.

Carillon tries to talk and she interrupts him to say that she knows how he must feel realizing that he kept company with a "shapechanger". Carillon just asks her if she's certain they're right. He points out, with some justification, that they're her captors and that they could be lying. He points out that her hair is brown, not black, and her eyes are amber, not "beast-yellow".

I feel like the difference between amber and yellow might not be all that significant dude. I'm not sure I'd find this denial reassuring, honestly, but one racist is comforted by the other:

So Alix cries in his arms, and Carillon tells her that she'll come with him when he's released. Alix says that Duncan said she must stay. Why do you care? He's your captor. You're allowed to not obey your captor, Alix. Anyway, she asks how he knows that they'll let him go, and he "smiles wryly" and points out that he's worth too much to his uncle.

Alix asks if she'd be worth anything to Shaine, given that she's his granddaughter. Carillon notes, amused, that she'll admit to shapechanger blood if only to get royal blood as well. Which is a dick thing to say, but possibly an indicator that he might be getting past some of his more overt racism.

Alix says that she only wants acknowledgment. If she's Shaine's granddaughter, won't he free her?

Carillon is blunt:

"Do you think the Mujhar will acknowledge a half-shapechanger bastard granddaughter?"

She recoiled from the cruel question- "Carillon—"

"You must accustom yourself. If what the shapechangers say is true, we are cousins. But Shaine will never claim you. He will never offer a single coin for your return," Carillon shook his head. "They are harsh words, I know, but I cannot let you expect something you cannot have."

I don't think Carillon is being cruel or unduly harsh here. It's understandable that Alix, faced with a sudden shocking reveal, would be hoping for some kind of connection to family. But Shaine started a genocidal war. So...no.

This is a really good conversation, so of course now it has to get really weird.

"She set cold hands against her face. "Then you will leave me here. . . ."

He caught her arms, pulling her hands from her face. "I will not leave you here! I will take you to Homana-Mujhar, but I cannot say what your reception will be.''

"You would not have to tell him who I am."

"Do I say you are my light woman, then? A valley-girl I have been seeing?" He sighed as he saw her expression. "Alix, what else would I tell him?"

"The truth."

"And have him order you slain?"

"He would not!"

His hands tightened on her arms. "The Mujhar has declared the Cheysuli accursed, outlawed, subject to death by anyone's hands. Do you think he will gainsay his own purge for the daughter of the man who stole his daughter?"

Nothing about this conversation makes sense.

1) Alix, he's been saying that he'll bring you with him all along, why do you think he'll suddenly leave you here? Consistency, please, woman.

2) Carillon, why do you need to tell anyone anything? She's a crofter's girl who got captured with you.

3) Alix, please make up your mind. He could tell Shaine nothing (true). Or he could tell Shaine the truth (bad idea).

4) What's with the "He would not!" He ORDERED A GENOCIDE, ALIX. This is not someone who you can assume would be too moral to kill you!

Anyway, Alix defends Hale, citing Duncan, and Carillon "sighed heavily" asking if she accepts their words with "so little a fight". He asks if she denies her Homanan blood to "turn to the shapechangers"

NONE OF THIS CONVERSATION MAKES SENSE ANYMORE.

I mean, it almost makes sense. Carillon's got a point that maybe she doesn't need to take her captors' word for anything. But what the fuck does "denying her Homanan blood" mean? If she thinks her mom went willingly with her dad, rather than her dad being an awful rapist, that makes her less Homanan? What?

To make matters even more nonsensical, Cai (Duncan's hawk) decides to break into the conversation, telling her she's Cheysuli and should remain. This is her place, not Homana-Mujhar.

Alix, being as subtle as she is intelligent, shouts at the bird that she can't stay! Carillon understandably wants to know who she's talking to. She begs Cai to let her leave, and he says that he can't gainsay her, he can only ask.

So far, Cai is probably the most likable character. For now.

