Things in Elantris are slowly turning towards all-out war, my Cosmere Chickens. It’s not looking good for any of our characters… Not Raoden, who’s been forced to bid farewell to his sweet princess; or to Sarene, who’s now faced with the daunting task of leading a full-on rebellion against Telrii; or even Hrathen, whose plans have backfired on him after trusting the wrong person. War is brewing, and our heroes (and Hrathen, whom I reluctantly place beside them) are right in the bottom of the pot.
(Non-)Spoiler warning: This week’s article has no spoilers from other Cosmere works. Read on fearlessly, chickens!
Last time on Elantris: Revelations & Reckonings…
Serene continues her aerial bombing of poor Raoden’s psyche, telling him all about Iadon sacrificing his maids and cooks to a creepy cult, the entire plutocracy having been converted to a hereditary monarchy, and the people slowly being converted to Shu-Dereth. She reveals that she’s got a seon, lies about the fact that she was TOTALLY into Raoden before he “died,” and then Ashe returns with the unpleasant but expected news that Telrii has been crowned king.
Hrathen gets a message from Eventeo, promising to convert to Shu-Dereth if Hrathen heals his daughter.
Back in Elantris again, Serene finally gives Raoden the hint he needed to begin putting the mystery of the Aons together (the link between the physical geography and the Aons themselves) and in turn, Raoden realizes the truth about her shaod. As her “illness” fades, he insists that she leave Elantris in order to save not only herself, but the Elantrians she’s leaving behind.
Chapter Essentials
POV Character(s): Serene, Hrathen
Discussion
Chapter 47
Five days before, she had thought her life ruined. She had wished, prayed, and begged for Domi to heal her. Now she found herself craving to return to her damnation, as long as Spirit was there.
L: ::wistful sigh:: How romantic… Now if only she knew who he really was!
P: I know! If he hadn’t lied about how long he’d been in Elantris, she’d have surely figured it out.
“I will die first!”
“You already have,” the gyorn pointed out. “And I brought you back.”
L: Sick burn, Hrathen.
P: Ugh, he makes me sick. So cocky when he freaking poisoned her.
He took another step forward, and Sarene shied away, pulling her hands up against her chest.
Steel whipped in the sunlight, and suddenly the point of Eondel’s sword was at Hrathen’s neck.
L: Love this. Her friends and family are protective of her, and rightfully so!
P: I love that they’re so loyal to her after such a short time. It speaks to their honor, I think.
L: Not to mention her leadership abilities.
Then, moving more quickly than Sarene’s eyes could track, the gyorn bent backward and pulled his head out of the sword’s range. He kicked at the same time, smashing his foot into Eondel’s hand and knocking the weapon free.
Hrathen pivoted, crimson cape billowing, bloodred hand plucking the sword from the air. Steel reflected sunlight as Hrathen twirled the weapon. He snapped its tip against the paving stones, holding it as a king would his scepter.
L: Damn. Hrathen once again providing a clear example of his martial prowess. If Sarene and her allies didn’t already know to be wary of him… now they do. He’s showing a strong front on all sides; he’s won politically, religiously, and physically.
P: Yeah, he learned a thing or two in that monastery.
She had been told that if one starved oneself long enough, the stomach would shrink, thereby reducing the amount of food one could eat. The man who had invented that theory would have thrown up his hands in despair if he could have seen Sarene feasting.
L: To be fair, she was only gone for five days.
P: She was a hungry girl.
“She’s a big girl,” Lukel said. “It takes a lot of fuel to keep that body going.”
Sarene shot him a look between bites.
L: I absolutely adore the family dynamics here. It’s just so refreshing to have a hero/ine with a healthy family dynamic in a fantasy novel!
P: Truly. The same old trope about losing all of one’s family gets old.
“But they don’t need to,” Kiin said, “so they can afford to stockpile.”
Sarene kept eating, not looking up at her uncle and cousin. Her mind, however, wondered. How did they know so much about Elantrians?
L: Glad to see Sarene picking up on this! They know because one of their sons underwent the Shaod, and they’ve kept this fact a secret, managing to avoid getting him thrown into Elantris.
P: With everything else weighing so heavy on her mind, it’s good to see she’s paying attention to the here and now!
We opposed Iadon, but we did not plan to remove him. If we take direct action against Telrii, then we will be traitors to the Crown.”
“Traitors to the Crown, but not the people,” Sarene said.
L: I really respect her. She’s got so much strength of character!
P: This is why I adored her the first time I read this book, ages ago. She’s the kind of heroine I always wanted to look up to, like Princess Leia when I was a kid.
Eventeo was an honest man. He had sworn to Hrathen that if Sarene returned safely, he would convert. It didn’t matter that the gyorn’s trickery was behind both her curse and restoration; the king would honor his promise.
L: Gotta respect the man’s moral code, but… hooboy. To be beholden to an oath made to a liar who deceived you… That’s gotta hurt.
P: I wouldn’t be as moral. I’d totally claim take-backsies.
Of course he claimed that he also knew it was best for the country. No matter how good Teod’s navy was, sheer numbers ensured that a determined Fjordell campaign would eventually punch through the armada. Eventeo claimed he would not fight a hopeless war.
