Daine definitely goes on field trips a lot more than Alanna got to. The third book in her series takes place in Ancient Egypt Carthak, where King J has sent a peace delegation to negotiate with the Emperor Mage Ozorne despite all the shit he pulled in the last two books. Daine is ostensibly there to heal the Emperor’s sick parrots, but really the gods want to use her as an instrument of their displeasure with Ozorne. Specifically, the Graveyard Hag, patron god of Carthak. She’s an awesome cantankerous old woman who enjoys rats, hyenas, and raising the dead, a power which she briefly passes on to Daine.
Numair is also along on this mission, despite having fled Carthak years ago after betraying Ozorne in some vague way. It’s pretty obvious that Ozorne is still super-pissed, but Numair doesn’t worry about it because he has old girlfriends to fool around with, while jealously stopping Daine from having any kind of love connection with the teenage crown prince. Plus, there’s this moment, which, as Alanna’s BFF, I am just not going to stand for:
“Mithros bless. You look very pretty.”
Kitten chortled while Daine blushed. “You think so really?” she asked, feeling shy. “I know I don’t hold a candle to Alanna, or the queen–”
He held up a hand. “That isn’t strictly accurate. The Lioness is one of my dearest friends, but she is not an exemplar of female beauty. Years and experience have given her charm, and her eyes are extraordinary, but she is not beautiful. Queen Thayet is astoundingly attractive, it’s true, but you have your own–something.” He scrutinzed her. “You should wear blue more often. It brings out matching shades in your eyes.” (15)
Oh, Numair. Nothing makes girls like you more than explaining why they are not being “strictly accurate” about their looks. And is Alanna “not an exemplar of female beauty” because she is smart enough to spurn your creepster advances, unlike the 15-year-old you are currently perving on? It’s comments like these (and the nickname “sweetling” he uses on her towards the end) that give this book a creepy rating of 3 out of 5.
The Checklist
Animal Companion(s): Kitten (dragon baby), Zek (monkey)
Magical Bling: Silver Badger Claw
Love Interest(s): Prince Kaddar!
Song of the Lioness Character Sighting: Alanna, Gary, and Duke Gareth are all getting their diplomacy on!
The Play By Play
Chapter one: Guests in Carthak
The badger god is pissed that Daine is in Carthak because the gods are about to lay the smackdown on Ozorne. But, since she can’t leave, he gives her raising-the-dead powers. Duke Gareth repeats to Daine over and over to behave herself, but she ends up jumping into the river to save a monkey.
Chapter two: Imperial Welcome
Daine meets: Master Reed, Nuamir’s old magic teacher, Varice, Numair’s old girlfriend, and the Emperor. Emperor Ozornse is one suave cat who loves his jewelry. Daine heals his birds.
Chapter three: Hall of Bones
Everyone goes on a tour of the menagerie! Daine meets some hyenas who think the Emperor is hilarious, and then discovers the “Immortals” section of the zoo! She thinks it’s weird that there are Stormwings in cages here, even though Ozorne is allied with them. She has a confusing encounter with an old slave woman, and briefly brings a dinosaur skeleton to life in the hall of bones.
Chapter four: Strange Conversations
Lord Rikash, the head Stormwing from the last book, is here! He is full of sarcasm, and is shocked when Daine tells him there are stormwings in the menagerie! Apparently it’s the old stormwing queen the new king claimed to have killed. Daine meets some animal-trainer slaves from some animal-worshiping tribe who insist that she must be the child of a god. Rikash gives Ozorne a gift of one of his steel feathers, saying if he’s ever in peril, he should plunge it into his skin and he will be spirited away safely. Numair yells at Ozorne when he can’t find Daine one morning, and Ozorne is all “Yeah, it is totes sketchy that you are probs sleeping with her” It hurts because it’s true. Read the rest of this entry »
