Throne of Glass, #5
Empire of Storms
by Sarah J. Maas
Contents
CHAPTER 46
Overview
Erawan’s Bloodhound infiltrates Aelin’s ship by impersonating Fenrys, exposing the group’s presence and devastating Manon with proof of Asterin’s reported death. The creature also names Manon the last living Crochan Queen, turning Manon’s identity into a new political and emotional crisis.
The Bloodhound’s attack is followed by an ilken assault that wounds Fenrys with poison and confirms a far greater danger: Erawan now knows Aelin carries a Wyrdkey. The chapter shifts the voyage from a covert search for the Lock into a hunted flight with Manon, Aelin, and their allies newly exposed.
Summary
When the supposed Fenrys lunges at Manon, Rowan hurls the attacker back and Aelin raises a wall of flame. Manon says the male is not Fenrys, and the illusion drops to reveal Erawan’s Bloodhound, a pale, warped creature that had infiltrated the ship by impersonating Fenrys while the real Fenrys was elsewhere on patrol.
Aelin tries to control the confrontation with mockery, but the Bloodhound reveals that its original target was Manon and that the gathered company is far more valuable. The creature briefly seems to communicate elsewhere, and when Aelin attacks, Aelin’s fire turns to steam. The Bloodhound tears open the porthole, boasting that Erawan now knows who travels with Aelin and what ship they sail.
The real Fenrys arrives and pins the Bloodhound with arrows before the creature can escape. The Bloodhound throws Asterin’s braided leather band into the room and tells Manon that Erawan broke and killed Asterin, naming Manon the last living Crochan Queen. Manon attacks in grief and rage, but when the Bloodhound taunts Manon with Asterin’s stillborn witchling, Manon freezes; Dorian uses invisible hands to snap the Bloodhound’s neck before it can kill Manon.
Before Manon can fully react, screams erupt above deck and Abraxos roars. Manon races upward and finds winged Valg creatures called ilken slaughtering sailors. Abraxos and Lysandra, in wyvern form, fight in the air, while Aelin, Rowan, Dorian, and the others join the melee with fire, wind, ice, claws, and steel.
Aedion fights ilken on the quarterdeck and realizes they still carry something human in their eyes and scent. Aelin kills one ilken with Goldryn, then Fenrys joins her in wolf form to attack two more, only to be badly slashed and poisoned. Aedion and Gavriel arrive bloodied but alive, while Aelin tries to summon healing water for Fenrys.
An ilken lands under a sign of parley and tells Aelin not to bother healing Fenrys because he has little time left. The creature says it was sent to deliver a message: the events in Skull’s Bay confirmed that Aelin carries what Erawan seeks. Aelin realizes with dread that Erawan now knows she has the Wyrdkey.
Who Appears
- Aelin GalathyniusConfronts the Bloodhound, fights ilken, tries healing Fenrys, and learns Erawan knows about the Wyrdkey.
- Manon BlackbeakRecognizes the impostor, is named Crochan Queen, and is devastated by Asterin’s reported fate.
- Erawan’s BloodhoundImpersonates Fenrys, infiltrates the ship, torments Manon, and alerts Erawan before Dorian kills it.
- Dorian HavilliardGuards Manon, restrains the Bloodhound with invisible force, and kills it to save Manon.
- FenrysReal Fenrys returns, shoots the Bloodhound, fights ilken in wolf form, and is poisoned.
- Aedion AshryverFrees Manon, battles ilken on deck, and later helps protect Aelin and wounded Fenrys.
- Rowan WhitethornRepels the false Fenrys, shields Aelin, and is sent to aid the other ships during the attack.
- LysandraDraws the Bloodhound’s hungry attention as a shifter and fights ilken in wyvern form.
- AbraxosRoars the alarm and fights airborne ilken alongside Lysandra.
- GavrielSurvives the deck fighting, arrives bloodied near Aedion, and helps face the parleying ilken.
- Asterin BlackbeakAbsent but central; the Bloodhound presents her band and reports her death and hidden stillborn child.