Alix begs Carillon to take her with him, and he can tell the Mujhar whatever he wants, just don't make her stay. Carillon is still kind of hung up on the talking to animals thing. Alix assumes again that he'll leave her.

Seriously, I WANT to like Alix, but her thought processes utterly boggle me. Yes, the guy who's been ordering you to try to escape, and insisting you come with him is going to leave you.

"Shapechanger sorcery . . ." he said slowly.

She looked at him, judging his face and the feelings reflected there. Then his hands grasped her shoulders so hard it hurt.

"You are no different," he said. "You are still Alix. I look at you and see a strong, proud woman whose soul is near to destroyed by these shapechanger words. Alix, I will still have you by me."

It's really annoying that, so far at least, Carillon almost looks like the best romantic option. I mean, the racism is a real problem. No question. And there's no easy fix for that. But it's hard not to notice that he's the only male character so far that has expressed any kind of concern for Alix as a person. Finn's disgusting and doesn't give a shit about consent. Duncan, at least so far, only seems to be interested in Alix because he thinks (correctly) that she's half Cheysuli. And you know, the brothers are actually keeping her captive.

Though really, what the fuck kind of captivity IS this. I ask only because when Cai "gently" tells her that she's meant for someone else and that the prince is not for her, Alix shouts "Will none of you let me be?" and runs off into the forest.

Worst. Captors. Ever.

So anyway, Alix finds a lush grassy glade, where she gets to dramatically sink to her knees and cry and I'm sympathetic to this in theory, but I'm still boggling over the fact that the Cheysuli aren't bothering to guard their prisoners. At some point she muses about how Torrin had raised her to be "fair to all men", he had "also instilled in her the apprehension all felt concerning the race."

Why is everyone in this book awful?

So she hears a rustling and worries that it's Finn, who still scares her even though he now claims to be her half-brother. Understandable. I won't bitch about that. Finn's earned no benefit of the doubt from anyone. It's actually a hawk though. Not Cai. It's smaller and more streamlined. It asks her if she's decided to stay or go.

Alix decides to "push the tone away", telling herself that she won't allow the Cheysuli to manipulate her, and would keep herself apart from them and their sorcery, "regardless of the seductiveness of their power" but even as she says that, she starts to feel wonder. She can talk to animals and that's pretty cool.

Yes, but please make up your damned mind.

She realizes that the animals are hers to converse with, and that the power is a gift and not demon-sent. I'm not sure why it can't be, but I also would like her to stop blathering at me about demons and sorcery, so I'm happy she's finding something to enjoy about her powers.

She and the hawk (gosh I wonder who that could be) have an interesting conversation. The hawk tells her that she's special (of course she is), since no one else can speak to all of the lir. It thinks that through her, they might win back some of their "blood-pride and esteem"

Alix says they lost it through Hale's selfish action. Which seems a bit much, considering she was just citing the version of the story where Lindir went willingly. And also, one asshole doesn't actually justify genocide, Alix.

The hawk admits that, for the Cheysuli, it would have been better if Hale never met Lindir. But then Alix wouldn't exist. Alix asks what she is, aside from a woman that a "foolish warrior wanted for his own."

Really. That's the adjective you're going with here. FOOLISH. The man has been threatening to RAPE YOU since chapter 1 and you're going with FOOLISH.

The hawk notes that Finn occasionally allows his emotions to overrule his judgment but it makes him who he is. (Fuck you and your rapist apologia, Duncan.) He does correct Alix when she calls Finn a beast. He notes that beasts have more wisdom, better sense and much better manners.

She laughs with the hawk, genuinely enjoying the conversation. I think this is the first easy, relaxed conversation that we've seen Alix have. She narrows her eyes "shrewdly" at the bid, and wants to know who is, she wants him to show himself. The bird demurs, but tells her that he's one who cares.

Of course we can guess who the bird actually is. And I think Alix is guessing as well. (...well, I mean, she's only actually met TWO Cheysuli. And the other one is wolf-themed. So it's not like there are a lot of options. It's like that bit in Lego Star Wars where Luke guesses Yoda means Leia, because she's the only girl he's met.)

