Topher Lydon

Ahh Steffy, the butt of so many... MANY jokes in the books. Utterly sweet though. Snot becomes a running gag.

His rise to power is basically a masterclass in betrayal: The Betrayal of Thoros: He arrived in Edessa and convinced the local Armenian ruler, Thoros, to adopt him as his son and co-regent. Shortly after, a mob rose up and lynched Thoros. Baldwin did absolutely nothing to save his "father" and immediately stepped into his shoes as the first Count of Edessa. Dumping His Wife: He was married to Godehilde, but after she died, he married an Armenian noblewoman named Arda purely for the political alliance. Once he became King of Jerusalem and didn't need her family's support anymore, he forced her into a convent so he could marry a rich dowager, Adelaide del Vasto, for her money. The Bigamy Scandal: Since he never actually divorced Arda, his marriage to Adelaide was technically bigamy. When he got sick and thought he was dying, the Church forced him to send Adelaide back to Sicily (keeping her money, of course) to "repent" for his sins. He was a brilliant military leader, but his personal life was essentially a series of bridges burned for land and gold.

He abandons the crusade at one point, runs off with a small bodyguard to Edessa, charms the lord of Edessa into adopting him... involving a public shirtless rubbing *shudders* only to then turn around and murder the man and steal the city... the man was infamous for his schemes.

Also Haskall is from Housecarl, A housecarl (or huscarl) was an elite, professional bodyguard or household soldier serving Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon rulers during the Viking and medieval periods

Poor Stephen's going to hobble around for a week, having Julian laugh at him, and poor Wylan handing him ointment.

Also meet Stephen, our resident medic, cleric, and the "good" squire.

Rashid, out of all the family, knows exactly how useful his brother's magic really is.

I use Cherub/angel interchangeably for Pip.

Baldwin wants his crown, and betrays the Vanguard, the Crusade, and his oaths to get it.

Good morning

Ch18 The road to Heraclea was kinder than the road to Dorylaeum had been. The valleys beyond Iconium were green, watered by streams that still ran clear, and for the first time in weeks, the army marched with full bellies and water skins that did not need to be rationed. Men who had been hollow-eyed at Dorylaeum now joked as they walked. Horses that had stumbled and staggered now held their heads high. Darien rode Thunderbolt at the head of Lord Haskal's contingent, his Turk's helm

Preface: The Cherub’s Comeback So you thought I was done, huh? You thought Taine finally won because he got the ring, the rooftop proposal, and the "happily ever after" in the Italian sun prophecy thing? Think again. I’m back, baby! Well, okay, not THE baby. Cecil is something else entirely—a fire-breathing, Latin-cursing, document-incinerating miracle who still owes me a new hoodie for that "hiccup" in the kitchen. Seriously, the kid’s a legend, but he’s a terrible roommate. But you know what I mean. I’m back. The hair is still sun-streaked, the feet are still bare, and the Babylon Bar Association credentials are still—technically—active. Though, honestly, arguing maritime law in Phoenicia was a lot less stressful than trying to explain to an Italian police officer why my husband was wearing a wedding dress made of tulle and desperation. We're going to survive Milan. We're going to survive Mr. Ellis (for now). We even survive Taine’s "Heisenberg" phase, though I’m still trying to un-see that porkpie hat. But don't get comfortable. Just because Taine is in charge doesn't mean he isn't still a total tool. Charlie still needs a real boyfriend—one who doesn't have an existential crisis every time the kettle boils. So, yeah, #TeamCherub is still in the game. To celebrate my return to the page, I'm offering a limited-time bounty: Free mushroom fritters to the first person who beans Taine with a cabbage! Make it a red cabbage. It matches his "philosopher’s blush." Buckle up, bros. Book IV BABY It’s about to get even weirder. — Pip (Licensed Attorney, Professional Slacker, and your favorite Guardian Angel with Benefits)

oh and btw, 2 more chapters to go.

Taine spends the whole book trying to be the "noble professor making the hard choices," and the universe (and Tyler) just looks at him and says, "Sir, this is a Wendy's, please stop being so dramatic."

You so know that there's a channel dedicated to Simon on hell's discount Cable. Demon watch parties, and lots of burnt popcorn, as they wait for Lynix and Pip to kill each other and burn the house down.

True, Matt and Simon settle into something more domestic in the next book. Gareth is sweet by life sends him off on his own path. And it's Simon, for a change, who gets to decide the shape of their relationship.

Matt is downloading all those tunes, and totally telling EVERYONE that's who Simon is.

ROTFLOL Guardian Angel with Benefit's situation

Well Pip isn't living inside Charlie. Just storing a part of himself in the back entrance.

So pretty much same as usual then

i think he's done a lot of rearranging inside. Pip that is.

his found family is good for him. His little ball of anxiety is learning to laugh, and let go of a little perfect control. Personally I think that's Matt's doing, he adores Simon so much that it just... works

I love that it's Pip the angel who is the messy one

Lynix is not thrilled about this Time-share with his ex lol

Poor Simon