travlbug

The Council would have been better served to greet Captain Querry and his crew as heroes. In that way, it could bask in the glory secondarily--perhaps even take partial credit for their accomplishments. In alienating them, the Council has lost its best resource for cleaning up after the Elite and, if Fresca had the encounter filmed (a minor precaution), will need to explain their illegal and high-handed tactics to the rest of the galaxy.

Alex really does seem to be growing up--resisting the urge to gamble and wanting to resume his studies. He is also more caring of others, as evidenced by his plea on behalf of his sister for a year abroad. This is an Alex I can like. 😊

Now, even Leon can't ignore that someone is trying to assassinate him. Even so, he commits to attending his hotel's opening. (Don't you just want to slap him silly? ) With Lamar's capture and three failed attempts to kill Leon in a brief period, it appears that someone is getting antsy, and another move against Leon can be expected shortly. I"m a bit unsettled about Gia's visit, as the visit is unusual for her and relatively short. It makes me wonder if she needed physical access to the castle for some nefarious purpose. Even her counsel is suspect, as she is actually asking him to defy his Grandmother--to drive a wedge between them. And Leon and Logan remain lonely. 😔

In terms of writing technique, I love the juxtaposition of Leon's vacation heaven and the hell which comes after. Grandmother is a very open-minded monarch: She has no qualms about placing a gay man on the throne. The question as to whether the populace is as open-minded is not addressed here, though Amethea must think so: She seems much too canny a politician to choose a successor who would cause the people to revolt. Also, if Grandmother thinks that Leon's parents were murdered by Isaak, how could she let Leon exit the palace without an armed guard: Leon is first in line to be Isaak's next victim, and it wouldn't have surprised me if he had been invited to remain a "guest" of Amethea's until the new succession could be formalized (protective custody by any other name). At the very least, Leon should now have a bodyguard with him 24/7. (Logan, any suggestions? 😂)

Petr is right: Amongst a certain class of people, family obligations trump personal preferences. Logan is aware that his position is vulnerable, but what lover worth his salt would give up the now because of a rocky road ahead?

Jay has now opened up to Drew and found him a staunch supporter. They are not on their own anymore. Hopefully, Jay will listen to Drew and open up to the twins as well. The important next step is to help Jay heal, and for Jay to find that they are accepted and loved regardless of their past will be monumental for them. Even so, they will have to see a behaviorist to help them deal with their horrific experiences, including sexual slavery, near death trauma, the taking of a life, imprisonment, and parental abandonment. A good lawyer may also assist in obtaining post conviction relief: If it is not possible to address the absurd conviction directly, then Jay may be able to have their records expunged, as they are now over 18. Their education has likely been impacted by their years of slavery and time in prison, but repairing this damage can be deferred. As for their lack of parents, I wouldn't be surprised if Drew wound up with an adopted sibling after his mother hears what Jay has been through. (Adult adoption is uncommon but legal.) Jay has a long road in front of them, but they will never travel it alone again. 😊

I love the simplicity in Logan and Leon's finally coming together, with Leon's eyes signaling his longing as the permission Logan needs to broach the issue, with Leon leaving the final decision to Logan, and with Logan's quiet assent at "the top of the world." I also love the fact that their fledgling relationship is occurring against a backdrop of events that will ultimately test the couple's ability to endure.

Riku is right: As he says to Leon, "If you want him [Logan], tell him." The likelihood that Logan would approach Leon on his own is remote, as Leon is his prince and charge. (Just not done, old chap!) Leon, the ball is in your court.

Who says that Isaak would wait to murder the queen until he were in danger of being pushed aside? By changing the succession, Amethea may be saving herself from a murder attempt in the near future! (Isaak doesn't sound like he has a lot of patience.) I wonder if he's stupid enough, or egotistical enough, to keep a journal of his plans?

I hope Logan's decision not to report the new travel plans doesn't come back to bite him. David's relationship with Leon? All we've seen so far is some tousled hair. I'll need more evidence than that before I believe that there's a real relationship between David and Leon. Also, if David has a relationship with Leon, then why is it Logan who Leon has invited on the lake trip?

