Beautiful photo by @dianaslittlelibrary!
Hey fairy family!
Welcome to day two of our readalong of The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle. I’m absolutely loving the vibes in this book and can’t wait to read more with you all today!
Today we’ll be reading from Chapter 7 to the end of Chapter 16.
When you’ve finished today’s section, catch up with me in the comments down below so we can discuss all of our thoughts!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Dagger and the Flame from chapter 7 to chapter 16. Please only read on if you have finished reading this section!
–!SPOILERS!–
Sera has quite the line up doesn’t she? Lorenzo, Theo and potentially Ransom? Get it girl!
She has her first lesson today, I’m really interested to find out what a lesson to be a Cloak actually entails… ooh ok. Self-defence for now. Little do they know she needs this more than ever with Ransom on her back!
Madame Mercure wants to see her. Mercure has realised who she is – the daughter of Sylvie Marchant. That’s not the part she’s angry about though. News of Sylvie’s murder at the hands of Du Fort has hit the papers.
There’s something going on here that we’re not quite being told… Between Sera lying and Sylvie only selling to the Cloaks as well as her murder? We’re missing something.
Mercure is going to let her stay, but Sera needs to prove herself.
After they stared longingly at each other on more than one occasion, Sera and Theo have their first one on one meeting. He’s going to make Sera her cloak!
He’s very flirty. I can’t help but remember the warning Sera had that this is just what he’s like but I definitely think he has a little soft spot for her.
She has her cloak and everything is looking pretty good… until Val appears. There’s been another murder.
Sera finally has her first job. She’s on the hunt for the Rizzano Tiara. I don’t know what to make of Val calling this a “soft heist” – they must end up in some pretty precarious positions if robbing a manor is their idea of soft!
In and out in twenty minutes is, unsurprisingly, not how it goes. They set off some bells and suddenly there are dogs barking, Val’s stuck and Sera’s been left behind.
Oh oh oh – they’re not alone! Ransom’s followed them. At this rate though his job might be done before he can even reach Sera, she’s surrounded by guard dogs and about to jump from a height that may well kill her…
“It seemed a shame to kill her.”
He definitely has a soft spot for her, right? What we know of the daggers doesn’t line up with Ransom’s reluctancy to hurt Sera. Sera though, well… I’m not sure she currently feels the same. 😂 She’s not exactly thrilled to see him!
She’s convinced he’s the one responsible for killing her mother. Ransom tells her it wasn’t him but she’s pretty sure of what she witnessed! No wonder she isn’t happy to see him. Not only is he after her but also killed her mother and burnt down her home? It’s not giving romance!
When he does attack her, it doesn’t go how he planned at all. Ten heartbeats with his hands around her throat and she should be dead… but she’s ok. It’s something to do with her necklace.
Sera’s not done though, she gets a hit in and it’s a good one! Man down!!
I don’t know what Seraphine’s mother was up to, but somehow the necklace she gifted her daughter just saved her life, and from the words she spoke to Sera before she died, it sounds like she knew it would have that purpose.
Back to Ransom and the boy is HURT BAD! He even admits to himself he felt bad about killing her before but now? Well, now it’s a different story.
Whilst he’s practically dragging himself back home, he finds a body.
It’s died at the hands of one of the mysterious monsters. Silver eyes, wide mouth, slack and toothless with a black tongue, no hair, arms hanging as if their shoulders are dislocated. That just painted the freakiest picture in my mind! No thank you!
Ransom all but passes out and we get to view a memory. It seems like the first time he took Shade? It sounds brutal, dangerous and honestly? Not worth it!
We get to see part of what shaped Ransom. We know a bit of his history but we see from his point of view how he killed his father. Du Fort does seem to be taking care of him but I don’t like the sound of this Shade business, so I’m still viewing him as the bad guy!
Seems like Ransom’s in luck! He wakes to Lark and Nadia looming above him. Maybe he’ll live to hunt Sera for another day after all…
What I will say about both the Daggers AND the Cloaks is that they definitely look after their own! Sera has her own near miss with a monster and bumps into Theo who was just heading out to rescue her! N’awww.
Oop. Madame Mercure wants to schedule a meeting of the Orders. Why does this sound like bad news?
Time for Ransom to catch up Du Fort… except he lies. Either he’s lying because he’s embarrassed she hurt him or he doesn’t want to admit he couldn’t kill her.
Ok, can we all agree that Ransom’s reaction to some of his Shade scars having disappeared proves this isn’t the life he wants? LEAVE IT BEHIND RANSOM!!! He definitely won’t hurt her now, right???
