Stunning photo by @bookswithbenefitspod!
Hey fairies!
Welcome back to day 4 of our readalong of The Foxglove King! We left off at a crucial moment ? and I need to know how Gabe and Lore will react! Let’s get comfy, and get reading!
Today we’re reading from Chapter 26 to the end of Chapter 32.
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, from chapters 26 to 32. Please only read on if you’ve finished this section!
-!SPOILERS!-
Gabe wakes up with something digging into his back… and so does Lore. ? They’ve received an invitation to a midsummer ball on Lore’s birthday. No point in worrying about it now though, they’re off to the library!
Malcolm eventually helps Lore and Gabe with their hunts in the library. His theories and the fact that Anton has also been searching in the library make be all the more suspicious of the Priest Exalted and his brother. What are they up to?
Things get stranger when Bastian arrives with the very book Malcolm wants to show Lore… and he found it in his fathers study.
Only one Arceneaux can control this power and Bastian drops the bomb on them all that August is dying, so it seems he’s working on a last ditch effort to save himself.
Bastian believes his father is involved. Gabe wants to tell Anton. I don’t know if that’s the best idea though? There’s still every chance he’s involved. What do you all think? Can Anton be trusted?
Gabe has an idea that maybe Anton wanted Lore here to disrupt August’s plans somehow. I think he has way too much faith in him, it’s understandable since he’s very much a father figure to him, but something about this just feels sketchy!
It’s all on hold for now though, they have a tea party to attend
Lore and Bastian work out between them that Bellegarde is in on the whole thing. Can we trust no one????
The tea party works out nicely though, they get some much needed intel. Gabe isn’t happy that Lore is going with Bastian, and we finally get some insight into why Gabe is so against him. He also admits he knows his feelings aren’t entirely fair, but he’s jealous of Bastian. I like Gabe.
So the only way they can get intel on the cargo movement, is to try get themselves in there to work, and the only way they can work, is if they lose a fight to be offered the job… but it’s Lightweight night and only Lore can fight. Eek! We’re about to see what our girl can do! Or… maybe not? Since she has to lose!
It’s all interrupted by a raid and Gabe is adamant they need to leave. Just as Lore is about to tell Gabe how she really got Mortem, they’re interrupted. Will they ever catch a break?
They’re being attacked, Gabe is down, Bastian isn’t doing so good. Lore’s quick thinking reaction is to channel Mortem… Oh dear. He turns to stone. Gabe comes around and he’s absolutely mortified, at least he’s not MORTEMfied! What a pun!
They’re in agreement that he needs to be moved, and Lore knows just where to go. It’s time to pay Mari and Val a visit.
They’re both more than happy to see their adopted daughter, despite the fact that last time Val saw her, she’d just sold her out. Lore’s not angry any more though, she knows why Val did it. Oh I love a reunion.
Between herself and Gabe, they manage to unravel the Mortem, and Milo begins to breathe. They carry him out and into an empty warehouse, hoping he’ll think he had a hallucination and nothing more when he eventually wakes.
Luck seems to be on their side, Mari and Val know about the cargo movements and whatever it is, it’s being taken deep into the catacombs. Ok so maybe not lucky, but they know more now than before?
They plan their trip into the catacombs for the following night. Gabe is against it, either because he wants to protect Lore, or because the Church forbids anyone to enter the catacombs without special dispensation. When Bastian argues Gabe doesn’t want to shred his honour, and Gabe has no response. I’m disappointed.
Even after Bastian departs, Gabe has nothing to say, so Lore goes into her bedroom, alone.
Oh, but she’s not alone for long! When her door opens and it’s Gabe, she walks straight for him and then, they’re kissing. It’s all heated until Lore grabs for Gabe’s belt, then he stops. Neither of them speak and then again, he’s gone.
Eek. What a moment to end on. I wish Gabe had stayed, I wish he’d spoken, I wish he’d stand up for what he believes and wants rather than what he thinks Anton would want or expect of him. Sigh!
Let’s see if he’ll change his tune in tomorrow’s final section!
What do you think is next for Gabe, Lore and Bastian?