But it's good timing. If Duncan is going to be Alix's love interest (and he is), then we do need to actually see them interact. And this was a good way to do it. I still think Duncan seems more interested in Alix in the sense of reclaiming a long lost Cheysuli for their numbers, with some extra interest in her ability to communicate with lir, but it helps to have some less fraught interaction where we get to see them interact like people.

With the bird gone, Alix heads back to the camp. The tents have been packed away, and the fire cairns broken apart. The Cheysuli are ready to move. Carillon comes to her, noting that he'll be going with her and the Cheysuli for now, because it's been determined that he's not strong enough yet for the ride to Mujhara.

Alix says she's happy to have more time with him. Carillon reminds her that he's said that he'll bring her with him. And Alix smiles sadly, asking if he means as his light woman.

And this bit is actually cute:

Carillon grinned -and lifted her hand to brush his lips across her wrist. "If it must be done, Alix, I will not prove unwilling."

She blushed and tried to withdraw her hand, but he held it firmly. He shook his head slightly and smiled. "I do not seek to discomfit you. I have merely said what is in my mind."

"I am your cousin." She did not entirely believe him.

Carillon shrugged. "Cousins often wed in royal houses, to secure the succession. This bond would not be a thing Homanans disapprove of."

Alix tried to answer- "My lord ..."

His brows lifted ironically. "Surely you can dispense with my title if we discuss our futures in this way."

Alix wanted to laugh at him but could not. She had longed for such thoughts and words from him all through their brief acquaintanceship, though she had never thought them possible.

Again, why is Carillon the only person who actually seems to care about Alix's consent?

Carillon notes that he'll marry a princess one day for heirs, but that princes often have mistresses. Alix thinks about how Duncan explained the casual custom of Cheysuli wives and mistresses, and thinks that Carillon's basically offering her the same thing.

Well, there is a bit of a difference. Carillon is ASKING YOU.

Also, I'm pretty sure Carillon intends to bring you back even if you're not his mistress. And it's not like "This girl was another captive, I think one of them wanted to rape her" would be an unreasonable explanation.

Anyway, Finn interrupts her conversation with Carillon to offer her a ride. He calls her "rujholla" again, which makes her feel grateful and resentful at the same time. Understandably, she doesn't want to be related to him, but she appreciates that he's not pursuing her sexually anymore.

She says she'll ride with Carillon, which leads into some mocking banter. When Carillon calls him a shapechanger, Finn points out that he's insulting his cousin as well. Which is true, so knock off the racial epithets, Carillon. Finn also points out that, in a way, he and Carillon are related as well. Sort of, anyway. Since his half-sister is Carillon's cousin. Then he laughs at the idea of being related to someone who will carry out his liege lord's wishes by murdering them. Then he notes that to murder them, Carillon will have to start with Alix.

I hate that this book is giving Finn this part, because he's not wrong. This is a necessary scene for confronting Carillon's racism. I just hate that it's making me agree with a rapist.

Carillon gets angry and says if he kills any of them, it'd be Finn, and he'll leave the rest to Shaine. Alix is horrified, and Finn just mocks him further, reminding him again that what he says about Cheysuli concerns Alix as well. He walks away.

Alix tells Carillon that Finn is trying to goad him, and satisfy "his own craving for a place".

What the hell does that mean? Aside from being a clumsy hint as to how Finn's story in the book will resolve. We've seen nothing to indicate that kind of conflict in Finn.

But Alix is special, so she can see that. She also tells Carillon that she thinks he'll be Mujhar one day. Well. He IS the heir. Carillon and Alix laugh and banter about how they met: he trampled her garden while hunting.

She remembers how she cared little for the gold he gave her to pay for the damage, and tells him she can't be bought. He asks if she can be won. She averts her face and kind of non-answers.

