Brimstone Arc II
Chapters 9-16
Arc I left us standing in the wreckage of Irrín, staring at poisoned earth and vanished warriors. There’s also a new breed of monsters that are spreading the rot. We’re also witnessing the weight of a missing true name. Now we step into Arc II with more questions than answers.
As we dive into Chapters 9–16, I’d love for you to read with me, react with me, and unpack the chaos in the comments. Tell me your theories, your favorite moments, your red flags, your heartbreaks, and your “oh no they didn’t” reactions. Pull up a chair, grab your drink of choice, and let’s step together into Arc II.
The quicksilver is whispering. Let’s see what it wants.
Chapter 9 — Hidden
Everlayne is still in… whatever this is. I’m calling it a coma. We’re reminded again that Saeris can’t be in the sun for very long. And honestly? I’m starting to wonder what that’s doing to her mentally. While she’s talking to Layne, the Quicksilver chimes in. It tells her that “she hears you; she feels you” and to “open the gate”. Layne is wearing earrings made of quicksilver — that’s why Saeris can hear it. Then Saeris does… something. I don’t know what the hell she did, but the quicksilver liquefied and touched Layne’s skin. Layne wakes up instantly, but the presence speaking is not Layne.
The voice says it’s been waiting centuries to speak to Saeris. Its name is Edina. Saeris recognizes the name but can’t place it. (Girl… really?) Edina is struggling to speak and tells Saeris to find a book in the library:
small
blue
thick
a butterfly
hidden among the stars.
She needs this book to stop the rot. Then Edina makes Saeris promise not to tell him about the book. And to make sure he knows how much she loved him and that she’d do it all again if she had to.
Tell me that’s not Kingfisher’s mom. I’m sorry, but the math is mathing.
Edina also says Saeris hasn’t sealed her runes and her magic is flowing nonstop. The runes are burning Saeris and causing her extreme pain. She’s screaming Edina’s name. And then Kingfisher crashes through the door and confirms it. Edina is his mother.
How Saeris couldn’t place the name? I’ll never know. Because I’m not fresh off of Quicksilver, I can’t remember if Edina’s name is ever mentioned. Hear me out. Let’s say it’s not mentioned explicitly in the book, and let’s venture into the land of headcanon, shall we? Edina left an entire wardrobe for Saeris. She drew her. Fisher knew that this was all for his future. Saeris and Fisher are not only mates, but they are godbound. HE HAD TO HAVE TOLD HER HIS MOTHER’S NAME. Saeris just lowkey pissed me off in this scene. Really? Where have I heard that name before? 🙄
Chapter 10 — Rot
I am calling it now: Carrion is the Gemini of this series. It just fits. IYKYK.
We’ve got a new mission: seal Saeris’s Alchemical Runes. A new place on the map: Nevercross, Iseabail’s seat of power. And the rot? It’s not just rotting the land anymore it’s infecting people and spreading like wildfire.
Think back to what Zareth told Saeris at the end of Quicksilver. Think about that rotting tree. We are seeing it unfold. Fisher is convinced the gods have been meddling since the fall of the Daianthus royal line. At least a thousand-plus years ago and every time they stepped in, time warped.
Saeris’s law that prevents a full out attack will crumble like ash if the rot spreads to Ammontraíeth . The infected don’t have to follow her law. You saw what 8 feeders did. Imagine the entire army and some more. The group might have to evacuate through the quicksilver to escape the rot. For that, Saeris needs to make relics for everyone, and she needs silver. Which is… not exactly abundant right now.
Carrion, my Gemini menace, suggests returning to Zilvaren for the metal and grabbing Hayden Fane with Fisher.
What I’m Watching For
Edina
Why hide the book from Fisher? I’m watching for the emotional fallout of that promise Saeris made to keep it a secret.
The Book
I’m watching for what’s inside that book and how it ties to the rot. I’m also hoping that it has Fisher’s name in it.
Saeris’s Unsealed Runes
The knowledge of Alchemy has been destroyed. How will she find out how to seal her runes?
The Rot’s Evolution
This is the big bad. How did Madra create it?
From the Desk of The Lady of Cahlish
Chapters 9 and 10 were wild. The rot is spreading fast. I’m obsessed with the butterfly book clue, terrified of the rot. I’m emotionally invested in Fisher finding out his true name. Now we’re heading toward Zilvaren. I wonder how Hayden Fane will take everything?
Tell me about your thoughts in the comments. Your theories, red flags, emotional damage, everything. I want to hear it all.
Chapter 11: Fool’s Paradise
Lorreth promised to tell Saeris everything about Merelle and what happened to her at the Ajun Gate. And once again, Saeris hears a name, thinks it sounds familiar, but can’t place it. Callie, are you messing with me? Is there something going on with Saeris’s memory?
Merelle turns out to be Ren’s twin sister, and off to a pub we go for the story. Why do I already feel like I’m going to cry by the end of this scene?
Saeris admits she hasn’t paid much attention to what’s happening around Ammontraíeth because she’s been laser‑focused on Kingfisher. These two are so wrapped up in each other. I swear they’re going to miss or already is missing something huge right in front of their faces.
Out in the streets, Saeris notices how horribly the Feeders are treated by the high‑bloods. It’s awful. Genuinely hard to read. But even amid the cruelty, Saeris notices that there’s beauty here too.
Surprise! I thought there were no fae living in Ammontraíeth. Turns out there are. And a lot of them. Inside the Fool’s Paradise, there are fae everywhere, and they are all enthralled. The place is less like a bar and more like a brothel.
Lorreth might’ve just become baby daddy in this scene. There just something about a fae that means it when he says: “you’ll pull back a bloody stump”.
Sooooo, where’s my story of the Ajun Gate Lorreth?
