Your favorite literary chaos agents Abby and Ronnie are back with a mind-blowing deep dive into the mysterious isle of Deverelli! This episode was born from a throwaway theory that grew into something we just couldn't ignore - and trust us, you're going to want to hear this one.

First, we tackle our favorite Deverelli moments - Ronnie loves when Xaden shows his softer side in the marketplace (and everyone is completely shocked), while Abby confesses her favorite part is when Xaden wields from the alloy to protect Violet (no judgment here!). We discuss how Deverelli represents Xaden's last moment of peace before everything falls apart, and how it gives us a glimpse of what their lives could have been without war and magic.

Then we dive into our main theory about Deverelli's true nature and its relationship with the gods. We bring receipts about how Deverelli doesn't worship any gods (which might actually be the wisest approach), explore the fascinating phrase "the word is the blood," and examine how Violet's challenge with Narelle mirrors what should have happened on Hedotis. 

We explore the mysterious runes on Deverelli and why some work while others don't. Why does Violet feel the urge to weave runes when entering Deverelli's airspace? And what's the deal with those crossbolts that can supposedly kill dragons without magic? Something doesn't add up!

Our investigation takes an intriguing turn when we discuss Courtlyn's collection of magical artifacts. Why would the ruler of an isle without magic be collecting magical amplifiers like the Aemilian Citrine? What does it mean that he's called "keeper of the troth"? And what exactly was the bargain between Courtlyn and Fen Riorson?

We round out the episode with a fascinating look at the vibrant waters surrounding Deverelli compared to its muted land colors, and contrast this with Hedotis's strange aquaphobia. Could there be magic in the water that Deverelli understands but Hedotis fears?

In our wildest precog corner yet, we theorize about a mysterious study on Venin subjects removed from source magic. Could there be a connection between this study and the isles? And what does it mean that there were at least 46 different test groups? The implications are chilling!

We wrap up with our current reads - Ronnie's devouring Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series and can't put it down, while Abby's halfway through A Court of Thorns and Roses and has thoughts about Tamlin, Lucien, and why the fandom exploded from this series.

Spoilers for the entire Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm)

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Time Stamps:

00:00 - 01:27: Intro and Diet Coke discourse

01:28 - 02:52: Episode overview and disclaimers

02:53 - 04:16: Favorite Deverelli moments

04:17 - 05:59: Xaden's last moment of peace

06:00 - 12:26: Is Deverelli the true Isle of Wisdom?

12:27 - 18:16: Narelle's three questions and their significance

18:17 - 21:30: Cat's ruby necklace tangent

21:31 - 28:27: Deverelli's dedication to wisdom vs. Hedotis

28:28 - 33:32: Runes and their function on the isles

33:33 - 38:17: Magic artifacts and Courtlyn's collection

38:18 - 42:21: Crossbolts and what can kill dragons

42:22 - 46:51: Courtlyn's titles and the mysterious bargain with Fen

46:52 - 48:12: The mysterious italics voice

48:13 - 58:34: What we're reading (Crescent City and ACOTAR)

58:35 - 01:00:10: Outro and social media information