Lovely photo by @thecrazyreader!
Hey fairies!
Welcome back to day 4 of our readalong of Forged by Blood! We’re due a lot of answers and explanations today! Let’s get comfy and get reading!
Today we’re reading from chapter ‘Trekking’ to the end of chapter ‘Blindness’ (pages 225-305).
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun, from chapter ‘Trekking’ to the end of chapter ‘Blindness’ (pages 225-305). Please only read on if you’ve finished this section!
-!SPOILERS!-
They’re sort of back to safety, but Jonas is hurt, and Colin prevents Dèmi from healing him. While his reasoning does make sense… him then telling Dèmi he actually can’t help carry him, and then immediately trying to flirt with her has given me the ick. Time and a place, Col.
Turns out Jonas is hiding a lot, and has been for a long time. He tells Dèmi about his magic, how he’s hidden it and how long he’s known. He shows her his Oluso mark, something he says he’s never shown anyone else before. He even tells Dèmi how he likes her, and why he likes her.
She sings for him, she warms him up… and I’m starting to think Dèmi doesn’t hate him as much as she makes out. Can’t wait for Colin to catch them snuggled up sleeping together, he’s gonna love that.
They’re heading to Ekwensi and Jonas realises why they took him in the first place, when Dèmi explains why he kinda seems on board.
When they find Ekwensi we finally get to learn a little bit about Dèmi’s father. He didn’t kill the Oluso, he transformed them, Dèmi says losing your magic is like dying though so is that any better?
Just as Dèmi is about to leave, Jonas asks if he’ll see her again. He says whilst their promise ends here… he’ll be there when she needs him.
Dèmi’s completed her task, the Oluso are hopefully protected now. Let’s hope it’s enough!
As they’re walking away, they hear a scream. Turns out they didn’t leave Jonas in the safe hands they thought they had. Lord Vermillion is trying to kill him. Luckily the King arrives just in time… or maybe unluckily? We’ll see how it goes…
Uh wait, how is Colin involved in this? I am SO confused!
“Your best is more than enough for me.” if anyone was wondering, this line alone fully moved me over to Team Jonas.
They arrive at Jonas’s home, but honestly if Dèmi is about to be sold to Lord Kairen I’d rather just turn back.
Oh, the betrayal. Colin is Lord Kairen’s son. He kept that awfully quiet. Oh and Mari’s alive and well, and HERE. This is really turning out perfectly.
Wait what, why’s the king calling Dèmi his daughter…
Yetu was supposed to marry the king, but didn’t, so because of that the king thinks he has some kind of ownership over Dèmi? And Mari thinks she’s an orphan in need of guidance. This is so sus.
The king’s dropping bombs left right and center. Dèmi’s father is the reason Jonas’s real mother got ill.
Dèmi is taken away, locked in a cell with the feeling that she’s failed her mother and Jonas’s.
Do we trust Ekwensi? I don’t knowwww. I mean at this point Dèmi has nothing to lose but still.
I mean, he seems passionate about helping the women, especially considering his child is involved.
Who do we think this stranger helping her is? I hope it’s Jonas!
It is him, and he’s taken Dèmi to his mother.
He hasn’t only helped her for what he can get in return though, he wants to help her save the Oluso. Dèmi thinks it’s a bit of a far fetched plan, how can he just take the throne so easily?
Edwina, who knew Dèmi’s mother and accidentally let’s slip that her mother was pregnant with two when she left, readies Dèmi. Jonas meets her and hand in hand… they head off to war.
Do you think Jonas will succeed in claiming the throne?
Any theories on how the book will end?
I’m so nervous to see how tomorrow’s final section will go, see you there fairies!
