The Temptation of Magic Readalong: Day 4!

Amazing photo by @cl.library!

Hello bookworms!

Happy Thursday and welcome to day 4 of our readalong of The Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott. I’m so excited to be reading this one with you, I hope you all love it!

Wow, there was a lot of excitement and tension in yesterday’s chapters!

Today we’re reading from chapter 31 to the end of chapter 42. Let’s do this!

When you’ve finished today’s section, catch up with me in the comments down below so we can discuss the beginning of the book. Happy reading!

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Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott from Chapter 31 to the end of Chapter 42. Please only read on if you have finished this section!

–!SPOILERS!–

In a bad mood, Nicole has escaped to ‘fisherman’s cottage’ to paint when suddenly she hears someone breathing heavily and staggering. Kyan.

Barely able to stand, he asks for help to remove the crystal.

“Can’t you just drink an animal like Edward Cullen?” I laughed way too hard at this.

Soon after, we get our first kiss of today’s chapters which I am very happy about. I just love their dynamic so much, they’re so cute together! And the kiss on the temple? My heart cannot take it.

After dropping Nicole back home and heading back towards the manor, Kyan realises he is being followed by Dylan and confronts him, asking him why he distrusts him so much to which he replies “One of you killed my mother”. Kyan’s opinion of the Wake and his life is definitely beginning to change, I just hope for Nicole and her family’s sake he realises how evil they truly are!

Nicole finds Bells in her room doing a forbidden Seer ritual. Bells tells her she thought she heard someone saying her name… Well, that’s creepy.

They plan to lure Lynch to the museum event, with Nicole, her family, Kyan and Callum attending. Upon arrival Kyan senses something amiss – many security guards have been bitten by Lynch, allowing him control over them. Nicole realises Bells is missing after going to the bathroom.

Suddenly, Lynch appears on stage, Bells by his side. Addressing Nicole in the crowd, he tells her that the presence of another Empyreal (Callum) changes things, demanding she decrypts the cipher. Nicole realises she needs a key, likely a book, but isn’t sure which one. Lynch then reveals he has stabbed Kyan with the crystal, which inches toward his heart.

With a snap of his fingers, the Dante painting bursts into flames. To make matters worse, he bites Bells’ neck. Pandemonium erupts as humans panic to escape. Bells fires special bullets her dad made, freeing herself from Lynch’s grip. Seconds later, Kyan tackles Lynch.

They flee to a safe house miles away and Lynch tracks them there using Bells’ venom scent, with Kyan following. Lynch escaped the museum by twisting his hand into Kyan’s wound. Can Kyan protect Nicole in his condition? I’m getting nervous…

Suddenly Kyan realises there is another creature in the woods… Welp, things are definitely taking a bad turn. 

When Nicole awakens, she realises Lynch has found them. She has a vision of Lynch overpowering Kyan, leaving him bloodless and limbless on the ground, with two shadows looming over his body, indicating a second creature. Who else is on the edge of their seat? I don’t want anything bad to happen to Kyan but fear it might! Ahhh, I’m reading with one eye open right now. 

Nicole feels like something is tugging her out there to Kyan – could it be some kind of mating bond?! 

She and Dylan spot Bells in a trance, walking into the woods around the lake house. It’s a trap: Lynch tackles Nicole as another creature appears, while Dylan grabs Bells. Oh no, things are about to take an even sinister turn. 

What was the blast of magic that came from her father?! Is he more than just a Seer? 

Lynch carries Nicole into the forest and breaks her leg to immobilise her. Her scream causes something to “fracture” in Kyan, hinting at a deeper connection between them. Could this be another hint to a mating bond of some kind? Listen, I refuse to let this mating bond theory go. I’m manifesting it at this point. 

As Kyan arrives, the crystal’s pain overwhelms him, and he collapses before reaching Nicole.

Lynch tries to force Nicole to transform and join him. The other creature appears—it’s the Curator from the museum, now transformed by Lynch. Lynch reveals the Wake has devised twisted methods to create supernatural creatures to trigger the Wild Hunt.

Lynch confesses he manipulated the Curator to kill the Finfolk and steal the painting from Westmoor Manor. I must admit, he’s very very smart and cunning.

The Curator attacks Kyan with the intent to kill, releasing the kill scent. To save Kyan and future victims, Nicole finally transforms and bites the Curator’s neck. OMG. OMG. Here we gooooo! Get your popcorn ready folks the show is about to begin!

Nicole battles both Lynch and the Curator, shifting between transformations with one thought in mind: Kyan is “mine” and must be protected. Yep this cements the mating bond theory for me eeekkk!! 

With the Curator dead and Lynch gravely injured, she kisses Kyan, removing the crystal from him. Once she knows Kyan is okay, she turns back to Lynch. The anticipation builds!

She realises she can kill Lynch by sensing the kill hormone in her Seer visions of his past victims. Her Seer ability makes her stronger, enabling her to do this where other Empyreals could not.

Ripping his head off? Definitely a girl boss move.

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Wow today’s chapters where so action packed and had me gasping constantly. I cannot wait to read tomorrow’s and see what happens next!

Do you think Kyan and Nicole are mates?

Do you think Kyan will be able to resist the Oath when he realises Nicole is also an Empyreal?

I’m so excited to see what will happen in tomorrow’s chapters, see you there fairies!

Love,
Jodie