Beautiful photo by @bookishsof!
Hello my fairy friends!
I hope that you’re all loving The Curse of Saints so far! It’s now day 3 and things are really getting interesting!
But before we start reading, we have our secret giveaway! What’s that? Oh, just a chance to get your next FairyLoot for free as a reward for reading! Doesn’t really get better than that! And your chances are so good too! We don’t really announce this anywhere else as we truly want the person from the readalong to win! If you’d like to try your luck, all you need to do is follow these steps!
- Take a photo of our edition of The Curse of Saints
- Include the hashtag #FairyCurseSaints (very important!)
- Do all of this by the end of July 7th.
- Mention down below in your comment that you have entered and include your Instagram handle (also super important!)
Good luck!
Today we’ll be reading from Chapter 32 to the end of Chapter 48, let’s jump in!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Curse of Saints by Kate Dramis, from chapters 32 to 48. Please only read on if you’ve finished this section!
-!SPOILERS!-
We open with Will and Aya visiting Natali to ask them if Aya is the one the prophecy speaks of. After seeing Aya pretty much burst into flame when trying to dip into her well, and how it tires her, Natali says they must do some research in the library and tells her to come back alone in 2 days.
Aya finds Aidon training the next morning and joins him. He tells her about a tonic that the Visya in his command can take to help them control their powers amongst the human soldiers.
Later, Will and Aya meet with King Dominic. He reveals that the Diaforaté died during questioning but told them first that they are trying to obtain raw power by syphoning power from other Visya.
Will is furious that Gianna has undermined him by contacting Dominic behind his back. Dominic says he will not go to war unless he knows for sure there is a true threat to his people.
Will visits Lorna, who has studied the Second Prophecy for years but she will not give him any information.
He returns to find Aidon leaving Aya’s room, and accuses her of sleeping with him before she throws him against the wall using her power and walks away. Big slay.
Aya goes to see Natali and they tell her that the raw power is feeding on her and is killing her. Natali refuses to train Aya because the Saj do not deal with dark affinity.
Also, Aya keeps alluding to some dark thing she has done in the past that means the gods won’t help her. What did she do?
Aya goes to a bar to drink, dance and distract herself. Will finds her and they engage in a sensual dance-slash-fight after he says “I can handle every bit of you”.
All of a sudden, Will snaps out of it. Boo. He asks Aya what happened and she retaliates by accusing him of working with Kakos, despite knowing now this isn’t true. He leaves, clearly hurt, and she feels ashamed. Quite rightly.
Aya and Aidon go on a date and Aidon tells Aya about the Vaguer, a small group of devout worshippers of Evie, the First Saint, and keepers of a relic of hers. They were excommunicated from the Saj of Mariciana because they wanted to research dark-affinity work and believed it was necessary to understand Evie and the gods.
Their date is interrupted by a City Guard coming to tell Aidon that Helene Lavigne has been taken.
Later, Will visits Aya and they argue…again. When she accuses him of loving Gianna, Aya feels Will’s pain. They realise she has used her Sensainos affinity. She always seems to tap into a different affinity when Will provokes her and she loses control.
Aya feels the absolute agony below Will’s surface and he tells her that the perfect ideal she has of Gianna is a lie.
We find out that Will is hiding A LOT. He’s been playing a part, doing what he has to but it makes him sick and he fears that Aya will see who he truly is and hate him anyway. Poor baby.
Aya steals the tonic and hides in the paddock to try it out. It works! She can control her affinities and use them without succumbing to them. Will finds her and is impressed with her control, she lies and doesn’t tell him about the tonic.
Will tells her that he wasn’t going to torture Tova. He told her to pretend but he was forced to when Gianna came down with Cleo, a Sensainos, meaning they would have known if he’d lied.
Later, Will and Aya are walking through the streets and are ambushed by men of the Bellare. They fight, Will is injured and it looks like the rebels have them trapped. Will tells Aya to use her power but Aidon and the City Guard save them first.
What do you think the dark thing is that Aya has done?
Do you think Aya should keep using the tonic and continue to keep it a secret?
What are your thoughts on Gianna? Is Will to be believed about her character?
I can’t wait to see what the fallout of this section is tomorrow. See you then!
Love,
India
Ahhh I’m going to try and be as vague as possible answering these questions since I know how it ends.
1. What do you think the dark thing is that Aya has done?
No comment ?
2. Do you think Aya should keep using the tonic and continue to keep it a secret?
The tonic is such a band-aid fix, keeping it secret felt like a terrible idea that would backfire in a disastrous way.
3. What are your thoughts on Gianna? Is Will to be believed about her character?
I believed Will, no question. It struck me as odd that she’d ask three VERY YOUNG and INEXPERIENCED people to be her Trio. Those are important positions of power, surely you’d want someone qualified? So it didn’t strike me as strange that she had alterior motives when she picked Will, Tova, and Aya.
