Gorgeous photo by @acedimski!
Hello fairies!
Welcome back to day four of our The Crimson Moth readalong. The tension is ramping up, the slow burn is incredible and I can’t wait to see what Rune will do next!
Today we’re reading from chapter 35 to the end of chapter 46. Buckle in and let’s goooo!
Don’t forget you’ve finished today’s section, catch up with me in the comments down below so we can discuss the book. Can’t wait to hear what you’re all thinking!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli from chapter 35 to chapter 46. Please only read on if you have finished this section!
–!SPOILERS!-
Oh, interesting! The jacket Rune sent Gideon to wear for the Luminaries Dinner is enchanted! Rune’s trying the truth spell one more time.
She really has no luck, hey? She just received his note to say he’s running late. Sigh.
Rune’s perplexed by the fact that it seems like someone’s been going through her spellbook, but quickly forgets as she and Verity begin chatting. Verity’s acting a little… odd? She seems to be implying that Gideon lied about Cressida and the sister queens’ using dark magic. Rune even has to tell her the way she’s gripping her arm is hurting.
We join Gideon on his adventures, at least we know he has good reason for being late. The Tasker brothers are not only missing, but they’re dead. Not only that, there’s a note at the scene that says Gideon is next. I don’t feel good about this!
At the Luminaries Dinner, it seems there’s a surprise in order. Not a good one, either! They’re killing Seraphine on stage, as if it’s some kind of show. Even worse, as guest of honour, they call up Rune and would like her to have the privilege of purging the world of Seraphine Oakes.
Before Rune can thoroughly think of an excuse to get out of it, spellfire starts to surround her, and it’s not hers!
Gideon’s finally on his way and, he’s in for a shock! He finds Rune completely encircled by the spellfire. Now, at this point, if he truly believed her to be a witch, he’d leave her right? He doesn’t though. Instead our hero, our LORD AND SAVIOUR Gideon Sharpe, charges through the spellfire and carries Miss Rune away to safety! If I wasn’t swooning already…
Is Rune ok? Why is she so focused on flowers? He literally just saved your life, some perspective please Rune! 😂
After Rune departs with Verity (who I’m still sus of), Laila comes to fetch Gideon. There’s something he needs to see. They’ve found a casting signature. It’s not Seraphine’s, it’s not the moth’s… the casting signature belongs to Cressida.
Rune can’t be stopped, she still wants to save Seraphine. Verity, Alex and Rune come up with a new plan, but Rune will need a prison coin to gain entry… and Alex is willing to plot against his brother and nab Gideon’s.
When a storm traps Rune at the manor with Alex, she tries to get his side of the Cressida x Gideon story. It’s horrible, honestly. My heart breaks for not only Gideon, but Alex too knowing what his brother experienced, and how much he experienced to try and protect Alex. That being said, I don’t think it’s entirely fair for Alex to be annoyed that Gideon changed. Trauma changes people, especially if they’re not yet healed.
I’m a little bit torn here. Part of me thinks winning the coin in this card game is really clever of Alex, it’s simpler than trying to steal it from under Gideon’s nose. The other part of me though, wonders if Rune is successful and Gideon finds out it was his coin that got her in, he’ll know Alex played a part? What do we think fairies?
As they’re leaving, Gideon fills Alex in on the Cressida situation. Alex swears he shot her three times and doesn’t understand how she could be back. Maybe it’s not her? Could it be possible someone forged her casting signature?
With the knowledge under his belt that Alex is leaving soon, Gideon makes himself a promise to end things with Rune.
Oh gosh. This is brutal. We literally JUST saw Gideon’s inner conflict and his decision to choose his brother over the girl, and now we’re seeing Alex do the opposite and choose Rune over Gideon. We’re not stopping there though, oh no! Alex LIED. HE LIED!!! He let Cressida go. How could he do that?!
Rune makes him promise not to tell a soul, knowing if he came clean to Gideon now it would be a death sentence for Alex. This has completely changed my view on Alex. It’s not just the betrayal but all of the lies!
