Thank you so much to Andy for commissioning this episode!
This section is the one in which Yerin faces off against her challenger, Calan Archer, and low-key loses control of her blood-shadow. She wins the fight in the end, but I can't help thinking that the fact she spends half the match fighting against her own weapon is going to make her look weak.
Meanwhile, the two sages are each coming to their own conclusions regarding the shadow, and when her match is over the Winter Sage thinks she should starve it, while Charity thinks they should hone it and use it. I hope that's what they do.
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you to Megan for commissioning this episode!
I'm really excited about this episode because Rebecca is finally coming to the realization that being a lawyer just does not make her happy. It's a massive change to have followed a prescribed plan of education and career for over a decade, perhaps even two, and then suddenly decide it's not actually what you want. It's enough of an upheaval that most people do not decide to do it, and I admire Rebecca having the guts to do something else. But I am worried about the money!
And also in this episode, Heather and Hector get married and it's honestly really sweet and adorable and I'm super happy for them. Yay!
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you to Kyle for commissioning this episode!
I'm very surprised to be reentering this world again, but even though it's been a while I'm still able to follow most of what was going on. An incredibly good-looking prince is going to fully fund a lavish spectacle dedicated to his own stories of heroism, ostensibly to prep the people for his upcoming coronation. However, I think there's something more sinister afoot, and I'm wondering if this guy is even really the prince at all.
Thanks so much for listening, and I am hoping to see you with a new episode!

Thank you very much to Andy for commissioning this episode!
These are the chapters that contain one of the major battles we've been waiting to see: Mercy versus Sophara. And Mercy loses.
I'm so sad for her. I know that she is under a ton of pressure and that so much was riding on this for her family and for her mother, and I'm genuinely not sure what happens now. I am starting to think the tournament isn't going to be completed the way it's intended to be, but what would have to happen to throw things off-course?
Thanks so much to you all for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you to Ashleigh for commissioning this episode!
In these chapters, Lorkin finally comes clean about the slave girl and what happened to her while he was imprisoned, and while it turns out that the girl wasn't a Traitor (or so they think though they can't be sure) they are very compassionate with him. I actually really rather liked that scene.
Meanwhile, things are beginning to ramp up with Dannyl and Tayend being stuck in Sachaka while the battle creeps closer and closer, and I'm getting a little disgusted at how preoccupied Dannyl is with Ashaki Achati when the fate of an entire people is on the line.
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you very much to Andy for commissioning this episode!
These chapters are the ones where Lindon gets into his first real fight with some higher-level members of Abyssal Palace and puts his new armor to the test. This armor is BADASS AS FUCK and is so overwhelming that his opponents (who barely escape with their lives) assume that using it must have killed him. Which honestly is so much fun because they are going to shit their pants when they set eyes on him again.
Thank you again so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you to Martin for commissioning this episode!
This section of chapters we get a pretty brutal showdown with Yisht and Zole, and I for one did think for a moment that Zole had actually died. Turns out that she's okay and manages to basically rescue Nona from these caves, but if we know now that she's not dead...why isn't she at the convent? Where did she go?
Also, the battle is coming to the steps of Sweet Mercy, and we're going to see something that was foreshadowed in the very first scene of the first book!
Thank you so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you so much to Andy for commissioning this episode!
In these chapters we get a little more background on what happened with the Aurelius patriarch, although not as much detail as I would have preferred. This also makes it difficult to stomach the deal that Eithan makes with Reigan Shen to throw the matches, although I'm hoping it will result in revenge eventually.
Also there's something amazing happening with Lindon being in command of the Akura team. We're watching Lindon blossom as a leader and gain a certain measure of confidence that he hasn't had until now. I'm so excited!
Thank you all for listening, and I will see you again soon with a new episode!

Thank you very much to Ashleigh for commissioning this episode!
In these chapters, we get a little more of the revolution in Sachaka as it ramps up enough to be noticed by the Achati, and I really hope they're prepared for the backlash because I want them to succeed! I don't think this is the kind of book where they'd fail after all this time, but she could be prepping another series, who knows.
Also, Cery suffers a fatal heart attack and dies, and I truly don't know what to make of that choice. I like that it's unexpected, but it's also unexciting and I'm just not sure it was a smart call.
I guess we shall see what happens!

THank you very much to Andrew for commissioning this episode!
These are the chapters in which Lindon is assigned to head up the Akura clan's team fighting against the coming cults, and he grows immediately obsessed with points to a degree that has everyone around him looking askance. I'm absolutely delighted with this turn of events, and I can't wait to see if Pride suddenly starts respecting him or what.
Not likely.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!