Chapter 12: Tal
According to Taladaius, the way Saeris’s runes are scorching her hands down to the bone could mean elemental fire magic, add to it, the fact that her hands heal afterward points to regenerative magic.
Taladaius asks Saeris if she’d be okay with him publicly disavowing her as his maker and severing their bond. He’s doing it for her benefit, right? She’s queen now, and rumors are flying that she is his puppet. He’s also “above” Fisher in power being her maker.
And then Saeris asks Taladaius to rule in her stead, to be her second‑in‑command. I don’t know if I trust him, but friendship is offered and accepted. From here on, he’s simply Tal.
🩸 Deeper Dive: What Tal Meant About Having More Power Than Fisher
Okay, let’s break down what Tal actually meant when he said he has more power than Fisher, because this is important.
In this world, Taladaius isn’t just some random powerful fae. He’s Saeris’s maker. That gives him a kind of supernatural authority that sits above Fisher’s mate bond. The sire bond is hierarchical. It’s controlling. It’s rooted in creation and command. It’s also problematic because Saeris is also Queen. It’s basically the magical equivalent of “I made you, therefore I outrank you.” There are times when Taladaius speaks or gives a command to others in the room and it takes Saeris considerable hard work to not obey.
Fisher’s bond with Saeris, on the other hand, is romantic and emotional. It’s powerful, but not the same kind of power. There was a time where Saeris had to obey Fisher’s commands, but it was an oath that created that and has been severed.
So, when Tal says he has more power than Fisher, he’s not flexing. He’s stating a fact of their magical system. The sire bond is considered “higher” in the vampire hierarchy because it’s tied to origin and obedience. Tal literally shaped what Saeris is. Fisher loves her, protects her, and is bound to her. But Tal created her.
Chapter 13: Silver City
Not much excitement here. Carrion and Fisher have made it back to Zilvaren, and the stage is clearly being set for something big. The calm before the storm, maybe.
What I’m Watching For
Saeris’s Memory
She keeps recognizing names but can’t place them. Don’t forget that “Tal” can control her memories. I still don’t trust him.
Tal’s Intentions
He’s clever, powerful, and sire to a queen. I’m watching for whether his loyalty is genuine or strategic.
Chapter 14: Blood in the Milk
This chapter opens with a tally:
Total known dead: 1,373
Total known infected: 1,665
Estimated infected landmass: 2,039 hectares (about the size of Griffith Park in LA)
The scale of the rot is getting terrifying.
Then Saeris says Lorreth is in the training hall with Carrion… on page 176. But isn’t he in Zilvaren? How is he suddenly here? Did Calle slip? Or is something happening off‑page that we’re supposed to catch later?
Algat continues to be one of the most interesting characters new characters introduced so far. Fisher did warn Saeris that Algat was the one to watch out for.
Even though Belikon ordered the destruction of all alchemical knowledge, the library in the Black Palace is still intact. Interesting. I wonder what Saeris will find here.
Speaking of Saeris… girl. She is so irresponsible sometimes. Algat tells her that even though Tal ordered her to assist Saeris, there is still a cost for her labor. The price is blood. And Saeris just… gives it. To the shadow cat, Guru, to drink in his morning milk. No hesitation. No thought.
Saeris gets attacked by a vampire, loses control of her power, and disintegrates a 20‑foot hole in the side of the palace. Just blows out a chunk of the building. No big deal.
🩸Deeper Dive: The Alchemists
We learn that the Alchemists had their own language: Alchimeran. They were wiped out; slaughtered. And their knowledge destroyed by King Belikon.
Except… not entirely. Because Algat (if she is to be believed) is standing here with intact records. Apparently, Malcom was a big supporter of the Alchemists.
Chapter 15: Vorath
When we last saw Kingfisher and Carrion in Chapter 13, they were chasing someone Carrion knew. That someone who took one look at Fisher and ran. I’m dying to know who this person is and how he recognized Fisher.
Fisher is also having his “oh wow everything is terrible here” moment in Zilvaren. Madra’s rule is crushing the people, but Fisher also sees their strength and beauty.
The runner turns out to be Vorath, a vault breaker and Carrion’s partner in crime. He reluctantly leads them to the stolen silver. On their way up the bell tower, they find the skeleton of a fae. Another mystery has dropped into our laps.
Vorath leads them into a trap. A demon’s trap. It’s ancient and alchemical at its core. It’s like a magical spider web. Eww.
The beast is called Joshin:
Lord of the Desert
King of the Dark Dream
Made up of a million scorpions (according to Fisher)
This is nightmare fuel. Calle really said, “let’s traumatize everyone.”
Chapter 16: The Blood
The vampire who attacked Saeris is furious. He is absolutely filled with hate. He recognizes her dagger instantly. He knows it well. He knows the owner even better. And because Saeris has it, he assumes Fisher must be dead.
Now… let’s guess who this is. Long‑lost battle brother? Someone tied to Fisher’s past? Someone who disappeared?
Obviously: Foley.
What I’m Watching For
The Rot’s Spread
The numbers are climbing fast. Are they going to ultimately have to evacuate the people of Yvelia to another realm?
From the Desk of The Lady of Cahlish
Arc II leaves us standing in the thick of it. The rot is spreading. Fisher and Carrion are in Zilvaren, and will have to fight a bunch of scorpions. Saeris loses control of her power, and she is no closer to understanding it. If she doesn’t figure it out soon, she could blow majority of Yvelia off the map. Arc II closes with more questions than answers and I am excited to see where our party’s path leads.
Join the Conversation
Before we move into Arc III, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop your theories, your heartbreaks, your red flags, your “WHAT WAS THAT?” moments, and everything you’re feeling about Arc II in the comments.