Gideon seems pretty convinced now that Rune isn’t a witch, and confidently tells Harrow that why while they’re out hunting witches. It doesn’t quite go down how he expected it to though, when Harrow begins to laugh and tells Gideon he’s fallen in love with Rune! I mean… Harrow has a point though. 👀
Rune receives news of the witch attack, including that Captain Sharpe led it. With so many dead and no mention of whether Gideon was one of them, Rune begins to panic. Without much thought she heads off to try and find him. She ends up sobbing at his door, after knocking and receiving no answer. Oh Rune! 🥺
The man of the hour appears around the corner and Rune all but throws herself at him! Her panic is genuine, as if her upset. I think Harrow’s revelation hit home cause it’s like something clicks within him in that moment and Gideon is inviting her inside… and she says yes!
I am… not ok right now. Oh my GOSH what a section!!!
What do you think is going on with Verity? She seems a little sus, right?
What are your thoughts on Alex’s lies? That really shook me to my core!
Do you think Gideon is inviting Rune inside because he does love her, OR do you think he’s going to sleep with her and ditch her to try and prove to Harrow that that isn’t the case?
See you tomorrow for our final (*screams*) section – I’m so scared!
Love,
Shannon
This whole book has me in a tight grip!!
Verity definitely seems to hide something. She is just too eager to accompany Rune to the Luminaries Dinner. Maybe she is a witch as well? Better in hiding than even Rune?
I couldn’t believe that Alex let Cressida go!! After all she did to Gideon…that was a huge betrayal from Alex towards Gideon. I understand his morals but if he didn’t want to kill her why did he go to the house? Just stay away. He never got revenge for his brother but only helped his abuser. My heart broke.
I hope Gideon does invite her in because he loves her otherwise there would be to much betrayal for my little heart. I need some real love now 🥺.
I’ve really struggled to put this book down! It’s got me hooked!
What do you think is going on with
Verity? She seems a little sus, right?
I’ve never questioned Verity or who she is! Just not looked closer at someone who is helping Rune and is protecting the witches. But now… Girl, what you up to!?
What are your thoughts on Alex’s lies? That really shook me to my core!
Oh god! So much trouble is going to unfold. Interesting that he also lost 3 family members and was still able to see the humanity and not be consumed by revenge. Say a lot about his character.
Do you think Gideon is inviting Rune inside because he does love her, OR do you think he’s going to sleep with her and ditch her to try and prove to Harrow that that isn’t the case?
I think their is genuine attraction but it’s convenient too. I think both will be like “it’s just a job, I don’t care” but it’s cover for catching feelings.
I feel like Alex is suss and won’t trust him anymore. He has classic oh but I’m a nice guy vibes which mean that what, be deserves Rune and his brother be damned?
At least Gideon is conflicted about the whole thing.
Also Verity is suss af. I don’t know what she’s up to but I think she’s working with Cressida. She’s a snake.
Rune thought she had good friends but she had a guy who was secretly pining for her and someone with big ulterior motives. Seems like Gideon has actually been more genuine with her than anyone else?
I’m wondering if Verity is Cressida.
Loving the book! Is it just me or does anyone else feel like Cressida is hiding close to Rune? Is she the one killing the guards?
I think Gideon kind of deserves that from Alex. Gideon went after Rune with bad intensions knowning Alex liked Rune.
I really can’t stand Harlow. I still think, even after the explosion, that she is the bad guy so probably cressida or someone close to her. Although her giving information about the castings is odd in that case, but no one was caught and we know Cressida probably doesn’t care about them. Maybe now as allies.
Verity could be and probably is Cressida. Her two older sisters dead and she was there to save Rune but if she hadn’t attacted Rune would have looked guilty. Explains why she is acting so weird about Gideon. But that could mean that Alex knows who Verity really is.