Also, I entered the giveaway! My insta handle is @booktineus.
So, I think this dark thing that Aya has done is probably not even all that dark. I think it might even be as simple as in the argument with her mum that she had before her mum left on that last journey, she said something about not wanting her to come back or something along those lines, but she believes she cursed her mum or something.
I think right now the tonic is helping, but she needs to learn to control the powers without it too, otherwise it is just going to become a crutch fo her.
I don’t trust Gianna at allllll. I haven’t done since yesterday’s chapters. I just find it really strange that she’s made three people a little older than teenagers her trio – like Bec said in her comment, it’s not really a position you expect inexperienced people to be offered? I can’t wait to see what insight we get from Will about her going forward.
Also, I am loving Will and Aya’s dynamic even more as we go through these chapters!
What do you think the dark thing is that Aya has done? Noooo idea
Do you think Aya should keep using the tonic and continue to keep it a secret? Tonic seems to be helping, but I don’t think it is a long term solution
What are your thoughts on Gianna? Is Will to be believed about her character? Yeah I believe Will.
I entered the giveaway – @echotheeleopardgecko
1. I feel like Aya told her mom not to come back in that argument with her before she died. Something with her mom for why she dreams of that moment along with Will’s fall and why she doesn’t go to her house much.
2. I think Aya should tell Will she is using the tonic. But if it is a temporary solution that lets her use her powers without suffering, I support it.
3. I hate Gianna. I didn’t like her from the very beginning. No one in a position of power should want the relationship with Will that she does. Not go about it that way at least. Her not letting Aya even see Tova before forcing her to leave was way to sketchy to me.
Also, I entered the giveaway and my handle is @claudlovesbooks
Yesss I definitely think Gianna is shady! ?
To be honest, I have no idea what this dark thing can be that Aya has done. Most likely it is not as dark as she thinks because I get a sense that she exaggerates a bit with that, as main characters are prone to do. I still believe that she needs to talk to somebody about everything that is happening to her and that has already happened to her – it is eating her alive from the inside.
Not the question here but I’m way more interested in what is Will keeping a secret from Aya…
Even though the tonic helps Aya with the “symptoms” if we can call it that, it is not a cure to her predicament. It can help for now but I believe that it is actually worse in the long run to keep using it. Keeping it secret from most of the people makes the most sense because otherwise she and Will will definitely be in danger, but she shouldn’t keep it a secret from Will. In the book we see that Will and Aya have been starting to trust each other more and so far it seems that he genuinely wants to be of help so he could also help with the specific research Aya is doing to try to find a solution to this problem.
I somewhy had an inkling from the beginning that Gianna’s character is a bit sketchy and we’’ll learn more about her later on. I do think that Will is to be believed about her character, she seems to be as manipulative as Will thinks she is. There is definitely more to learn about her but I would never trust her. Gianna seems to be able to paint a very good picture of herself in front of other people but she probably has her own agenda which explains why she uses others to get what she wants.
I have also entered the giveaway, my handle is @gerdasalusoo
I’m not sure what the dark thing is! Maybe she killed or seriously injured someone when she was younger? I originally thought it was what she did to Will but we already know about that so it must be something else! Maybe to do with her mother?
I think she should keep taking the tonic while she learns to control her affinities but she shouldn’t keep it a secret from Will! I think he genuinely is worried about her and would help her more than she realises!
I don’t like Gianna at all! I do believe Will because he keeps rejecting her advances and he has no real reason to lie to Aya about their queen. I think Gianna’s playing games with each of them like pawns!
I have entered the giveaway and my instagram handle is @amzie.reads
Pretty sure her dark secret revolves her mother because she keeps having flashbacks to that.
I hope Aya stops using the tonic, it’s not going to help her issues with her powers and might lead to a misunderstanding later down the road.
I don’t like Gianna since we met her, but going into the book, she’s clearly not a benevolent queen. She only cares to the extent that helps her own agenda. Will clearly has been shielding Aya from something and I think the queen is involved.
Posted a photo, IG is @onebooktobindthemall
1. I have no idea. Maybe her powers did something when she was screaming in the woods after her mom died and she passed out.
2. I think she should keep using it, but at least tell Will so that if something goes wrong someone will know. And maybe Will can help her figure out how to optimize its usage, like extending the effective time.
3. I’m really enjoying the depth given to Gianna. I do believe she’s that manipulative and I can’t wait to see more of that revealed and more importantly to what ends.
I also entered the giveaway! My instagram handle is @giggenbach.reads
So intriguing thus far. I’m also starting to suspect EVERYONE, even Aidon.
I think that Aya must’ve done something regarding her mother. Maybe she accidentally used her affinity on her and caused an incident? Aya did mention before that she blew up at her mom before she went off to sea. It seems like only something very bad regarding a loved one could make Aya so ashamed that she’s based so much of her self-identity on it.