Yet this was the same man who had instructed Sarene that principle was always worth fighting to protect. Eventeo had sworn that truth was immutable, and that no battle—even a hopeless one—was in vain when defending what was right. But apparently his love was stronger than truth. She was flattered, but the emotion made her sick. Teod would fall because of her, becoming just another Fjordell state, its king little more than Wyrn’s servant.
L: Some interesting points to be made here. If Fjordell rules everything, then… theoretically, there’d be no more war, right? Do we have any evidence of them using inhumane methods of governance like slavery, ethnic cleansing, etc.? The fact that they’re forcefully invading other countries and subsuming their religious/cultural autonomy is problematic, for sure, but… from their perspective, I bet they think they’re uniting everyone in peace.
P: They think they are, but really, forcing people to forsake their religions to convert to a totally controlling and harsh religion that subjugates its members isn’t exactly peaceful, IMO.
Chapter 48
Hrathen, however, was backed by the power of Wyrn’s kingdom and Jaddeth’s empire—the very power that had given Telrii the wealth he needed to claim the throne.
And yet Hrathen was forced to wait.
L: ::snicker:: Called it…
P: As much as I don’t care for Telrii, I like that he’s tweaking Hrathen’s nose a bit. ::chuckling::
The palace sitting room was so draped with cloth plushness that Hrathen had been forced to shove a mountain of pillows out of the way before finding a stone ledge upon which to seat himself.
P: Who’da thunk that Telrii was so boujee. I guess he needs something to spend all that money on. Still, the opulence annoys me.
L: It doesn’t surprise me. Those who lust after power and wealth often also display the need to show it off.
The room had once been Iadon’s study, and at that time it had been marked by a businessman’s efficiency. Everything had been well placed and orderly; the furniture had been comfortable without being lavish.
Telrii had changed that. Attendants stood at the sides of the room, and beside them sat carts heaped with exotic foods… Telrii reclined in a massive pile of cushions and silks, a pleasant smile on his purple-birthmarked face.
The men I am forced to work with … Hrathen thought with an inward grimace. Iadon had at least been businesslike.
P: And the opulence continues into Telrii’s “study.” Expensive foods and tapestries on the walls. He’s such a diva. And it really surprises me that Hrathen thinks something positive about Iadon.
L: In comparison to a worm, I guess even a snake seems to have positive attributes.
“Promises, Hrathen?” Telrii asked idly. “I made no promises.”
And so the game began. “You are to join the Derethi religion,” Hrathen said. “That was the deal.”
“I made no such deal, Hrathen,” Telrii said. “You offered me funds; I accepted them. You have my gratitude for the support, as I said that you would.”
L: Yuuuuuuuuuup. A liar and cheat through and through. I’m honestly shocked that Hrathen is at all surprised by this.
P: And he’s just expecting Telrii to ask for more money. Oh, my sweet summer child…
“You think me a fool, ignorant of the ways of the East? Kings bow to gyorns. What power will I hold if I let you make me into nothing more than a Derethi slave? No, that will not do for me. I don’t plan to bow anytime one of your priests comes to visit. I will convert to your religion, but I will do so only with the promise of an ecclesiastic rank to match my civil one. Not just King Telrii, but Gyorn Telrii.”
L: This reminds me of Jafar in Disney’s Aladdin, when he keeps wishing himself into higher levels of power. Not just a Sultan… the most powerful sorcerer in the world! No… even better, an all-powerful GENIE!
P: OMG, this is exactly what he reminds me of now that you’ve said it. ::chuckling::
Hrathen stood, stunned. The man had sent a letter to Wyrn himself … Telrii had made demands of the Regent of All Creation? “You are a foolish, foolish man,” Hrathen whispered, finally realizing the severity of his problems. When Wyrn received that message …
“Go!” Telrii repeated, pointing toward the door.
Dazed, Hrathen did as commanded.
L: And now Hrathen reaps what he’s sown in trusting the word of someone who would betray his own people. Power and riches are more important than anything else to a man like that, and in so doing, he’s brought destruction down on everything he holds dear (namely, himself).
P: I love how horrified Hrathen is at the thought of Telrii sending a messenger directly to Wyrn. He’s probably a bit worried about his own situation!
L: Understandably so. Telrii’s gone over his head, and that’s a dangerous thing to do when you’re dealing with a tyrannical despot like Wyrn.
We’ll be leaving further speculation and discussion to you in the comments, and hope to join you there! We’ll be taking a couple of weeks off to celebrate the holiday season with our families, but we’ll see you again on January 4th with chapters 49 and 50. Until then, happy holidays to you and yours, and merry cluckings to all and to all a good night!
Paige resides in New Mexico, of course. Between work and school and the SA5 beta read, she’s trying to work on book 3 of a YA/Crossover trilogy with just a hint of the supernatural. Links to her other writing are available in her profile.
Lyndsey lives in Connecticut. She makes magic wands for a living and will be helping out Santa Claus this season in Essex, CT. If you enjoy queer protagonists, snarky humor, and don’t mind some salty language, check out book 1 of her fantasy series. Follow her on Facebook or TikTok!