Who moved the book? Verity acted a little strangely when Rune brought up the Queens & Arcana spells. 2 more dead Blood Guard members & a warning calling out Gideon by name? I still think this is somehow related to Cressida. I knew she dropped too much of her mask at the beach. Well, finally meeting Seraphine was full of surprises! I knew Cressida was still alive!! Her targeting Rune is probably more due to her “courting” Gideon than anything else, but what of Seraphine? Also, I kept waiting for enough of Gideon’s jacket to burn away to reveal the spellmark on the inner pocket which would ruin whatever trust he had in Rune & put a halt in his growing conviction that she couldn’t be a witch (then again, he thinks all witches are evil & that the Moth is responsible for the brutal murders). Alex living in Cressida’s old home, Cressida being alive after Alex supposedly killed her, Alex acting all weird (he gives me red flags/bad vibes), & now Alex saying he can get the prison access coin from Gideon? 🤨 I don’t trust it (him). Alex conveniently didn’t say he actually killed Cressida, I noticed. 😒 I feel like The Good Commander, but definitely Alex, is manipulating Gideon. This party could be a trap if Alex is in league with Cressida (possibly selling her house back to her). Alex wins the prison coin from Gideon, so Gideon will immediately think of him (maybe his connection to Rune) if it’s used now. Gideon already started to suspect him because of the pinky ring & the description from the docks. Alex said he shot Cressida 3 times, not where he shot her or answering the question of if she was DEAD after he shot her. I knew it! I knew he didn’t kill her. Also, if he cares so much about Rune, how can he always forget to close the door to the 1 thing that would immediately get her purged? If Harrow was Cressida in disguise & the brand marking Gideon’s chest is cursed if he betrays her, it might make sense that Harrow keeps insisting on Gideon sleeping with Rune, but we haven’t really heard that much about her. She’s finally realizing her feelings for him. Are they going to be interrupted?
Daily Q&A:
Q:
1.) What do you think is going on with Verity? She seems a little sus, right?
2.) What are your thoughts on Alex’s lies? That really shook me to my core!
3.) Do you think Gideon is inviting Rune inside because he does love her, OR do you think he’s going to sleep with her and ditch her to try and prove to Harrow that that isn’t the case?
A:
1.) Alex seems like the obvious choice for who would betray her, but that could be to throw us off the scent of the actual danger to Rune: Verity. Verity had 2 sisters who were killed, same as Cressida. She’s always pushed Rune to do more as the Crimson Moth EXCEPT court Gideon (even for vital information). She was hurting Rune when being told that Gideon said the Sister Queens using Arcana spells. Rune mentioned that she wears too much floral perfume (to cover a magical scent, a magical scent itself, or of no meaning at all). She also looks through Rune’s spell books (possibly leaving the 1 out at the beginning of this section). We know that Verity approached Rune at a party after smelling Rune’s magic’s scent & to be careful, so it’s possible she’d know how to cover her own magic’s scent.
2.) I’ve been suspecting him of being untruthful for awhile now, so this didn’t surprise me that much. The real question is how much he’s been hiding.
3.) I know he has feelings for her, so he’d better not screw this up to prove a point to Harrow of all people.
1. What do you think is going on with Verity? She seems a little sus, right?
She seems more suspicious the further along I get in the book haha, but I’m suspecting she might be in league with Cressida
2. What are your thoughts on Alex’s lies? That really shook me to my core!
I kinda understand him lying, because he wouldn’t wait to burden his brother with the knowledge that she is still alive, that he might still be in a nightmare. I also am not that surprised that he couldn’t go through with it, since he comes across as a very sweet boy
3, Do you think Gideon is inviting Rune inside because he does love her, OR do you think he’s going to sleep with her and ditch her to try and prove to Harrow that that isn’t the case?
No, he definitely fell for Rune! He might try to put up a front, but in reality he’s certainly in love with her!
What do you think is going on with Verity? She seems a little sus, right?
– I didn’t even suspect Verity at the time of reading and assumed somebody had broken in or something 🤦♀️. I really hope she isn’t working with Cressida who could also be Harrow? Or could Cressida be Verity with the similar dead sister story?
What are your thoughts on Alex’s lies? That really shook me to my core!
– shocked 😳 I just assumed that when Alex killed Cressida people saw her body I mean how did he get away with it?
Do you think Gideon is inviting Rune inside because he does love her, OR do you think he’s going to sleep with her and ditch her to try and prove to Harrow that that isn’t the case?