Do you have any idea who’s responsible? I feel like it still could be a handful of people!
Any theories on why Lore can’t channel Mortem with Bastian close by?
Love,
Shannon
They’ll go into the Catacombs where something will be waiting for them. Maybe everything that’s happening will come to light, like who is truly behind what’s happening at the villages and how! I also believe it will have something to do with the body. Maybe the goddess will truly somehow be resurrected or Lore is her somehow reborn! Like the Night Witch thought.
I’m still very much leaning towards Anton. Maybe he is doing it to help August not die or for some other ulterior motive, but Anton is not innocent in all that is happening. Gabe is in for some real eye opening when he finds out what the man he looks up to is really doing with the power he has!
I’m convinced that he can channel Spiritum, which cancels the Mortem out and thus prevents her from channeling it.
I think we’ve got more cult content coming up! And I’m so excited to learn more. I think there may be an effort to resurrect Nyxara is some manner.
There are so many potential culprits right now. Could August be trying to transubstantiate himself into becoming Apollius’ avatar or something and thereby save himself with Spiritum? Could it be Anton doing some weird religious stuff? Or is the cult involved?
So I think Lore can’t channel Mortem when Bastian is near because I think they’ll each become living embodiments/avatars of Nyxara and Apollius, whose powers of Mortem and Spiritum seems to be opposite and complimentary, preventing Lore from channeling when Bastian is around. I expect that they will ascend to this embodiment state on the eclipse when the celestial bodies of Nyxara and Apollius will come together.
And at some point the title of the book will need to become relevant, either by August being revealed as the mastermind behind it all or having him dying and Bastian ascending to the throne in his stead.
I think Gabe will betray Lore and Bastian to Anton, to some degree. I think they’ve pushed him too far, especially in his loyalty to Anton, let alone the Church.
I knew Bellegarde was involved, but I didn’t think he was *behind* it, so, so far, that tracks. I still think Anton and August aren’t necessarily on the same side, but I think they both think they’re using each other to get to their own ends.
Part of me thinks it’s because of Lore’s obvious ties to the goddess, and Bastian’s hinted connection to the god, but maybe there’s something more to it?
I think Gabe will actually decide to come along with Lore and Bastian because he will not want to leave Lore along with Bastian.
I usually can figure out “who done it” in books. I really am not sure. Maybe Bellegarde is not a bad guy but working with someone to try to stop the murder of entire villages. I really don’t think he, August, and Anton are all in on it.
I think Lore and Bastian are opposites. He is the chosen one who can channel Spiritum, which is why his touch affects her so much.
Bellegarde’s involvement. Malcom’s conscription. Stone man. Gabe’s conflicts. The kiss. A lot went down in these last few chapters.
Daily Q&A:
Q:
1.) What do you think is next for Gabe, Lore and Bastian?
2.) Do you have any idea who’s responsible?
3.) Any theories on why Lore can’t channel Mortem with Bastian close by?
A:
1.) Gabe is really going to have to overcome his idolatry of Anton if he’s going to in the loop on anything moving forward. Bastian & Lore seem to work best together despite his power canceling hers, & I guess, we’ll see how they do on their own heading into the catacombs.
2.) Anton being able to manipulate Mortem doesn’t bode well, especially that stunt he pulled at the leak, but I’m not convinced yet that he could pull this off even with August potentially manipulating Spiritum, too. I’m not sure how Bellegarde plays into this either, so how many others are involved on their end is still an unknown.
3.) I feel like his Spiritum powers counteract/cancel her Mortem powers (maybe because she’s a living being full of Spiritum, despite her having a Mortem affinity). Maybe it’s something more than that, but with what we know so far, that’s what my understanding is.
What do you think is next for Gabe, Lore and Bastian?
I think they will find out that Anton and the church at behind the deaths and that they are working with or manipulating the king.
Do you have any idea who’s responsible? I feel like it still could be a handful of people!
Straight up think it’s Anton. He is sus! Often I have found those that are the holiest are often the most villainous
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Any theories on why Lore can’t channel Mortem with Bastian close by?
I think he is the opposite maybe them being together would be a good complement. He could keep the powers more under control.