Then Duncan joins them, carrying his bow. THAT attracts Carillon's attention, because apparently Cheysuli bows are famous. Duncan notes that he has better ones at the Keep, and this one is for hunting. He gives it to Carillon to examine. They discuss the legend: that a Cheysuli bow can't miss.

Duncan notes that any arrow can miss, but notes that Cheysuli have gotten very good at it due to being hunted down. Carillon doesn't like that reminder, and says that the saying predated the purge. Duncan responds that the skill was refined by the purge.

I like this exchange better. Mostly because I like Duncan more than I like Finn or Carillon, so far.

Duncan offers Alix a ride, but she chooses to stay with Carillon. Is there a reason she can't ride her own horse? Duncan accepts that, and offers Carillon his horse, stating that his own warhorse will be returned when Carillon's better.

There's an obvious bit here, where Alix meets Duncan's eyes and notes a "faint tug of familiarity". Because he's the bird, of course.

I'd like more scenes with Alix, Duncan and Carillon, I think. The conversations about the purge are very necessary. And honestly, Duncan, and even Finn, are nicer to Carillon than he deserves about it.

I do think their words are having an effect though. Carillon is a racist and a genocide apologist, but that seems to be based primarily on what he's been taught by Shaine and others. He's only a year older than Alix, which means the purge had already been started before he was born. He'd never actually met a Cheysuli, before. And while Finn is unquestionably terrible, Duncan and Alix aren't. Eventually, that might be enough. But since this is Jennifer Roberson, we're going to have a lot of repetitive conversations before we reach that point.

So anyway, Chapter Six gives us Alix, Carillon and the Cheysuli on their journey. Alix is dispirited and weary, though she tries to fake determined spirit whenever Finn rides by. All their told is that they're heading for the Cheysuli Keep, which from context seems to be a fixed settlement. We're told that Carillon demanded his and Alix's instant release, "threatening the Mujhar's displeasure and retribution" and Duncan courteously refused.

Carillon. There's already a kill on sight genocide order for any Cheysuli. What more can Shaine actually DO? That's the problem with endgame maneuvers, there's no leverage to use afterward.

Alix takes the time to muse at the difference between Finn and Duncan. It's more of what we saw before: Finn is more aggressive, Duncan is more quiet and contemplative. She prefers Duncan to Finn. Thank you, Ms. Roberson, but we already learned that.

I'd say of all the authors I've read so far, Ms. Roberson probably has the best gift for the artful arrangement of words, but she seems to have no idea about how to pace a story. There's far too much pointless repetition already.

In the evening, Alix sits with Carillon, who's draped his cloak over her shoulders. She watches the Cheysuli set up a camp, without the pavilions this time. She realizes that she'll be sleeping outside, with nothing but a blanket for protection. She and Carillon commiserate: both would rather be home right now.

Speaking of repetition, we have Carillon promising Alix that "these demons will regret what they have done."

This sends a chill down Alix's spine, but I don't really know why, because it's not like this is the first time he's expressed these sentiments. Carillon becomes a sexist dick here, because why let Finn have all the fun:

His eyes narrowed at her reproving tone. Then his face relaxed and he touched her ragged braid, moving it to lie across her shoulder. "A woman, perhaps, does not understand. But a man must serve his liege lord in all things, even to the slaying of others. My uncle's purge still holds, Alix. I would not serve him by letting this nest of demons live. They have been outlawed. Sentenced to death by the Mujhar himself."

That's a poor excuse for genocide, Carillon.

Alix asks, what if there hadn't been any sorcery. What if the Cheysuli are right?

Carillon recites Shaine's string of misfortune: the queen dying of a wasting disease and Shaine's second wife having no living children and asks if not sorcery, what else could be the cause?

Um, I don't know dude. Poor hygiene? The fact that Shaine's an old man?

Alix responds with none of this, suggesting that it might just be "what the Cheysuli call tahlmorra". She defines it as the will of the gods.