– Gideon has definitely developed feelings for Rune – whether he wants to admit them or not. I think he wants Rune not to be the crimson moth due to this.
Someone – Cressida / Harrow is killing people for the big spell – probably the one in Runes spell book – and blaming the moth for the deaths making the moths actions worser than what they are as Rune is only saving witches not killing anyone. When Gideon realises this he might be more lenient when he inevitably finds out who she is.
*tiptoes in from IG* Oh lawd everyone okay? What a day.
1) Everyone seems sus right now. I was even questioning if men could be witches, or if Cressida killed Alex and took his place, or if she secretly has Alex under her control somehow. I have no idea what to expect tomorrow.
2) As soon as it came out that he was the one that killed Cressida and there were no witnesses…yeah. I get it, I think I might have felt the same if I was him. Violence only begets more violence and all that. Don’t put me in charge of putting down the sadistic villain, it will not end well for any of us LOL.
3) They are both wrecks and don’t know what they feel. I think the answer is BOTH.
Well, it actually never crossed my mind that Verity is suspicious. She seems to me like a good friend and helping Rune with witchy stuff while still managing to study hard. But I’m often wrong with these things so 😀
I think Alex is still sweet and wants to do the right thing, but it was very wrong of him to lie. He put a lot of people in danger considering how bad Cressida really was and he should’ve at least come clean to Gideon immediately. He has been a very good friend to Rune but he’d never be the one for her. And I did not see it coming at all that Cressida could still be alive. I really really hate her.
I think that Gideon is inviting Rune inside for both reasons. He loves her but he also wants to be sure that she doesn’t have any scars… But hopefully he is not going to prove anything to Harrow anyhow… I don’t know. Harrow is also a very annoying character and I don’t like her at all. If anyone is sus it is her.
What do you think is going on with Verity? She seems a little sus, right?
She does seem a bit sus, I got sus vibes from her, Lizbeth, and Harrow. Now which one is Cressida??? I think Lizbeth, maybe Verity tho bc she could be in league with Cressida.
What are your thoughts on Alex’s lies? That really shook me to my core!
Uh I was wondering as much when Gideon smelt roses in the streets one night walking home AND when we found out Alex “took care of it”
Do you think Gideon is inviting Rune inside because he does love her, OR do you think he’s going to sleep with her and ditch her to try and prove to Harrow that that isn’t the case?
I think both. I dont think he can deny either. He has strong feelings and strong suspicions. It is a shame both for him and Rune that they are happening at the same time.
What do you think is going on with Verity? She seems a little sus, right?
I think she is connected the the former witch queen. I really believe she will betray everyone.
What are your thoughts on Alex’s lies? That really shook me to my core!
I don’t like lying. It’s one thing if he didn’t say anything but to act like he did it really bothers me.
Do you think Gideon is inviting Rune inside because he does love her, OR do you think he’s going to sleep with her and ditch her to try and prove to Harrow that that isn’t the case?
I think Gideon likes her but I think rune will discover what harrow suggested and will assume that’s the only reason he slept with her.
Verity definitely seems suspicious. I wonder if Cressida could be posing as someone else….
I think Alexnis getting bolder and bolder, especially gambling for the coin from Gideon
And did anyone find it odd how the witches disappeared into the mist and all of a sudden Harrow was there?
I already didn’t trust Alex, now I don’t trust verity. Whats going on😫 I don’t know who to believe.
I suspected something was going on with Alex so I wasn’t that surprised that he lied. I knew he couldn’t be that much of a good guy.
I think Gideon’s inviting Rune in because he loves her❤️ but let’s hope she doesn’t find out what’s been said or she’ll think it was all a game.
So excited to find out how it ends!
Alex… how could you?
Harrow… how dare you?
Gideon… could you just? Please!? Now!?
Omg what complicated, heartbreaking, whirlpool of information!
I’m surprised and disappointed in Alex a bit cus things have come around to bite him and everyone else on the butt!
End of comment, I need to read the next chapter! Cus reverse walking while kissing is the sign I was waiting for!
Happy reading everyone! 📖
I am SO sus of EVERYONE RIGHT NOW!!!! Ahhhhh this book is SO GOOD!!!