As soon as Aya used the tonic and LIED about it, it was a wrap. Definitely gonna come back to bite her in the butt.
The reveal about Gianna was so satisfying because she always seemed a little iffy. And to think that Will has been covering for her, all so that Gianna comes off squeaky clean while Will suffers? I do not like that at all. It makes me think that Tala is truly the bad guy here. Would Gianna have gone so far as to frame the tradesmen, let loose the wolves, and oh so conveniently killed the man they captured? Hmmm…
Speaking of the wolves, I wish they would’ve been in the story more. The idea of having a bonded wolf is so cool!
I’m glad that Aya and Will have come to this tentative truce. It seems like Will has been protecting her all these years. But why? I have so many questions.
I’ve entered the giveaway! 🙂 my ig handle is @vivis.readingpages
1. What do you think the dark thing is that Aya has done?
I think it has something to do with her mother and maybe the last time they spoke before she died. I vaguely remember something about them possibly having fought before her mother went. I do also wonder if that fight warrants the reactions she now has tho.
2. Do you think Aya should keep using the tonic and continue to keep it a secret?
She shouldn’t keep it a secret but I do think she should keep using it to help master the powers, but she shouldn’t become depended on it.
3. What are your thoughts on Gianna? Is Will to be believed about her character?
I do believe Will about her character! I think Gianna portrays herself as “the good one” but will manipulate and use others for her own gain
I think the dark thing is Aya was responsible for the death of her mother or someone else she held dear.
I think she should stop using the tonic as it is only a temporary solution and eventually she would run out or something will backfire
Gianna is an interesting character but I think she is the type who will eventually sacrifice her “pawns” for a bigger goal should it benefit her kingdom.
I entered the giveaway on Instagram @ronansnextchapter
I entered the giveaway on instagram, @readbyannie_ ?
What do you think the dark thing is that Aya has done?
I’ve read further than this so keeping quiet for this q!!
Do you think Aya should keep using the tonic and continue to keep it a secret?
I think it’s helpful for her to be able to practice her abilities in what feels like a safer environment, but she definitely needs to be able to figure out how to be without it, as she may not always have the access!
What are your thoughts on Gianna? Is Will to be believed about her character?
I think she’s a really interesting character with a lot of depth, but have always felt a bit off with her so the reveal was good to learn more about her.
Since I got a late start on reading this, I can’t answer these questions yet, but I just wanted to say:
*I’ve already posted my #FairyCurseSaints photo under @TupaKitty_Reads ????*
I don’t think that Aya should continue taking the tonic. A potion that allows you greater control of your power sounds too good to be true. There has to be some drawback to it; maybe it is taking some sort of toll on her that won’t be found out until later.
I believe Will’s claims about Gianna. You don’t become queen at a young age and keep your country completely under your control without being strong-willed, manipulative, and a little bit bloodthirsty. She knows how to wield weapons against each other, how to exert control over each and every citizen. She sounds terrifying. Girl boss, but terrifying. I would not want to face off against her.
I have also entered the giveaway! My handle is @nymphie_reads
I have entered the giveaway and my instagram handle is @_bookishlovernicho
I have no idea what dark thing is that Aya has done but I have a feeling that probably it has something to do with her mother. I do thinks she should keep using the tunic. Gianna is an interesting character but I think she the type of person who will sacrifice people for her benefit so I don’t fully trust her.
1. I think it’ll have something to do with her mum. Aya seems to be struggling with a lot of grief, guilt and rage regarding her death, so that’s my guess at this point.
2. I think that’ll backfire spectacularly. Like someone else said, the tonic is a band-aid. She should at least tell Will about it, but I don’t think she will until it’s too late. Still, it must be a relief after being in constant pain. ?
3. Well, I’ve never trusted Gianna, so yes, I trust Will on this. I also thought he and Tova might have been faking it, but the reality is much worse, so yay! ?
I’ll also be entering the giveaway. Here’s my handle: @tired.tiger.tales
Thank you so much for this giveaway ! I entered as @emmabidule !
What do you think the dark thing is that Aya has done? I’m not sure to be honest
Do you think Aya should keep using the tonic and continue to keep it a secret? I honestly think it’s going to backfire eventually
What are your thoughts on Gianna? Is Will to be believed about her character? Yeah I think he’s onto something
I’ll be entering the giveaway and have a post scheduled for later today. My Instagram handle is @Kratist0
What do you think the dark thing is that Aya has done?
—i think it has to do with her mother, but i don’t think she’s actually done anything, but she feels like it’s her fault because of grief
Do you think Aya should keep using the tonic and continue to keep it a secret?
—if she does keep using it i hope she tells someone before it’s figured out
What are your thoughts on Gianna? Is Will to be believed about her character?
—i trust will, so let’s see what happens
my instagram is @huntresszafira