Carillon lifts her face up and asks if she champions the demons again. She says no, but she acknowledges their conviction. Carillon asks if she does that, even when the Mujhar denounces them as sorcerers of dark gods.

...yes? I mean, Shaine doesn't seem to be the most reliable or unbiased source here. And Carillon himself basically admitted that if Shaine did believe Alix was Hale and Lindir's daughter, he'd probably have her killed. A reliable man doesn't murder his granddaughter, dude.

Alix doesn't mention this either. Instead, she feels the bite on his wrist and thinks about Finn shapeshifting. She then asks if Carillon will allow Shaine to denounce her.

Carillon reacts wearily to this question, but dude, it is her life she's talking about here. Carillon basically says that if she reveals herself to Shaine, it will be a blow to his pride, and he's very vain. But Carillon does say he won't let him harm her.

Alix asks him about Homana-Mujhar, and I'm happy to finally get a conversation that doesn't feel like I've read it before last chapter. We also get some backstory for Carillon. He describes it as a fortress within a city of thousands. He doesn't know much about its history, only that it's stood for centuries and has never been successfully invaded. He calls it the heart of Homana.

That said, Carillon actually grew up in his father's country estate until he was formally named heir a year before.  (Carillon's father is Shaine's younger brother.) Alix has never seen it, or its surrounding city, Mujhara. Carillon finds this boggling, as the city is well protected and women and children can travel safely there. Alix thinks it might have been a promise made by Torrin to Shaine to keep her out of the city.

Now we're back to the repetitious conversation beats, as Alix admits she believes she IS Lindir's daughter, based on her powers. If her powers aren't Cheysuli, then she must be a creature of the dark gods. Carillon says she's no demon, and she challenges him.

"And if I am Cheysuli?"

Carillon's eyes slid over the shadowed camp, marking each black-haired, yellow-eyed warrior in supple leathers and barbaric gold. He looked back at Alix and for a moment saw the leaping of flames reflected in her eyes, turning them from amber to yellow.

He swallowed, forcing himself to relax. "It does not matter. Whatever you are, I accept it."

Alix smiled sadly and touched his hand. "Then if you accept me, you must accept the others."

He opened his mouth to deny it, then refrained. He saw the bleakness in her eyes and the weariness of her movements as she shifted into a more comfortable position. Carillon put a long arm out and drew her against his chest.

"Alix, I have said it does not matter."

It matters to her, dude. Also, you're the fucking heir to the throne. You could actually stop this. Even if you can't yet, at some point, you're going to be in fucking charge.

The scene ends with Alix wondering if, when he's Mujhar, he'll murder her kin.

In the morning, Duncan gives Carillon his horse back and tells him he can leave, with Finn accompanying him. Carillon is annoyed, claiming he can find his own way back, but Duncan doesn't intend to lead Carillon to the Keep so he can come back and have them murdered. Finn's there to keep him from following.

When Carillon tells Alix that she can ride with him, Duncan says no. Alix will stay.

Alix doesn't like this idea, understandably. She wants to go home to her father. Duncan says her home is with her father's people. Alix points out that she's half Homanan, and Carillon says she can't deny her the right to go with her cousin.

Finn raised his brows curiously. "Can we not? Your fates were decided in Council last night, while you slept. It was my position we should keep you both, forcing you to see we are not me demons you believe, but I was overruled. My rujholli would have you returned safely to your uncle, who will send guardsmen to strike us down." He shrugged. "Some even believed you would be won to the belief we are only men, like yourself, did you spend time with us, but I think you would only plan to harm us how you could." Finn smiled humoriessly. "What would you have done, princeling, had you stayed with us?"

Okay, I have a few responses for this.

a) you decided their fates while they slept? Fucking dick move, guys. And you're really losing me as a romantic candidate, Duncan. Autonomy is kind of fucking important here.

b) Finn contradicts himself here. First, he says that he wanted to keep Carillon and Alix longer so they can see they're not demons. But then he says that while some others think he could be won over, Finn thinks he'd only plan to harm them. So which the fuck is it?