Gideon rescuing her?!? Amazing. Also the tension in that whole scene just killed me!!!! I can’t believe she was almost forced to kill Seraphine?!??
I’m super sus of Verity, especially knowing Cressida is alive. I suspect her… especially since she also had sisters?! Idkkkkk
I’m not sus of Alex but his lies shook me, he’s just a very kind person but a little too niceeeeee
Harrow is ALSO SUS to me cause she just appeared and is constantly pressuring Gideon about Rune??? And that spellfire was hunting Rune so could it be her???
GIDEON HAS GOT IT BAD. I mean, he’s trying to deny it but… boy no, you like her so much!!!!
Can’t wait for the ending!!
Ahhh these chapters!! Verity is definitely suspicious, maybe she’s actually Cresida? But also Harrow seems overly stuck on Gideon sleeping with Rune. I’m suspicious of everyone, I trust no one except Rune 😂. Can’t wait to dive into the last part!
I just feel like Alex can’t be an annoyed puppy that she never saw him in that light, it’s not like he’s tried to tell her.
Verity is definitely sus I wondered if she was working with other Witches but whhhhyyyy
I’m loving this book and totally think Verity is a witch in hiding. Could she be Cressida????? We know Cressida could change her appearance and Verity and Rune only became friends after Cressida was “killed”!
Verity is being verrryyy SUSPICIOUS…
Cressida spellmark 😱 The one that nearly killed Rune 😱
Then Gideon came to save her 😱
Alex… What did you do… I’ve got my suspicions that Cressida might be alive and Alex somewhat had anything to do with it… He wouldn’t have the heart to kill anyone… 💔
Gideon… Would his near death and Rune’s near death experience finally made him realise that he does like Rune? Or inviting her in was another sick ploy? 🙃
So to recap…
Gideon -> Alex
Alex -> Rune
Rune -> 🤷🏻♀️
It’s been a roller coaster of emotion and drama 🫠
Ok next…
What do you think is going on with Verity? She seems a little sus, right? I think Verity is definitely up to something. I’m thinking she’s either a witch herself, or she’s Cressida in disguise.
What are your thoughts on Alex’s lies? I shouldn’t be surprised that he didn’t kill her based on how he’s been helping with the other witches but I was.
Do you think Gideon is inviting Rune inside because he does love her, OR do you think he’s going to sleep with her and ditch her to try and prove to Harrow that that isn’t the case? I think maybe a mix of both but he’s going to tell himself it’s for the cause
I feel like Verity could be Cressida actually 😱 but not sure as it takes a lot of magic, but we got a lot of dead guards around without blood. Plus Verity was there when Rune was attacked.
It was a little shocking, but somehow I was expecting Alex not to do it. I can understand it, it would go against his character to kill a witch.
I think Gideon invited her inside because he loves her, but at the same time he wants to double check she’s not a witch and can have a future with her.
The truth about Cressidra made me scream! I can’t believe Alex let her live!
At the moment I suspect everybody, Harrow and Verity above all. Harrow is kinda creepy and Verity, who is always exhausted, is hiding something IMO.
I think Gideon is in love with Rune – he only needs to be honest with himself and admit it. At the same time, Harrow was pretty convincing and her plan offered Gideon one of the only ways to actually erase any suspicion.
To be honest, I haven’t thought much about Verity up to this point. That being said, when she saw Rune with Gideon after he saved her from the fire, she was a bit more aggressive than expected…
It’s not easy to swallow that Alex lied about such an important issue, which risked his brother’s and others’ lives. To think that his brother’s abuser was spared and how she creates chaos is enraging. However, I have to give props to Rune for how she handled the reveal that Alex didn’t kill Cressida. She was there for her friend. She saw the humanity behind his actions, showed him compassion and thought of his safety when she urged him not to tell a soul about it.
I think he invited her inside because he really liked her at this point and was moved by how worried she was about his well-being. That being said, I have a feeling that after they become intimate, we will encounter the sort of conflict that will tear them apart (he’s still not sure if Rune is a witch, and he won’t be pleased when he learns about it).