Danners

*gasp* Tarot archetypes?! Oh, honey, you have my undivided attention. You just added a whole ‘nother layer to this tale and I’m IN.

“Well, sir, it’s like this. We found him at the foot of the stairs and he was beyond saving. He must’ve had his telescope with him when he fell because it was in him.” A pause. ”Skewered, yes, but not how you’d think.” A second, more uncomfortable, pause. ”When he finished tumbling, he did so with enough force and at such an angle that he swallowed the damn thing!” There’s a choking sound followed by the embarrassed clearing of a throat. “Not with his mouth, sir, with … uh, the other end.” My fantasy. Tee hee.

I’ve heard of crying over spilled milk but never drooling over orange juice. Looking forward to their date and the next chapter, not necessarily in that order.

Not a terrible tv series, excellent cast. Ha ha ha.

Welcome back! Hope your surgery went well and you’re recovering! Eli’s ballsy as hell. When I’m in the dark, I’ve got a running list horror movie no-nos I cycle through. The same ones Eli activity chose to dismiss — not ignore, dismiss. Good man. And we get to meet Lucien at last! Just as emaciated as I expected but surprisingly pleasant for a starving predator. That he’s been keeping tabs on the body working in the library is a welcome surprise. Also, Lucien recognizing Eli's name and then, courtesy of a phone light, putting that name to a face. Him recognizing the name means he’s heard it spoken, probably by Adrien. Adrien seems like the kind of guy who babbles when he’s nervous, and bloodletting a vampire definitely makes a guy nervous. Now to sit back and watch Eli put the pieces together. So exciting!

We saw it coming and Vane didn’t disappoint. I could almost hear his butt pucker every time he remembered how the boys defied him. While I enjoy watching his control crumble, I’m positive he’ll only become more dangerous and vicious as his iron grip continues to rust. Master Carter keeps impressing me. From his unofficial tutelage to his outright defense of the West Wing boys, he stepped up. I hope the boys don’t give him anything worthwhile to report on but it’s inevitable Vane will figure something out. It’s too bad malicious compliance isn’t an option . . . or maybe it is. Watching Calloway chip away at Elias’s defenses (and Elias tempering Calloway’s recklessness) gives me a warm feeling inside. As long as Vane underestimates him, he’ll remain a beacon of hope for the West Wing. Fingers crossed for that. Meanwhile I’m daydreaming of someone sneaking into Vane’s office and rimming the eyepiece of his telescope with powdered dye.

Miller is indeed stronger than he seems. He plays to his strengths and, more importantly, he genuinely cares, which is a rarity in and of itself. That he’s managed to tame Kaxe with a soft touch is downright amazing. Kaxe’s night terrors are a troubling addition to the character but explain a lot about him. As rash and aggressive as he is, I’m glad he has Miller to hold on to.

Also, anytime one character is teaching another character to read, all I see are the women on the bus in A League of Their Own.

Master Carter quietly orchestrating some of Calloway’s discoveries/conveniences is so meaningful. A former soldier (a former combat medic?) recognizing a broken system within a system and doing what little he can to even out the imbalances. If he’s doing this for Calloway and, by extension, Elias, I have to wonder how much — if anything — he’s doing for the others. That boy from the prologue — he didn’t know it at the time, but his sacrifice may truly be the linchpin in dismantling Vane’s monstrous domain. He changed one man’s heart and that man, his humanity reignited, is now a variable instead of a constant. What I’d really like to know is who sabotaged the rig. We know now it was sabotaged and by someone who knows what he’s doing. The intimation is Calloway but he’s too precise to leave evidence behind. Master Carter is another possibility, although I don’t see him endangering the boys. My money is on Vane by way of an underling, someone he leveraged into it: another exercise to destroy morale and/or test the boys’ ability to spot and avert disaster. I’d expect Vane to order a search of the boys’ belongings after his inventory comes up . . . uh, full of holes. So Calloway better stash what he can in the passage between the latrine and the Ghost Station, keeping only the spoon to open the catch. The spoon’s the important bit — not because it’s the key but because it’s the gateway to more alone time with Elias. Speaking of Elias, it’s interesting how invested the other boys are in his growing relationship with Calloway. It’s almost like they appreciate what he’s sacrificed by being the Watchdog of the group. It’s like they’re saying “It’s about time.” And, from what you’ve written about the young man, it is about time. Another nuanced chapter.

His crack is his obsession with control, with order. Nowadays it’d be watching young boys through a telescope but, y’know . . .

I love that Miller’s the Vane approved “fix” for Kaxe. He’s a likable guy so far and I can totally see how he’s able to curb the big bully’s more explosive tendencies but man, that’s a lot of responsibility for the little guy. Not that he’s in on the plan; he seems genuinely fond of Kaxe. I hope he can relax a little bit around Calloway and, like, enjoy being someone’s friend.

I have to agree that having Vane’s eye on you isn’t a positive. Knowing how the man catalogues and applies leverage, holding his attention just invites more opportunities for him to pick you apart. Fortunately, I suspect Calloway’s mind works in a similar manner and that’s part of what makes him a good artist. Master Carter’s warning — to me anyway — offered Calloway a solution as well. Focus on the mending, at least where Vane can see. Leave the engineering behind closed doors — don’t stop, just be subtle. It’s behavior I imagine being utilized by savvy aristocrats. Now, as for Elias’s attention . . . I don’t think either of them can stop that collision from happening or how dangerous it’ll be. Maybe Elias does. If Calloway is important to him, he’s a weakness, he’s leverage. Even so, like I said, that fuse is already lit. I’m both excited for and dreading where all of this is heading.

The fuse is long but it’s been lit, and now we wait …

Late finish for me but let me add my name to the many criers hoping for a second book. High or low numbers or whatever, we enjoyed this story. C’mon, be a pal!