Brimstone Arc III
Chapters 17-24
Quarter‑Way Mini CAWPILE
If I had to rate Brimstone right now, it is a ⭐⭐⭐star read.
Characters: 8
They’re holding steady, and I’ve managed to pick out a couple of favorites. No major shifts yet, but the cast is still strong enough to keep me invested.
Atmosphere: 9
The world is expanding, and you know I love when a sequel widens the map. It’s giving me exactly what I want.
Writing: 7
I’m not sure what happened between Quicksilver and Brimstone, but the writing has definitely taken a hit. My biggest gripe (to be fair I’m only a quarter in) is the repetition. There are also moments where character behavior or dialogue doesn’t quite line up, but I’m willing to chalk that up to mystery‑building. Hopefully it all clicks later.
Plot: 8
It’s not developing at the pace I hoped for, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s solid, just slower than expected.
Intrigue: 9
I’m still locked in. Even with the bumps, I want to know what’s going on.
Logic: 7
Eh. Again, a quarter of the way through. Some things aren’t adding up yet, but I’m hoping the pieces fall into place as we go.
Enjoyment: 8
Even with my critiques, I’m genuinely enjoying the book so far.
We’ve made it through two arcs of chaos, and now we’re stepping into Arc III: Chapters 17–24 with absolutely no idea what Calle is about to throw at us next. Everything we’ve uncovered so far has built a foundation and I am ready to get to the good stuff.
If you’ve been reading along, grab your drink, settle in, and let’s dive into Arc III together. Share your reactions, theories, heartbreaks, and unhinged thoughts in the comments as we go.
Chapter 17: The Dark Door
Carrion and Fisher… well, mostly Fisher… almost defeated the demon Joshin. Fisher weakened him significantly, but they couldn’t land the final blow because Joshin’s venom is everlasting. If they kill him without getting the antidote first, they’re done for.
The venom has to be given freely, which means they need a bargain. Fisher offers Joshin a deal: its life in exchange for a secret and the venom.
Fisher finds a way to manipulate the deal by keeping one of the scorpions alive in a box. A loophole king.
Also interesting: Fisher thinks Carrion’s elemental magic is fire. Why? Because of his hair color? His personality? His chaos? I’m curious what Fisher is picking up on.
I would also like to point out that there are a set of Geminis in this scene too. 😁
Where there is light, there is always darkness, Shadow Weaver. To kill a queen, you will need to visit the darkest of all places. You will need to strike a deal far more costly than this one if you hope to succeed. And the beast who lies in wait for you will not be so easy to trick as me. She will eat you whole, Shadow Weaver.
And now the question: which queen? Is this about Saeris? Or Madra?
What I’m Watching For
Joshin’s Secret
Who is the queen? I know our minds are on Madra but there is always a chance that it’s Saeris.
Carrion’s Elemental Magic
Why does Fisher think Carrion’s magic is fire?
Let’s Talk About It
Tell me your thoughts in the comments. If you had to put money on it, who do you think the queen is? Don’t forget to download your free Brimstone poster that I made.
The plot is finally starting to move, and I got caught up. Before I knew it, I was on chapter 22. Then I realized I almost finished this entire arc and only wrote about one chapter. Which brings us straight into Chapter 18, and the official introduction of someone we’ve been looking for since the beginning of the book.
Chapter 18: Brother
First question: why does Foley have pupils like a cat? Second question: why is he so angry about the dagger?
Foley’s official introduction matters because he has alchemy knowledge from his grandfather. That means he might have information the group desperately needs. He’s also able to attack Saeris because he hasn’t sworn fealty to the court — and he’s been hiding in the library. I wonder how Algat feels about that.
Chapter 19: I’ll Live
Carrion and Fisher make it back to Vorath’s shop and start distilling the antidote to Joshin’s poison. But Fisher is dealing with his own demons. His mother and Merelle (Ren’s sister) appear to him in the dark dream, and they are anything but kind. The guilt that fishing Fisher is carrying, is heavy. Nimerlle’s name makes sense, because Merelle chose to bind her soul to the sword, but I wonder where Nim came from.
And Carrion? No matter how carefree he acts, he has nightmares too.
Just like Fisher hates being called Lord Cahlish, Carrion hates being called your highness. Trauma twins.
They finally have a much‑needed heart‑to‑heart about Saeris and Carrion’s feelings. Yes, he loves her, but he’s not in love with her. He fell for a human once, and he’s still drowning in grief from that loss. I don’t know if this sounds weird, but I am so ready for that backstory.
Chapter 20: Huntsman
I don’t know what kind of fever dream Saeris and Fisher are having, but it seems like they’re astral projecting to each other in another dimension.
And Onyx is there which is odd. Apparently he’s been following Fisher around in his dreams for a while going back as far as when Fisher was last at Cahlish.
I told y’all Onyx was more than a fox. I still haven’t pieced together what he is though.
We get another reveal: Foley’s gold fangs mark him as shunned because he didn’t swear allegiance to the crown. Technically he should be dead. They pulled his teeth out so he couldn’t feed. Let’s put two and two together. The fact that he lives in the library and should be dead? Yeah, I have a theory: the cat is how he eats.
