Lovely photo by @lostinbookworld!
Hey fairies!
Welcome back to day 4 of our readalong of Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim! Things are getting tense, and with two sections to go I have a feeling these chapters will be full of drama!
Today we’re reading from Chapter 24 to the end of Chapter 31.
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim, from chapters 24 to 31. Please only read on if you’ve finished this section!
-!SPOILERS!-
They split up, Taha and Imani running together, eventually escaping the soldiers by hiding in the river and letting it take them away, but they get split up.
Imani thinks she’s lost him, and in her upset she can’t hold herself back from pulling him to her and hugging him when she realises he’s alive. Seems like Taha, can’t hold himself back either, instead of pushing Imani away, he kisses her.
But immediately says he didn’t mean to do that. TAHA!!!! I’M GETTING IMPATIENT! Stop fighting your feelingssss!
When they find Reza and Amira, Fey is gone. Reza says she fell and the soldiers captured her. In his coldheartedness, Taha tells his cousin they can’t go after her. The mission is their priority. Imani tries to comfort him, promising once they find Atheer, she’ll help him get Fey back.
They eventually track down Zakariya, he’s hesitant (like, really hesitant) at first, but he eventually agrees to help them find Farida, since they assume Atheer will most likely be with her.
When they meet Farida, though, it’s not smooth sailing. Atheer is not with her, he is in prison.
Their idea is to pose as prisoners and get Atheer out that way. I do love a prison heist… but I’m not sure this plan is the best idea. What do you all think?
Farida finds the time to speak to Imani about what she thinks will happen if they do manage to break Atheer out of prison. She tries to tell Imani Atheer won’t go home with them to Qalia. It makes sense. Imani is clinging to the idea of having her brother back so hard that she’s not actually considering what Atheer might want. Right now, Imani has tunnel vision for getting to Atheer, she’s not worrying about how Atheer will react, how Taha will try to deal with him or anything else.
Farida tries to show Imani what Atheer dealt with, to try and get her to see that he might be different now, changed in ways only war can change a person. Atheer will not turn his back on the rebellion, Imani is beginning to see that, and it’s starting to look like maybe Imani can’t turn her back on this, either.
Back at the ship, Imani calls on Qayn and tells him she accepts his offer of magical training. In an effort to try and help Imani, she binds Qayn to her soul for a minute. While she made Qayn promise he would not pry, she doesn’t offer him such a luxury. Oh, Imani. I’m disappointed that she would invade Qayn’s privacy like this, and he is too.
Their entrance into the prison goes off without a hitch, but once they’re in the prison, it’s not what they expect. Imani befriends someone called Safiya, who shows her the ropes, and also tells her the only way out of the prison is via the route dead bodies take, dumped into the sea…
Do you think they’ll find Atheer in the prison?
Will all of them manage to escape unscathed?
What an intense section! I’m so nervous to find out what happens in tomorrows section, see you then, fairies!
Love,
Shannon
A lot happened this section, and Imani keeps being a bit annoying even though she is evolving. I’m starting to get afraid that this book will end on a cliffhanger? I do think they will find Atheer in the prison, and I do think they will manage to escape, but how, and how many of them I don’t know. I’m also anxious to see how Taha will change, will he be able to fight the power his father has over him?
I am *stressed*. But hey, the one I really didn’t want to get stuck in prison is Amira, and she didn’t go, so yay! With that being said, they better find and get Atheer out of there. He’s been so present in the entire story through memories and impressions that I already love him.
I’d be more worried about Fey if we’d bonded with her at all. At this point, the only one whose disappearance would shake the group would be Taha. So either he stays behind or Reza does in order to find Fey, I reckon. Though I’d be impressed if Imani was the one who stayed behind. At this point, I’d combine Reza’s earth powers with Imani’s (hopefully developed) iron affinity to break down a wall. Too wistful? ?
Jokes aside, I do like Taha’s and Imani’s characterisation. I just also want to shake them both sometimes. But it is very hard for someone to break free of their learned programming, especially when it’s tied to family, and I for one enjoy seeing that.
So much to process over these chapters! Biggest betrayal though was Imani to Qayn….Im not surprised she looked into his secrets but I was so disappointed in her. I’m glad he called her out for being selfish. She needed a good reality check!
Although this does beg the question of what Qayn is hiding and what he really wants. There is no way he came here solely out of the goodness of his heart to find Atheer! I dont buy it.
Also…what did Imani think was going to happen to the other people that Atheer told about magic and Qalia? Taha left Fey behind for the mission! Why would he waste her loss by not doing what he was tasked to complete?
I think they will find Atheer here in the prison however there is no way getting out will go nearly as smoothly as getting in did. I anticipate someone being left behind. Potentially Imani will sabotage Taha to keep him in the prison while she gets Atheer out.
Omg Taha and Imani ? I love them together but Taha is clearly hiding something!
I think the prisoners idea is awful, it’s clearly going to go very wrong. I bet Atheer isn’t even there. I hope I’m wrong but something bad is going to happen.
I do think Qayn is upto something but possibly for the right reasons, I need to know more about him ☺️
I still think Atheer is alive.
1. It would make sense for him to be in the prison, but somehow I feel like they won’t find him there. I am more and more convinced they won’t find him at all to be honest. But he is still alive!
2. Nope, no chance at all hahaha. I actually think someone will stay behind or will be badly injured. It would just be to convenient if they all escape unscathed.
I fell a day behind. The character growth is a little bit in your face obvious, but I am glad it’s happening.
They will find Atheer and Fey but they’re not going to escape unscathed.
I’m hoping that by the end of this prison break Taha changes his mind about following his father’s orders. His father is just as blinded to the world outside Qalia as Imani was originally. Or maybe he just doesn’t care enough.
That wasn’t a great place to stop, but I do need sleep!
Qayn has been my favourite character from the beginning and he continues to be. I think he is involved in the things that led to Imani’s people being the way they are.
Since I am team Qayn it makes it even harder to like Taha. I feel Taha and Amari would be more suited to each other.
I’m not sure if they will find Atheer. If they do my guess is it will be during the last pages.
1) This dude is the whole motivation for the story, can they PLEASE find him soon?
2) I don’t know, the prison sounds really horrible…
I think he might be in the prison but there’s going to be some big complications. I feel like something tragic is going to happen with Safiya…
Do you think they’ll find Atheer in the prison?
I thought they would find him however knowing the amount of the book that was let I knew something had had to happen or it was going to be VERY difficult to get out.
Will all of them manage to escape unscathed?
I doubt it based on the length that is left. I had a feeling someone was going to be hurt and slow down the group and potentially get them caught again and have to restart.
I’m liking Qayn even more as the story progresses, but I’m feeling more justified in my hesitancy to accept Taha. He is only sweet (or even good) to her in private, he’s kissed her, but he still is increasingly disturbing in his duplicity. Maybe Imani will successfully cure him of his apparent brainwashing/conditioning, but for now, I want her to just make up with Qayn, focus on saving her brother (& hopefully Fey, for Reza’s sake), & find a way to to successfully derail everything Taha is there to accomplish.
Daily Q&A:
Q:
1.) Do you think they’ll find Atheer in the prison?
2.) Will all of them manage to escape unscathed?
A:
1.) ??Here’s hoping.??
2.) I doubt it. She’s already been suffered minor injuries & hasn’t even been able to confirm either person is actually here to be saved, but I hope they’ll be able to escape with their lives & Atheer (& Fey, if she’s there).
Nothing to say, aside from my love for Imani and Taha. The enjoyment I get from reading the scenes between those to is just!!
I am expecting a dramatic and possibly not happy ending, probably with a cliffhanger.