[Discussion] Bonus Book | Of Darkness & Light (The Bound & the Broken #2) by Ryan Cahill | Ch. 31-38

Welcome everyone to another week of dragons, wyverns, and more as we continue with Of Darkness and Light, the second book in Ryan Cahill's The Bound and the Broken series. This week we will be discussing chapters 31-38.

First, a note about spoilers: Please use spoiler tags for anything beyond this week's section, including future books in the series, as well as the novellas (not everyone may have read The Fall, for example). Anything from Book #1 is fair game though!

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Schedule

Marginalia

Chapter Summaries

Ch. 31 A DARKNESS

Calen is still alive after being tortured by the High Mage, but is very weak. The manacles keep him from being able to sense Valerys, and the only thing keeping him going is that he knows Valerys is still alive, and wise words from his father.

At the camp of Aeson & Co, Dann asks Therin to tell a story about what happened after The Fall. This leads to a discussion of what the various races did to survive, and a disagreement with Alea and Lyrei. Aeson defends Therin, telling them their honour is forfeit. Therin calms Aeson down, and Aeson tells him about his dreams of his dragon, Lyara, and how she calls to him. They get a message from Baldon, that Calen has been taken captive by the empire.

Ch. 32 FAMILY

Ella and Farda reach Berona, but Faenir would not be allowed to enter the city full of refugees. Ella, knowing Farda's rank, asks him to tell the guards to let Faenir in. Farda ensures that Faenir is let in, but this also leads to him issuing out punishment to one of the guards that gives him a hard time about it. They make their way to the palace, and Farda takes Ella to Tanner Fjorn, who plays the part of her uncle and shows her kindness.

Farda meets with the Grand Consul, who tells him he must march with the Fourth Army tonight and stay aware from Ella, who they plan on attacking tonight.

Ch. 34 RUN

Ella wakes to Faenir growling and someone trying to open her door. She grabs a candlestick and hits an attacker with it while Faenir takes the other. As another man grabs her, she picks up a sword from the fallen man and kills him, then they leave to go find Tanner, who is till in his office. He takes her to a woman named Yana, who gets her out of the castle. In a city street, they meet an elf named Farwen.

Ch. 35 AN OLD PACT

Artim Valdock concludes he will get nothing from torturing the Draleid, and instead sends a message to the Dragonguard and continues torturing the other prisoners.

Alleron has been whipped by his father as punishment for trying to help Calen, and meets with Baird and an Angan named Aneera to plot a way to free Calen.

Ch. 36 THE TIES THAT BIND

Dayne stows away in a ship back to Valtara with the help of Mera. When he lands on the beach, he runs into an old man with the symbol of the Valtaran Rebellion tattooed on his arm, who recognizes him. Dayne and Mera take a secret entrance into Redstone that only Dayne and his siblings know, which leads into Baren's study. Once inside, they are able to stop Alina from killing Baren. Dayne stabs Baren in the leg, but doesn't kill him, telling him to flee and go to a farm west of Myrefall.

Meanwhile, Alina has been busy killing Lorian soldiers and the Praetorian Inquisitor. Outside the keep, Dayne sees hundreds of wyverns with their riders attacking Lorian soldiers.

Ch. 37 CHAINS

Tarmon, Erik, and Vaeril have been tortured and are all in their cells nursing various injuries. Korik is likely dead. The next time the door opens, instead of their guards, Alleron and Baird appear with keys to the cells. They set out to look for Calen, who is being kept on the other side of the keep, fighting soldiers along the way. Erik tricks the guards into following him into an ambush.

Ch. 38 PIECES ON A BOARD

High Mage Artim Valdock comes into Calen's cell to ask him why he endures this for people that seek to control him. Calen is weak, and doesn't answer. Suddenly, the door bursts open & Tarmon breaks through, attacking the High Mage and putting the manacles used on Vaeril on him, so that he cannot touch the Spark. Calen is unconscious, so Tarmon carries him over his shoulder and they make a break for it. The gates open for them, but there are guards blocking them and they can't get out. That is, until Aneera tears them all to shreds. Riders on horseback follow them out of the gates, and they move to quickly free Calen from his manacles. Once this is done, his eyes glow with a purple light, and a roar like thunder rolls towards them.