Hopefully, the people defacing Woorawa's signs will be caught, but even if they aren't, the hate may actually make more people curious enough to attend the lecture. (Woorawa's so smart! 😄) I love that the friends have agreed to become brothers, but what is the difference between a brother and a skin brother? If the elves are supporting Geston, are they aware that the attacks on Kieran et al have escalated from verbal sparring/mean tricks to actual violence? Is that what they intended? I love the teamwork: Kieran may have the native ability, but he needs Rhys (and the opal) to cure Tan. (I wonder what the limits are on Kieran's ability to heal, as he has also been able to cure blindness. Could he cure a heart attack or stroke?) Further, the more Kieran and Rhys work together, the more they want to hug and hold each other. (What's with that? ) Hmmm. I never realized that a single word (Kieran?) could become a cliffhanger! Luckily, the next chapter is already published, so I won't have to wait to find out the question!

Logan shouldn't be too upset that Leon didn't confide in him about the change in itinerary: After all, Leon has lied to his parents, and that breach of trust may have future ramifications. (The change of itinerary may also create occasions for unnecessary danger, so I certainly hope that Leon and his friends know what they're doing.) First Ilaria, and now Anastasia--you certainly know how to portray doting mothers!

Another interesting point, Tyson holds his parents responsible for suppressing his ethnic heritage--e.g., he can speak multiple languages but not Sri Lankan--while observing how beautifully the Tchaikovskys have integrated their Russian heritage into their Australian identity. Tyson's parents have stolen a piece of who he is, and it is not something he can easily reclaim.

This chapter is a compelling exercise in juxtaposition--how Tyson envisions his life/future when discussing his situation with Brianna (representing the psychiatric establishment) and when contemplating it with Vlady and his family (representing a loving, nurturing environment). Another dichotomy, vibrantly expressed, is the discrepancy in mental health treatment between the rich and the poor. When talking to Brianna about his hypothetical day of discharge, Tyson exudes hopelessness and reiterates his need for death. When she asks if Tyson feels safe, he replies, “Safe? Do you know what safety to me is? Not going home. Not being alive long enough to go through that shit again. Safety? I'll be safe when I'm dead.” When she asks how he would rewrite the scenario to provide for a happier ending, Tyson imagines his parents dead in his place, adding that he would personally burn the coffins “to ashes.” Thus, Tyson sees his life and future in bleak terms, with the only solutions being his own death or his parents’. However, when tucked under Vlady's arm--when given affection--Tyson's view completely changes: “Life isn't so bad. I wouldn't mind going to school and doing sports and learning instruments if I could do this [lie by Vlady's side] every day.” What were onerous/unendurable tasks when imposed by his parents become enjoyable when he is loved and allowed make his own choices. (The safety he seeks is within Vlady's arms.) Affection/love make all the difference to his outlook: “How would I rewrite my story? Mum would choose me. She would pick me and not Chase…. She'd tell me she was sorry and that she loved me and she'd hug me and kiss me and do things Mums are supposed to do…. I don't want her to die... not really. I just want her to love me.” With the love and praise he receives from the Tchaikovsky family, he is able to go a step further: He doesn't hesitate to renounce his goal of suicide as Vasily's condition for loving his son, and they even shake on his promise. (Brianna, eat your heart out!) Additionally, Tyson points out a basic inequity in mental health care: He notes that he receives psychiatric intervention daily but that some individuals--such as Charlie--receive much less help (in Charlie's case “three minutes a week," just enough time “for the useless bastard [psychiatrist] to say 'yep he's still fucked' and piss off out of here.”) Brianna's response is a stinging indictment: “You know how the medical and psychiatric fields are. You get what you pay for.” In other words, the care is only as good as one's pocketbook, and a patient is not guaranteed the level of care he needs. Further, Brianna suggests--in her hope that the father fails to get elected--that public funding for behavioral health care is at the whim of the government; and Tyson is horrified to think that Charlie might “go between institutions for the rest of his life because nobody stepped in when they had a chance to do something for him because there's no profit in it.” (Of course, Tyson has already grasped this point in viewing how deplorably Vlady was being treated and in offering to pay Cynthia to provide him better care.) While drugs may prove somewhat helpful for Tyson, his true treatment of choice is something that psychiatry simply can't offer him--something his own family withholds from him--and which Vlady and his family provide without even thinking about it. Yet, for those who may benefit more from traditional psychiatric care, the bottom line is, quite sadly, the bottom line; and not everyone has a Tyson, or a Cynthia, to help. 😥

In my case, it works overtime! 😂

I love the suspenseful/tension-filled lead-up to the meeting between father and son, with Lex's jitters starting at the crack of dawn and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-I-n-g to the time of the interview. Much better than starting the chapter in the law firm elevator! (It's the author's duty to torture her characters. 😂) I also love the comic relief provided by the office workers as they react to Lex's appearance. Interesting that a "dark golden thread" already links Ryan and Lex together in the same way that a golden thread links Ian and Lex and that a blue thread links Cassie and Lex. As soon as Lex sees the thread, he should have realized that the meeting with his father would turn out fine. 😊