The meeting of the Order begins and they start to discuss the strange monsters. It’s pretty clear neither of them are responsible for them… so who is?
They decide they need to catch a monster to find out where they’re coming from. Why do they make it sound like that’s such an easy task? 😂
Shade is against the rules of the meeting but Ransom quite literally cannot help himself. He ingests some just so he can see if any other Cloaks turned up… and of course, Sera did… and he threatens her. Maybe my theory that he wouldn’t kill her now was wrong after all!
Sera isn’t looking much better at this point, she’s also lying through her teeth! She tells Bibi she has no idea who he is, oh Sera, you know!!!
“I can’t tell if he wants to ravish you or murder you.” honestly? Same.
Our little crew of Cloaks decide to head out for food… but they’re not alone. A shadow slinks around Sera. It’s Ransom. He says they have unfinished business. MY GOD DO YOU! The TENSION!!!
He wants the necklace but she obviously won’t give it up. There’s a lot of subtle flirting going on for two people who hate each other though…
So he doesn’t want to kill her now but also won’t call a truce. I love their dynamics. He wants her magic and comes VERY near to getting it. Until footsteps approach and a very jealous Ransom wants to know who Theo is as he steals Sera away…
Team Ransom or Team Theo? I think I’m team Ransom but I could be swayed!
Where do you think the monsters are coming from?
Would you rather be a Cloak or a Dagger?
I am absolutely LOVING this enemies to lovers dynamic – I need more!
Catch up with you all in the comments and see you tomorrow for more reading. 😊
Love,
Shannon
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I love the enemies-to-lovers dynamic too!! When they’re actively trying to kill each other >>
I’m Team Ransom for endgame, but Theo could be a cute first love/fling for Sera. I love how she just forgot about Lorenzo – out of sight, out of mind I guess! 😭
I still think the monster attacks are tied to the Shade/her mother’s experiments, but idk who’s behind them! Maybe her mother smuggled to other people outside the Cloaks/Daggers? Loving the mystery, can’t wait to find out!
It’s always so much better when they’re GENUINELY enemies! 👏
I’m absolutely Team Cloak; however, I can’t decide between Theo and Ransom.🫣😬 As I mentioned in my previous comment, I would like to see more spark between Sera and Theo to create excitement around the love triangle and perhaps more rivalry for the girl. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get that in the next chapters. 🤔
Additionally, I still believe that Sylvie Marchant’s experiment and the monsters are connected, but we don’t yet know how she ‘created’ those monsters and what her objective was with them.
Overall, I still love this amazing book! 😍
I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! 🖤
I am definitely Team Ransom. They are giving true enemies to lovers vibes.
The monsters are an interesting addition and I am curious if Sera’s mother had something to do with it, or she was at least part of something bigger than the Cloaks vs Daggers rivalry.
I think I would like to be a Cloak because I would be able to sneak into places unseen.
I am very excited for the next chapters!
Right??? I always love it when an enemies to lovers book has them being ACTUALLY enemies! Like I want them fully ready to unalive each other before they suddely realise they’re in love. 🖤
Omg this book is getting good now. I was finding it slow in the beginning but now it’s picking up, and the fights between Ransom and Sera were ruthless, they were perfect. I am definitely team Ransom, but that’s because I love enemies to lovers too much, otherwise I would’ve loved Theo if he was the only love interest. I’m not sure where the monsters are coming from but I wouldn’t be surprised if Sera’s mum somehow was alive making them, or perhaps Lorenzo? His character seems a little suspicious so far, I feel like he will have a part in all this. Although I love the daggers, I think I’d rather be a Cloak just because of how badly the Daggers are treated by Du Fort (and that they live underground).
Yasssss, we’re always here for an enemies to lovers plot! 💃
Can they PLEASE stop mentioning the poor little cat. ;_;
I think Theo is sus but I’m not really Team Ransom either. I find them both pretty and annoying and pretty annoying lol. Still going with yesterday’s theory that Sylvia was experimenting with something and it got out. Love that she gave Sera magic too! I would rather be Cloak, no murder or slow death by poison for me please.
Pretty and annoying and pretty annoying had me cackling 😂
1. Team Ransom or Team Theo? I think I’m team Ransom but I could be swayed!
Currently I’m definitely team Ransom!!! I really enjoy the dyamics between the two and their bickering!
2. Where do you think the monsters are coming from?
The underworld! Someone has been experimenting with Shade and I believe the expermiment went array and the monsters are the result of that
3. Would you rather be a Cloak or a Dagger?
Cloak!
