Blood & Honey
A Change of Plans: Reid
by Mahurin, ShelbyReid stands outside Léviathan, grappling with a torrent of emotions as painful thoughts about Lou consume him. He reflects on their fractured relationship, haunted by the realization that Lou’s condition will worsen and their life together will be fraught with chaos. The betrayal cuts deep, as he recalls how she dismissed his sacrifices—his love, protection, and even his family. Anger and hurt intertwine, leaving him questioning whether their entire bond was built on lies. Despite his lingering love for her, Reid acknowledges that their dynamic has irreversibly changed.
Struggling to regain control, Reid battles his rage, fearing it will expose his vulnerability to others inside Léviathan. A calmer voice in his mind urges him to master his emotions, reminding him that anger cannot dictate his actions. He reflects on the irony of their past—how they once fit together as witch and witch hunter, husband and wife—but now their paths diverge. Though he yearns to help Lou, he accepts that he cannot force her to change. Instead, he resolves to focus on what he can control: protecting his family from Morgane’s threat.
Steeling himself, Reid enters Léviathan, where tension fills the air. The presence of Lou, Coco, and Ansel upstairs stirs unease, but he avoids confrontation. The tavern, small and unassuming, serves as a gathering place for their uneasy alliance, including blood witches, werewolves, and unexpected figures like La Voisin. Reid’s arrival sparks hostility, particularly from Blaise’s family, but he dismisses the animosity. His priority is clear: he must visit his father to prepare for the looming battle against Morgane, who hunts his family.
Amid the strained atmosphere, Reid’s determination hardens. He ignores distractions, including Deveraux’s cheerful chatter about La Mascarade des Crânes, and focuses on his mission. Madame Labelle’s quiet remark about their luck in having him there underscores the gravity of their situation. Reid’s internal conflict—between his love for Lou and his duty to protect his family—culminates in a resolute decision: he will embrace his role as a hunter to eliminate the threat Morgane poses, even if it means leaving behind the life he once envisioned with Lou.
FAQs
1. What internal conflict does Reid grapple with in this chapter, and how does it manifest physically and emotionally?
Answer:
Reid experiences intense emotional turmoil over his relationship with Lou, wrestling with feelings of betrayal, anger, and lingering love. The chapter vividly describes his physical reactions: a “painful” heartbeat, light-headedness, and fists clenched so tightly they draw blood (p. 379-380). Emotionally, he cycles through rage (“tendrils of anger curled around the words”) and despair (“sinking to his knees”), haunted by Lou’s alleged lies and her transformation. The “infection” metaphor (p. 380) underscores his unresolved wounds, while his eventual shift to a “deadly sense of purpose” (p. 381) reveals his coping mechanism—channeling emotions into vengeance against Morgane.2. Analyze how Reid’s perception of his relationship with Lou has evolved by this point in the story. What key realizations does he articulate?
Answer:
Reid now views their relationship as fundamentally broken, declaring, “Our entire relationship had been built on lies” (p. 380). He reflects on asymmetrical sacrifices: he gave “everything” (protection, love, even killing the Archbishop), while Lou allegedly dismissed these gestures (p. 380). Crucially, he acknowledges their incompatibility post-transformation: “we’d fit together as witch and witch hunter… But she’d changed. I’d changed” (p. 381). His realization that he “can’t force her to help herself” (p. 381) marks a turning point—accepting their divergent paths while clinging to love (“I always would,” p. 381).3. How does the setting of Léviathan reflect the thematic tensions in this chapter? Consider both physical and symbolic details.
Answer:
Léviathan’s paradoxical description mirrors Reid’s inner chaos. Though named after a biblical monster, it’s “small and unremarkable” with “gaps in the floorboards” and “cobwebs” (p. 382)—a faded shell of what it represents, much like Reid’s fractured identity. The cemetery view underscores mortality and past traumas. The absence of patrons isolates Reid’s turmoil, while the eclectic group inside (witches, werewolves, allies) embodies the unstable alliances he must navigate. The “cauldron in the hearth” (p. 382) is a stark reminder of the witchcraft that now defines his world, contrasting his hunter origins.4. Reid claims he must “kill a witch” to protect his family. How does this statement reflect both continuity and change in his character?
Answer:
This declaration shows continuity in Reid’s identity as a protector—he still operates in binaries (“kill a witch” vs. save his family, p. 381). However, the context reveals profound change: his target is now Morgane (Lou’s mother), not Lou, signaling shifted loyalties. His hunter skills are repurposed (“what I’d trained for,” p. 381), but the motivation is personal vengeance, not dogma. The plan to visit his father (p. 381) suggests a return to roots, yet his earlier rejection of his family name (p. 380) complicates this—highlighting his fractured sense of self amid unwavering purpose.5. Evaluate how secondary characters (e.g., Madame Labelle, La Voisin) serve as foils or mirrors to Reid’s state of mind in this scene.
Answer:
Madame Labelle’s quiet support (“touched my forearm,” p. 381) contrasts Reid’s volatility, modeling restraint he struggles to achieve. Her strained tone mirrors his suppressed emotions. La Voisin, however, amplifies his tensions: her “malice” (p. 382) externalizes his rage, while her formal greeting (“Good evening, Captain”) mockingly reflects his lost identity. The werewolves’ snarling (p. 382) parallels his instinctive aggression. Deveraux’s oblivious cheer (p. 382-383) highlights Reid’s isolation—others move on while he remains trapped in conflict.
Quotes
1. “Lou is going to get worse before she gets better. Much, much worse.”
This haunting internal monologue captures Reid’s growing dread about Lou’s deterioration and foreshadows the painful transformation ahead. It represents the central conflict of their relationship’s unraveling.
2. “Our entire relationship had been built on lies.”
This pivotal realization marks the emotional climax of Reid’s reflections, summarizing his sense of betrayal after learning Lou’s secrets. It’s the thesis statement for his crisis of trust.
3. “I wanted to help her. Desperately. But I couldn’t force her to help herself.”
This poignant admission shows Reid’s painful acceptance of his limitations in saving Lou, representing a major turning point in his character arc from protector to someone recognizing boundaries.
4. “What I could do was kill a witch. It’s what I knew. It’s what I’d trained for my entire life.”
This declaration signifies Reid’s retreat into his original identity as a witch hunter, showing how heartbreak drives him back to his foundational purpose and skillset.
5. “She will not remain the girl with whom you fell in love.”
This devastating prophecy encapsulates the tragedy at the story’s core - the inevitability of change and loss, even between people who deeply love each other.