Blood & Honey
“Blood & Honey” by Shelby Mahurin is the second installment in the “Serpent & Dove” trilogy, a young adult fantasy-romance series. Following a near-fatal encounter with the Dames Blanches, protagonists Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel become fugitives, fleeing from coven, kingdom, and church. The narrative revolves around their journey to secure allies while navigating escalating dangers, including deadly witches and internal conflicts. The book shifts tone from the first installment, focusing more on tension and survival than romance. Key themes include loyalty, sacrifice, and the struggle between destiny and choice. The novel ends on a cliffhanger, setting up the trilogy’s conclusion. With 528 pages, it expands the dark, magical world of Belterra while deepening character arcs and conflicts.
The Drowning: Lou
byMahurin, Shelby
Lou and Reid narrowly escape pursuit in the city, with Lou showcasing her expertise in evasion by breaking their pursuers’ line of sight. They find refuge in a backstreet in East End, where Reid, visibly shaken, collapses into Lou’s lap. As they recover, Lou reveals she has sent allies—including a rat named Charles—to gather their group and secure rooms at an inn called Léviathan. Despite the danger, Reid remains determined to speak with King Auguste, even as Lou warns him of the futility and risk, given the king’s awareness of Reid’s identity as a witch.
The tension between Lou and Reid escalates as they debate their next move. Lou argues for relying on their allies, the Dames Rouges and loup garou, while Reid insists on seeking the king’s support to unite against Morgane. Their disagreement is interrupted by the need to flee the streets, as East End becomes increasingly unsafe with Chasseurs and constabulary on high alert. Lou lightens the mood with a teasing remark about their past encounter in a theater, but the underlying urgency remains as they navigate the crowded, somber streets filled with mourners for the Archbishop.
The atmosphere grows heavier as they approach the cathedral, where the city’s grief is palpable. The streets are draped in black, with only the red banners of the Archbishop’s coat of arms providing color. The grim scene takes a horrifying turn when they discover three charred bodies chained to stakes at the cathedral’s base. Lou is stunned, questioning whether the victims were truly witches, while Reid cradles her, acknowledging the likelihood of their innocence. The display is a brutal reminder of the king’s ruthless tactics to maintain control after the Archbishop’s death.
The chapter culminates in a moment of shared grief and realization. Lou’s disbelief at the senseless violence underscores the systemic oppression faced by witches and innocents alike. Reid’s protective gesture highlights their bond, even as they grapple with the harsh realities of their world. The stakes are higher than ever, with the king’s brutality serving as a stark warning. As they prepare to regroup with their allies, the chapter leaves readers with a sense of impending confrontation and the weight of their mission against Morgane and the corrupt forces ruling Cesarine.
FAQs
1. How does Lou demonstrate her expertise in evasion and urban survival in this chapter?
Answer:
Lou showcases her exceptional ability to disappear into the city by breaking her pursuers’ line of sight and utilizing shadowy alcoves and ramshackle structures. She emphasizes that no one can vanish as effectively as she can due to her extensive practice. This skill is critical in their escape, as she and Reid navigate East End’s backstreets to avoid capture. Her familiarity with the city’s layout and her quick thinking allow them to evade the Chasseurs, highlighting her survival instincts honed through experience (e.g., “No one could disappear like I could. No one had the practice”).
2. What conflicting strategies do Lou and Reid propose for dealing with King Auguste, and what does this reveal about their characters?
Answer:
Lou argues against confronting King Auguste, believing it’s futile since he’s been alerted to Reid’s witchcraft and Madame Labelle’s true nature. She advocates relying on their allies—the Dames Rouges and loup garou—instead. Reid, however, insists on seeking Auguste’s help to unite against Morgane, despite the risks. This clash reveals Lou’s pragmatism and distrust of authority, while Reid demonstrates stubborn idealism and a commitment to diplomacy, even when impractical. Their disagreement underscores deeper tensions in their approaches to conflict resolution (e.g., Reid’s mutter, “No. I’ll still speak with him. We need a united front”).
3. Analyze the significance of the charred bodies at the cathedral. How does this scene reflect the novel’s themes?
Answer:
The three burned corpses chained to stakes symbolize the brutal persecution of witches—and likely innocent women—under the king’s regime. Lou’s disbelief (“they can’t all have been witches”) and Reid’s acknowledgment that this was a “show of power” after the Archbishop’s death highlight themes of oppression and propaganda. The scene critiques how fear is weaponized to maintain control, as the king sacrifices lives to reassert authority. The ashes coating the steps, thicker than snow, visually reinforce the cyclical nature of violence and the cost of blind hatred.
4. How does the chapter use setting and atmosphere to enhance the narrative’s tension?
Answer:
The gloomy, overcast sky and the sea of black-clad mourners create a somber, oppressive atmosphere, mirroring Lou and Reid’s precarious situation. The contrast between the vibrant red banners (bearing the Archbishop’s coat of arms) and the monochrome crowd underscores the hypocrisy of mourning a tyrant. East End’s deserted backstreets and the looming threat of Chasseurs amplify tension, while the sudden appearance of the charred bodies shocks both characters and readers, heightening the stakes. The setting thus reinforces themes of danger and societal decay.
5. Evaluate Lou’s emotional response to Reid’s vulnerability in this chapter. What does it reveal about their relationship?
Answer:
When Reid collapses, trembling, and admits, “I can’t do that again,” Lou’s throat tightens, and she comforts him by stroking his hair—a rare moment of tenderness. Her reluctance to let him go and her suppressed sharp words (“I bit down on them hard, drawing blood”) show her growing care for him, even as she struggles with shame. This vulnerability contrasts with their usual banter, revealing deeper emotional intimacy. Their dynamic shifts from adversarial to protective, illustrating how their bond has evolved through shared trauma.
Quotes
1. “Always aiming to please, I lost them in two.”
This opening line sets the tone for Lou’s character - someone who tries to accommodate others but ultimately finds herself isolated. It introduces the theme of fractured relationships that runs through the chapter.
2. “No one could disappear like I could. No one had the practice.”
These sentences reveal Lou’s unique survival skills and hint at her difficult past. The repetition emphasizes how her ability to vanish has been hard-earned through repeated necessity.
3. “He knows you’re a witch. He won’t help you. He certainly won’t help me. We don’t need him, Reid.”
This heated exchange captures the central conflict between Lou’s pragmatic survival instincts and Reid’s idealism. Lou’s blunt repetition drives home her argument against seeking the king’s help.
4. “The only color in the streets came from the fanfare… Drops of blood in a sea of black and gray.”
This vivid imagery contrasts the grim mourning atmosphere with the violent symbolism of the Archbishop’s banners, foreshadowing the chapter’s dark turn toward the witch burnings.
5. “After the Archbishop, the king would’ve needed a show of power. He would’ve needed to reestablish control.”
This chilling realization exposes the political motivations behind the witch burnings, transforming them from religious persecution to a calculated display of authority following the Archbishop’s death.