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My ears pick up Roldon speaking to one of his entourage. He’s blaming someone called Normund for the assassination. Well, not quite blaming directly. He’s going on and on about how it ‘has to be’ them.
“He thinks Normund did it,” I say in a quiet voice so only ‘my people’ hear me. “Who’s Normund?”
Tammy chuckles. “Normund is another one of the noble houses.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Politics is tedious enough in the real world. I don’t want to deal with it in a fantasy realm.”
“But it’s so interesting,” Lindsey whispers. “I love all the intricate details of who’s trying to scheme against who.”
I smirk at her. “If you were born forty years ago, you’d be into soap operas.”
“What the heck is a soap opera?” Lindsey blinks at me. “People singing about soap and stuff? Really?”
Kingsley groans. “The worst part of this is that she’s totally serious. Way to make me feel old, Sammy.”
“You are old, big guy.” Tammy hugs him. “But you don’t look it.”
“Humor me here.” I watch Roldon pick up his wounded ‘bodyguard,’ and carry the guy off toward a temple. “Why would someone from Normund want to kill Roldon?”
“I don’t think House Normund is responsible,” says Lindsey. “Roldon blames them for everything because he doesn’t trust them. No one really trusts them because they dabble in dark magic.”
“Rumored to,” adds Tammy.
“Roldon’s basically a barbarian.” Damon chuckles. “Anything even slightly complicated baffles him, and anything that baffles him he considers evil.”
Lindsey folds her arms. “Yes, as far as anyone in this world knows, the connection between House Normund and black magic is only a rumor. But we as readers and viewers know they really do practice magic. None of the characters have found proof of it though.”
I blink. “So is House Normund evil or not?”
Lindsey and Tammy both grimace at the same time.
“I dunno, Ma.” Tammy shrugs. “Some of the stuff they do seems all dark and creepy but it’s like they’re dark and creepy just to be dark and creepy. They haven’t actually done anything truly bad yet. I think Quentin’s setting us up to think they’re bad guys but they’re going to turn out to be honorable.”
“Or Quentin knows that’s what people will expect so they’re going to end up being super diabolical.” Lindsey tilts her hand in a so-so gesture. “I’m honestly unsure what to expect from them. Swear that man changes the direction of his story based on the fan community discussions so whatever people expect to happen won’t.”
“Unless it’s a tragic death.” Tammy exhales. “Everyone saying they expected Lady Tarsha to be murdered didn’t stop him from doing it.”
“True.” Lindsey purses her lips.
“Who is Lady Tarsha?” I ask.
Tammy scrunches her nose in thought. “Book two?”
“Yeah.” Lindsey nods.
“Lady Tarsha died in book two,” says Tammy. “She was the wife of Lord Carynth, mother to Anya. Basically, the ‘white sheep’ of the nobles. Really honest, sweet, loving, lots of integrity…”
“Which means she’s dead meat in this world,” says Lindsey with an eye roll.
I exhale. “I don’t recognize any of those names.”
“You had to read the books,” say Tammy and Lindsey at the same time, then they look at each other and chuckle.
“Right, forget I asked… unless it’s going to be important to us right now.” I glance between them.
Both girls shake their heads.
I almost forgot a vampire had been listening nearby. “You are, I assume, quite eager to return to your normal lives?” asks Demetria as she turns to walk off. “Come then. Time is short.”