You seem to have missed the rest of the line: He touched the back of his neck, but his other hand drifted up his chest. Even if we presume that Danie's hand has moved to cover his heart (as symbolism for affection or love), there are many types of love (including familial love and hero worship): While I have no problem accepting that Danie has feelings for Freska, especially after all she has done for him, I don't have enough information to know the quality of those feelings (the only explicit statement he makes on the matter is that he likes the feeling of her inside his head--not an obviously sexual assertion). That said, I'm sure that Cia will reveal all in due time. 😊

I like the parallel between what the Captain does for Kohen and what Freska does for Danie. (I also like that Danie is evolving as a living entity.) However, Danie's liking of Freska seems based on her ability to connect with him (literally) rather than through any sexual feelings. If Freska were male, Danie would probably react the same way. 🤔

Yay! Ian has found his apprentice! (I like anything involving Brie. ) I can understand Lex's reticence in discussing his fortune with Ian's family, as money can change the way some people act. That said, I think that Kathy will say, "That's nice, Lex. It's your turn to help me wash the dishes." 😂 The wedding clothes, more than anything else, serve as a good reminder that the wedding date is getting very, very close! 😊 (Do they have the wedding bands yet? Knowing Lex, he would probably want plain bands of white gold [yellow gold would probably be too flashy for him], or are the rings also being chosen by the Kathy/Cassie duo?) Jarren's conflicted aura has now been mentioned a time or two: Since Lex is a friend, I would think he'd reach out to Jarren to help him through this time of difficulty, but all Lex does is to wish him well silently. This type of situation must have come up before with other friends of his acquaintance. Has Lex created a "hands off" policy for himself or would he ever intervene with what he sees in someone's aura?

The twins were wrong in their view about their Grandmother, and it is possible, but by no means certain, that we are being misled about her view of Jay. Yes, she may be withholding the information about Jay so as not to be the bad guy to her grandchildren, but I'm pointing out that there is an alternative explanation. Yes, threatening to tell the press is cruel, but we've already established that Grandmother can seem cruel while trying to be kind, and she may not realize how cruel she is being if she gets the results she wants. How the twins would react to anonymous receipt of the folder is pure speculation, and in my interpretation--presuming more altruistic motives--she wouldn't have sent it anyway. We need more information, which our mischievous author has yet to make available, to draw a proper conclusion.

Which is their slogan -- I've had to stop drinking anything with caffeine as it reacts with my blood pressure Rx and causes my pulse to jump by 20+ bpm. And I love coffee. 😞 Never heard the slogan before, but at least it fits. @Fae Briona, sorry to hear about your problem with caffeine and blood pressure. I definitely feel your pain!

So Barq's has a bite! 😂

Lady Jane could have told the twins about Jay's past at any time (she could even have mailed them the file anonymously), but she never did so. Rather, she has tried getting Jay to open up to them of their own free will--at least until now. She is a haughty aristocrat and may not like Jay on general principles (they're a commoner, ex-whore, ex-slave, and muderer [even if a justified murderer]), but has she actually been trying, in a misguided way, to help them by having them come clean to the twins? After reading the file, Drew has been determined to help Jay, so it would be surprising if another person reading the file would come to a different conclusion. Even as Grandmother forces their hand, she is giving Jay the opportunity to tell the twins on their own. Excellent thinking on Drew's part, taking Jay to the bus--the one place on the entire estate that Jay would perceive as friendly territory. Of course, if the twins come looking for Jay and Drew, there are not too many places to look, and who knows what they might hear from the outside of a bus....

I love coffee, but it doesn't love me 😭: I used to drink 5 cups of Peet's daily (ah, heavenly bliss!), but it gave me hypertension. I switched to two cups of fermented and/or green tea/matcha daily, and the hypertension disappeared! (You have to drink 2.5 cups of tea to equal the caffeine in one cup of coffee; and tea actually has theobromine, not caffeine, which has less of an effect on some people.) I still drink decaf from Peet's occasionally in an attempt at fooling myself, but I ain't foolin' no one! If I'm forced to drink soda, it has to be a spicy ginger beer, rootbeer, or a cream soda (and I'm not even from New York!). May cola rest in peace.

Cute cartoons. @Timothy M. I'm sure you'll be shocked to know that your avatar looks suspiciously like the character Denmark. 😂