Agree with all your answers! 🖤
I’m team Ransom, i dunno there something about Theo i don’t trust. I think the monsters have something to do with Sera mother she discovered something where she wants to bring the daggers down and creating these monsters give them a bad rep and also eyes are all on them. I would totally want to be a cloak seem like fun hiding in shadows and stealing treasures.
Yaaaas, I’m team Ransom too! 🖤
Ok This Du Fort guy is the worse piece of *** Doing this to a kid for a test and seeing he survived, he plans to do it to more kids ? Man you’re unhinged ! I think, maybe, the monsters are the sailors that disappeared, that someone (who we possibly already know but is currently lying low) do to them the same thing Sera’s mother did to the cat, creating the shade monsters. Can’t wait to have all the answers and can’t wait to see more of Ransom and Sera’s interactions and how her magic will heal him (hopefully).
Du Fort is the worst of the worst! 💜
Ok wow, i’m fully absorb but trying to stick to the readalong, well sure packed alot in to the chapters, I love that we are discovering more and more on Sera and Ransom and able to see more on Ransom past, who can blame him for picking the Shade when he was able to destroy his father and escape that past but man I really feel for him with losing his mother and sister, I just really hope they were able to escape.
Sera is so much stronger than she feels the way she has been able to stand up and defend herself, especially compared to Ransom and looks like she is the clue and cure to the shade dark side effects for the dagger, just wondering if she will discover what her mother was up to, as would really like to see Sera to help stop the war and maybe start something new where there is a new kind with using the shade and its Sera and Ransom who are the new “Queen & King” of the esbalishment who want to do the right thing, but just have to wait and see.
I’m with Bibi though you can cut the tension between Sera and Ransom with a knife and certainly looking forward to them even more.
I feel for him too, I think he really just got a bad lot in life and figured the Daggers were his best bet! 💜
enemies for political reasons AND personal with passive-aggressive flirting?! yes, yes, and YES! i think the necklace is made with the Boneshade bloom because i’m pretty sure that’s golden? i’m glad Sera also thinks Ransom is a stupid name haha. i’m also Team Ransom, sticking with my “monsters are Shade experiments like Fig” theory, and would much rather be a Cloak than a Dagger (i like living, thanks lol)
This enemies to lovers is one of my favouritesssss! 🖤
Really enjoying this book still. Team Ransom! There’s definitely some tension between him and Sera 😉 I think Theo is funny though and I like him too – could be a bit of a love triangle. The monsters I’m thinking could have something to do with Sera’s mum – maybe magic gone wrong? I think I’d rather be a cloak than a dagger.
Daily Q&A:
Q:
1.) Team Ransom or Team Theo? I think I’m team Ransom but I could be swayed!
2.) Where do you think the monsters are coming from?
3.) Would you rather be a Cloak or a Dagger?
A:
1.) I’m an enemies-to-lovers kinda gal, so I’m going with Team Ransom, but more than anything, I’m a RH kinda gal, so really, I’m Team Why Choose. 😅
2.) My theory is that they’re related to Mama’s experiments (maybe Fig wasn’t her only test subject).
3.) Cloak. As soon as I read the mottos on page 1, I knew.
Team Ransom or Team Theo? I think I’m team Ransom but I could be swayed!
– Not sure yet! As of right now I could root for either!
Where do you think the monsters are coming from?
– I agree with everyone saying they’re linked to the Shade somehow.
Would you rather be a Cloak or a Dagger?
– Cloak! I don’t have it in me to be a Dagger lol
So far I do like the story! Even though some elements are a bit cringe – I remind myself I am out of the target age group 😀
Team Ransom or Team Theo?
Based on the dialogues, definitely Theo. The interactions between Cloaks and Daggers are very teenager-focused and Sera/Ransom’s discussions are no better. I like Theo to be a craftsman rather than a killer/bully.
Where do you think the monsters are coming from?
I believe Sylvie Marchant continued Lucille’s research to find a shade’s antidote – contained in Seraphine’s necklace – and the monsters might be linked somehow to her experiments. Did Sylvie Marchant feed Shade to animals – like Fig? – to see if her antidote would function? Why are the monsters drawn to the necklace? Are they potentially against Shade wielders, and a tool created by Sylvie?
Would you rather be a cloak or a dagger?
A cloak – definitely. The power to kill and kill oneself in the process truly has nothing appealing to me 😆
Very curious to see the plot unfold!
I’m loving the enemies to lovers dynamic! I enjoy that there’s an actual reason for them to be enemies, it’s authentic! I really like Ransom for her… but Theo is so funny and sweet so I could totally get behind him too 👀 I’d rather be a Cloak! Though stealing and sneaking would make me anxious 😅