Love,
Shannon
Ok I suspect it was intended to make me not like him, but Colin’s “i’d rather be a living monster than a dead martyr” line was stone cold and i loved it. 😭
Absolutely dont get why Dèmi made out with Colin for a second in that same chapter, but whatever. Clearly i’m too ace for this. I also dont get why Jonas hasnt really, like, proactively asked what their endgame is kidnapping him and it only really occured to him to question it halfway through the book. Like i get that he wanted to leave the palace so probably isnt entirely opposed to them taking him out of there at face value, but… it’s still a kidnapping, bro. Maybe worry a LITTLE more about the big picture here lmao.
A bit that also bugged me a lot was when Dèmi was with the two guards, and one was saying horrifically sexual and racist things to her and the other justified his behavior by telling him to shut up, but also telling Dèmi he’s “not half bad most the time” which… Dèmi just kind of accepts and doesnt challenge, even internally. I think the author was going for an inclusion on how violence and prejudice are bred within the police system, but it felt weird that nothing in the narrative doubled down on challenging the statement the guard made and that honestly really rubbed me the wrong way.
I am glad that Mari isnt Dèmi’s mothers former lover after all, to end on a positive. I was so not about the vidictive jealous lesbian trope as the only sapphic representation, and i really REALLY thought it was gearing up to that. So uhhh. Points for… not doing that? 😅
Do you think Jonas will succeed in claiming the throne?
Not in this book, tbh, but yes in the sequel. I think this might end with Jonas fleeing with Dèmi.
Any theories on how the book will end?
See above! And Dèmi and Jonas will be endgame for sure, even though I’m still not feeling much about it. If anything, Jonas and Colin have had the most interested (albeit not romantic) chemistry with Colin starting out mistrusting but eventually offering an olive branch when he sees the things they have in common.
Thank you! Thank you for all of this, I thought I was alone in feeling gross about so many moments in these chapters.
I am incredibly confused right now! I have so many unanswered questions!
Do you think Jonas will succeed in claiming the throne?
I hope so! But likely not because his uncle seems like a right piece of work and probably has a completely different plan!
Any theories on how the book will end?
I think Demi will kill the king with the curved bone! Or she’ll try to, and it will go wrong! I’m concerned that this book is nearly finished and there are so many unanswered questions and theories floating about in my head!
1. Do you think Jonas will succeed in claiming the throne?
I hope so, but it won’t be easy and on the other hand it wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t succeed this book. I do believe we will be officially named heir
2. Any theories on how the book will end?
Drama ensures haha and bloodshed and hopefully Dèmi will be clear about what she wants from whom because as of now she is just stringing along both guys
Do you think Jonas will succeed in claiming the throne?
I think he will become the heir but not the King. I think maybe endgame is Jonas and Demi on the throne in the last book.
Any theories on how the book will end?
It would be cool if Demis twin made a shocking last sentence entrance 😂
This is going to be a series right? If so, I dont think Jonas will claim the throne. I think he and Demi will have to run. Colin on the other hand will probably stay behind and become Alistair’s new lap dog.
I honestly have no clue what’s happening half the time. It feels like constant whiplash so who can say how this will end.
I am super confused about Demi’s father. Wasn’t that secret info that she was keeping close to the chest? Ekwensi asked if she heard of him, and she believed he didnt know her relation to him, but in the caves she straight up asked ‘you were going to tell me about my father’. Darling wasnt that hush hush, shameful info you didnt want to spread about???
Also how is Mari alive? How, just how did she survive a human bomb?
1) I think Jonas will eventually take the throne, but not without a much larger fight. It isn’t going to be as easy as he thinks it will be.
2) Not sure what is going to happen next, as I am barely following along what’s currently going on, but since we’re expecting a second book, I’m sure it will end on a cliffhanger. I suspect the twin is going to show up at some point, otherwise there was no point in mentioning it. The concept adds nothing to the story unless the twin is alive.
There is a lot about this book that really really bothers me. I don’t get Dèmi. One minute she says she’ll never see a romantic future with Colin, and the next she’s making out with him in front of Jonas? Kinda ick. This is why I hate love triangles in the first place. I have so many issues, that is just one. I would have DNFd this book already if not for wanting to keep up with this readalong.