I mean, I'd like to blame Finn, because Finn is terrible, but inconsistency isn't really one of his character flaws. No, he's consistently terrible. This is just bad writing on Ms. Roberson's part, I think.

3) I feel like Finn's first idea makes the most sense. Carillon is the next heir after all. Why NOT see if you can reach him? You can always kill him later if it doesn't work.

4) Duncan, you're supposed to be the smart one, but what advantage do you gain by sending the HEIR TO THE THRONE back to his uncle without any demands? Even decoy demands would make sense. ("Stay away from this clearing on X date" making sure that that's exactly where Shaine sends his best troops, or something.)

5) It kind of looks like Duncan wants to send Carillon away to avoid competition for Alix. Which is gross dude.

6) And it's absolutely boggling that of all the plausible scenarios, Roberson decided to give us one where these two supposedly intelligent men, who are BEING TARGETED BY A GENOCIDE, are valuing the capture of one pretty girl over the fucking HEIR TO THE THRONE.

Even taking into account Alix's mysterious powers, this makes no fucking sense.

Anyway, Carillon admits that Finn's right. He would have escaped and sent troops. When Finn challenges "even at the risk of her life?" Carillon takes it as a threat to Alix. Duncan clarifies coldly that they won't harm their own (what's a bit of a sexual assault threat between family?) but the soldiers won't discriminate.

Alix, idiotically, suggests that they let her go and perhaps the Mujhar won't send troops. Yeah, that'll happen. I'm sure he'll be so happy to see you that he'll forget about his genocide. Why is everyone in this scene a fucking moron?

Also, this again feels like a conversation they've HAD before. Maybe not this exactly, but the sentiment has already been expressed multiple times: Carillon hates Cheysuli but loves Alix. Carillon has to process that his hatred of the Cheysuli will put her in danger as well. This is POINTLESS.

Yes, in real life, people often have repetitive conversations. But this is a book. There is a word count and a page count and we get the fucking point.

So anyway, Finn goads Carillon into drawing his sword, which Alix breathlessly notes has runes like Duncan's bow. Yes. That's also not new. Finn told us chapters ago that his father had forged the sword.

Alix is worried that she's going to see Carillon kill someone, and wonders, if she's Lindir's daughter, is she adding to Lindir's actions that set the purge in motion.

Oh yay, let's go with some victim blaming as well. I believe the story that Lindir ran off with Hale, yes. And that may have been very irresponsible. We don't know her reasons for running after all. But okay. You MIGHT be able to blame the Homana-Solinde war on her, since the marriage was supposed to make peace. MAYBE. But the qu'mahlin is SHAINE's FAULT. HE ordered the genocide. NOT Lindir.

Anyway, the brothers are unconcerned. Blah, blah, a Cheysuli blade knows its master. We do learn that Cheysuli don't use swords themselves, they stick to knives and lir shape for fighting, and bows for hunting. Until they started working for the Mujhars, when they started to kill with them, and then once the qu'mahlin started, they began to kill their masters.

Finn pulls a Methos from Highlander, and leans forward, close enough that the tip of the sword rests against his throat and taunts him to use it. He asks who the sword will respond to: the heir of a genocidal maniac, or its maker's blood son.

"Finn," Duncan said softly. Alix thought he sounded reproachful.

Her fingers twined themselves into the folds of her yellow skirts, scraping against the rough woolen fabric. She knew she would see Finn die; even with his hand on the blade the warrior could never keep Carillon from striking him down. She owed no kindness to Finn, who had stolen her so rudely, but neither did she wish to see him struck down before her eyes. The sour taste of fear filled her mouth.

"Carillon ..." she begged. She swallowed back the constriction in her throat. "Do you begin your uncle's work already?"

"As I can," he said grimly.