I love starting off this section with an awkward morning accidental cuddle scene ? Omg not Lore saying she’d sleep with them both just to get it done with so she could concentrate on more important things lmaoo I love this girl.
Also side note, Malcom’s love of books and careful handling of them had me cackling. Reminds me of some of us readers lol On the other hand, Malcom better stay safe now that he’s roped into the whole mess. I find that uwu characters like him often meet an unsavory end ?
I agree with your thoughts on Gabe’s behavior near the end of this section. I’m disappointed too even though I know it’s hard to stand up and go against what is expected. Gabe, Lore, and Bastian have become a tight little group in my opinion, even though it’s a prickly group. I do believe they all care about each other deeply. I don’t think Gabe will leave Lore and Bastian to go into the catacombs alone.
I suspect Danielle because she was acting suspiciously during the tea party. Plus she was the one that fed Lore the intel about the cargo movement, and then bloodcoats came to break up the fight before they could find more information. So maybe Danielle purposefully planted that info? Not sure.
I’m super sure that Bastian is the chosen channeler of Spiritum though. He and Lore are the opposites that bring balance, and I’m very curious about how that will play out. Especially considering the god and goddess that is also mixed up into all of this. But also if Bastian can channel Spiritum, does that mean that Apollious has died? Malcom had a theory on that and I agree with him.
I can’t wait to find out what happens next, although I’m worried that the book will end on a cliffhanger *cries*
What do you think is next for Gabe, Lore and Bastian? — This is really hard to say. The whole situation seems to be overwhelming for all of them. Gabe seems to be in deep conflict with his belief and his needs. Lore seems somewhat lonely, because she believes everyone thinks she’s a monster or some kind of abomination. At least, that’s what she thinks Gabe is thinking about her. For Bastian, I hope he can finally prove to his father, that he isn’t what the king thinks about him.
Do you have any idea who’s responsible? I feel like it still could be a handful of people! — I still suspect August, Anton and now also Bellegard to be behind it. It seems that the king uses some kind of “forbidden” magic to save his life by killing the villagers. Probably some magic sanctioned by the church, his brother. How Bellegrade comes into all this is still not clear to me. But he gives me bad vibes.
Any theories on why Lore can’t channel Mortem with Bastian close by? — I am, like I stated before, pretty sure, that Bastian can channel Spiritum. He seems to be THE CHOSEN (singular). After he got stabbed and walked off without a scratch I am 100% sure. Also, I think he knows, but doesn’t trust anyone enough yet to tell them. But I am sure Lore suspects, maybe Gabe as well. And I think that Bastian and Lore are some kind of Yin & Yang. They are drawn towards each other deep inside of them.
I have this suspicion that Anton is not just a father figure to Gabe. Esp when Lore noticed that they somehow looked the same with their masks on.
Something big is going to happen during the eclipse, and the corpses hidden in the catacombs (so this probably what the revenant mentioned from earlier). And with Lore’s birthday, the timing of her ‘capture’ by Anton.
Also, Bastian can heal fast?!
That kiss! Oh Gabe
What do you think is next for Gabe, Lore and Bastian? Things are definitely going to get messy with all the intrigues, but I just want all of them to smooch ? the chemistry between all of them is unmatched
Do you have any idea who’s responsible? I feel like it still could be a handful of people! August and Anton are both incredibly suspicious. It has to be one (or both) of them
Any theories on why Lore can’t channel Mortem with Bastian close by? I’m coming up blank unfortunately.
Well, I am officially team Gabe now… lol what a spot to end at! I still feel so in the dark about who it is, there are so many possibilities at this point!
I am so glad that Mal and Val were not as malicious as they originally appeared. I am also impressed that Lore was able to control her power so well, to just slide the mortem in and out of the thug.
The catacombs are 10/10 a bad idea. Nothing good will come from this, and Gabe is being a right pain in the arse.
What do you think is next for Gabe, Lore and Bastian? No idea! Still team Bastian though.
Do you have any idea who’s responsible? Probably is a few people but for different reasons.
Any theories on why Lore can’t channel Mortem with Bastian close by? My guess is they are connected in some way we aren’t aware of yet!