And another reveal. I’m saying: the hits just keep coming. Ren doesn’t like Tal because Everlayne loved Tal. They were supposed to be married. The night before their wedding, Tal left and bent the knee. Fisher thinks Tal did it because he wasn’t in love with Everlayne, that he swore allegiance because he loved Zovena.
This is messy.
Chapter 21 Daianthus
I know Fisher has been through hell, but I really feel for Carrion here.
His family murdered. His throne stolen. Forced to live away from his home. Loved and cared for through the ages but everyone he loved died. He never knew his world.
Kingfisher witnessed this grief when he found the sketches Carrion drew over the years, copied from a book because he never got to see his own kingdom. Even though Carrion grew up in Zilvaren, he was in hiding, unable to live the life he was born to.
This chapter broke me.
What I’m Watching For
Foley’s Cat Eyes
Why?
Fisher and Carrion’s Dark Dreams
Their hallucinations are vicious. I’m waiting for the backstory.
Onyx’s True Nature
I’m still waiting on the big reveal on why Onyx is so important. He’s more than the furry sidekick. I can feel it in my bones.
Carrion’s Past
His grief is deep and ancient. I’m watching for how it shapes his choices moving forward.
Let’s Talk About It
The plot finally opened up and it’s ready to stretch its legs. There were quite a few reveals in these last couple of chapters.
Drop your thoughts in the comments — theories, heartbreaks, confusion, favorite moments, everything. I want to hear what you think about Foley, Onyx, Carrion’s past, and Tal’s choices.
We’re deep in Arc III now. Let’s keep going.
Chapter 22: Stargazer
First of all… when did Foley and Saeris have a conversation about her past in Zilvaren?
It’s also starting to sound like Tal kept the letters the group was sending Foley. I still don’t trust him.
Not gonna lie, Saeris showed her immaturity in this chapter, but she’s finally getting somewhere with alchemy. And we get a clue about what the final book in the Fae & Alchemy series could be titled:
Salt.
Then Saeris gets attacked by the paper stargazer, and when it dies… yeah, that was suss. It was clearly trying to get her attention, and it died because it left the magic of the library.
Chapter 23: Your Mistake
It looks like Fisher and Carrion have finally caught up with Hayden. And not for the first time in this series, I’m getting the feeling that Saeris and Hayden do not share parents. I haven’t figured out if it’s both or just one, but I’m leaning hard toward one parent. Fisher can smell the familial blood bond.
Also: Carrion being bisexual is so on character. I love it.
Hayden recognizes Fisher immediately. He calls him Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate, even though he doesn’t know what that actually means. My first thought? Madra. Spreading lies. She’s also telling people Fisher murdered Saeris. She even produced “proof.” Well… pictures. I actually laughed at Hayden’s gullibility.
Gracia is dead. She was the woman that was Carrion’s grandma in Quicksilver. She is the last Swift. Now Carrion is truly alone in the world.
Fisher had my mouth turned up. He pulled Carrion into a hug at Gracia’s cremation, saying that if Saeris were there, it’s what she would’ve done. I don’t think it had anything to do with Saeris. I think Fisher is beginning to see Carrion as a brother, a member of the pack.
And Carrion? I love him. He low-key put Fisher in his place. He reminded him he’s not helpless or stupid. He survived Zilvaren for over a thousand years.
Kingfisher, driven by rage after witnessing Cleansing Day, killed many of Madra’s soldiers. He should’ve been out of power, but he called upon so much of his magic that it covered all of Zilvaren in darkness.
This man is terrifying when he’s angry.
Chapter 24: Tria Prima
The Hazrax appears in the forge with Saeris. She’s just made a relic, and bargained away a memory in the process.
Also… why is everyone suddenly calling her by her full name? It’s giving foreboding.
Deeper Dive: The Hazrax
The Hazrax showing up is huge. It tells Saeris that every time she makes a relic, she’s bargaining away pieces of herself. Because she is bargaining away memories, she doesn’t know what she’s given up. She doesn’t know what she’s losing. And that Fisher must be wary of new faces. He tells her that blood magic is crude and that she needs to activate the quicksilver rune.
The Hazrax asks to enter into the same bargain it had with Malcolm and Saeris agrees, with a change: That they renegotiate every year. This is going to cost her something. We just don’t know what yet. We also don’t know what the Hazrax is actually doing here, But we do know, that it is powerful.
What I’m Watching For
Tal
I still don’t fully trust him
The Paper Stargazer
It died trying to warn her. I’m watching for what it wanted her to see.
Saeris’s Parentage
There are too many remarks about how they are too different.
Fisher’s Magic in Zilvaren
Covering Zilvaren in shadow? We know that magic exists in Zilvaren, but no one has tapped into at that magnitude that we know of.
The Hazrax’s Bargain
Why is it even there?
Let’s Talk About It
These chapters were wild. Drop your thoughts in the comments. What are your theories, confusion, heartbreak, favorite moments, everything. Arc III closes on a whirlwind of revelations, bargains, lost memories, resurfacing grief, and magic that’s becoming more dangerous by the chapter. The world is widening, and the stakes are rising. Arc III finally got the plot moving. It cracked open the heart of the story, and now we’re stepping into the next arc at full speed.
Ready for Chapter 25 whenever you are.