I have to admit, NOW this scene has gotten interesting. And this is what makes Roberson so damned frustrating. This is good. It's harsh and tense and ugly. It's a horrible situation made even worse because of the genocide and the baggage, and while I want Finn dead on general principle, I do think it would be very wrong if he were murdered right here and now. Roberson can write emotion and mood amazingly when she wants to.

Well, fortunately, by a certain definition anyway, Finn doesn't die here. He twists the sword aside with one hand, and gets his own knife blade against Carillon's throat. He's too close for Carillon to use the sword to fight back. Finn taunts him a bit, gently, about what it means to face a Cheysuli in battle.

He asks Alix if she'll beg him for Carillon's life, calling her mei jha again. Knock that off, Finn. Alix says she won't, but if Finn kills him now, she'll see to Finn's death. Do it anyway, Alix, it'd be fun. Finn is amused, and tells Carillon that he (Finn) respects that Carillon has women to argue for him. He puts his knife away, noting that Alix is Cheysuli and his sister, so he won't risk it.

Duncan says again that Finn will escort Carillon to Mujhara, and Carillon promises to come back for Alix. Carillon notes that they're foolish to let him go without asking for gold, but the Cheysuli don't really value gold per se, aside from making their jewelry. They WANT an end to the war.

And back to the repetition: god fucking damnit. The words are different admittedly, but the gist is the same. Carillon says that if they hadn't sought to throw down Homanan rule, while Duncan states that they never did. The Cheysuli always served the blood of the Mujhars. In fact, Hale was KEEPING his oath in a way: Lindir was the Mujhar's blood and asked him for help. He was serving her.

...I think that's kind of a weak justification, Duncan. And he kind of sort of admits that when he says that it probably wasn't service Shaine expected, but that Hale might have been Shaine's liegeman but he wanted Lindir more.

Duncan tells Carillon that he would send greetings to Shaine if he thought that Shaine would accept them. He also believes that deep down, Carillon doesn't wish to continue the qu'mahlin. He makes a vague reference to the prophecy, which Carillon immediately renounces. Duncan notes that if he renounces the prophecy, he renounces Alix.

Yes, we KNOW. This has been brought up before. This is so annoying, because the exchange between Duncan and Carillon was actually starting to be interesting!

We have a scene here between two young men who are in leadership positions (or are soon to be, in Carillon's case.) The Cheysuli are being slaughtered, but Duncan sees something in Carillon that has motivated him to make a huge, very risky gesture here in letting him go. There's a prophecy, though we don't know how explicit it is, that is informing his choices, but there still had to be some personal level of instinctive trust to make this work.

And it's a compliment to Roberson's character work that I can sort of understand why. Carillon's been pretty fucking hateful all along. His racism is overt and he's very happy to be a genocidal apologist. But there IS something about him that makes me think this isn't really characteristic of him. I can't point to a specific that gives me that feeling, but I do think he comes across as someone who is reasonably fair-minded by nature, and that he might actually come to realize how wrong this is.

But Roberson seems to think that Alix will be the root of Carillon's conversion. And maybe that's true, but we're basically ending up with scene after scene of the SAME DAMN MESSAGE.

Honestly, I hate to say it, but this story would have been so much more interesting if Alix wasn't here. If we just had the story of a prince captured by the victims of a genocide, being forced to see them as human. I know that Alix will do important things later, but right now, her role could be filled by a reasonably attractive horse.

I don't care about the romance. I don't care about Alix's special powers. I don't really even care about her identity crisis. Not yet anyway. Maybe Roberson will do more with it now that Carillon's gone back home. But I care more about the big stakes: how do you stop a genocide? Who do you trust to do the right thing?

Anyway, Carillon leaves, and Alix has some pointless exchange with Duncan about how she won't say they're lying about her being Cheysuli, but she's not going to submit to his rule either, she'll only accept "his tahlmorra" on her terms. He of course says that "a Cheysuli could do it no other way."

Oh thank god, the chapter is over.