Emperor of Thorns (The Broken Empire, Book 3)
Chapter 17
by Mark, Lawrence,In Chapter 15, “Chella’s Story,” the necromancer Chella interrogates Kai Summerson, a captive chained in a dungeon surrounded by the undead. Despite his dire situation, Kai remains defiant, questioning Chella’s motives and actions. Chella, unsettled by his resilience, paces restlessly, revealing her frustration and the unusual dynamic between them. Kai’s sharp retorts, such as referencing her use of his deceased lover Sula’s corpse, highlight his awareness of her desperation, suggesting he understands her need for his cooperation to achieve her goals.
Chella’s desperation stems from her desire to escape the Dead King’s disdain, and she leans in close, wielding an iron needle, though the power balance has shifted. Kai’s probing questions about the nature of resurrection—specifically how Sula’s soul could be in heaven yet her body reanimated—expose his skepticism. Chella explains that only fragments of a person’s essence are needed to reanimate a corpse, emphasizing traits like greed or anger. However, she avoids mentioning that some, like saints or children, might pass on entirely, hinting at her manipulative tactics.
Kai challenges Chella’s moral stance, questioning why he should damn himself to eternal torment to avoid a painful death. His lack of fear unnerves her, as she realizes he perceives the situation as surreal. Chella reflects that time and isolation would break him, but she lacks the luxury of waiting. Instead, she shifts her argument, painting a apocalyptic vision where death is broken, hell is rising, and heaven’s protection is fleeting. She insists the Dead King’s reign will reshape eternity, forcing Kai to choose between joining the fire or becoming its fuel.
The chapter culminates in a tense ideological clash. Chella’s pragmatic, survivalist worldview contrasts with Kai’s moral resistance, underscoring the chapter’s themes of power, manipulation, and existential dread. Her ultimatum—submit or perish—reveals the stakes of their conflict, while Kai’s defiance suggests a deeper struggle between hope and despair. The dialogue-driven narrative immerses readers in a dark, morally ambiguous world where the lines between life, death, and salvation blur.
FAQs
1. What is the nature of Chella’s power, and how does it relate to the concept of resurrection in this chapter?
Answer:
Chella is a necromancer who can return souls or parts of souls to dead bodies, effectively resurrecting them in a limited capacity. As she explains to Kai, “What will not pass into heaven may be returned to the body,” indicating that resurrection depends on how much of a person’s essence remains unclaimed by the afterlife. She mentions that traits like hunger, greed, or anger make resurrection easier, as seen with Sula’s greed-fueled reanimation. However, she implies that truly pure souls (like saints or children) cannot be returned, suggesting moral and spiritual dimensions to her power.2. How does Kai demonstrate unusual behavior for a prisoner, and what does this reveal about Chella’s situation?
Answer:
Despite being chained, bleeding, and surrounded by the walking dead, Kai repeatedly asks questions and shows little fear. This abnormal composure leads Chella to realize he has deduced her desperate need for his cooperation (“Somewhere along the line this unusual young man had deduced that she needed his cooperation”). His behavior exposes Chella’s vulnerability—she cannot simply kill him, as she needs a success to escape the Dead King’s disdain. The dynamic shifts from pure intimidation to a tense negotiation, revealing Chella’s precarious position within the necromantic hierarchy.3. What philosophical conflict about the afterlife does Chella present to Kai in her final statement?
Answer:
Chella presents a nihilistic worldview where traditional afterlife concepts are collapsing: “Death is broken. Hell is rising. How long do you think heaven will keep you safe?” She argues that the Dead King is reshaping existence to trap souls eternally in the mortal world, forcing a choice between active participation (“feed the fire”) or passive suffering (“be the fuel”). This challenges Kai’s belief in heavenly salvation by framing resistance as futile—a manipulative tactic to coerce his cooperation by undermining his spiritual convictions.4. Analyze how Chella’s characterization reflects moral ambiguity in this chapter.
Answer:
Chella embodies moral ambiguity through her contradictory traits. She is a necromancer who reanimates corpses (like Sula) yet shows restraint by not mentioning children as viable candidates for resurrection (“she didn’t say it”). Her reference to hell’s path being taken “one step at a time” suggests self-awareness about her corruption. Additionally, her desperation for the Dead King’s approval humanizes her, contrasting with her cruel actions. This complexity makes her more than a villain—she is a product of a broken world, using pragmatism (“her need had been so great”) to justify atrocities while clinging to shreds of conscience.5. How does the chapter use contrasting imagery to highlight its themes of life, death, and power?
Answer:
The chapter juxtaposes vivid contrasts: Chella’s restless pacing (“Too much life in them”) against Kai’s immobilized bleeding body; the “cold shadow” of the Dead King’s disdain against the “flames” of hell; and the purity of heaven against Sula’s greed-animated corpse. These contrasts emphasize the tension between vitality and decay, control and subjugation. Even Chella’s tools—an iron needle (precision) versus the dungeon’s chaos—reflect the precarious balance of power. Such imagery reinforces the central theme: in this world, even death is no escape from struggle, and power lies in manipulating life’s remnants.
Quotes
1. “‘You’re an unusual man, Kai Summerson.’ Chella paced around the pillar once more. She couldn’t seem to keep her feet still. Too much life in them perhaps.”
This quote highlights the dynamic between Chella and Kai, showcasing his defiance and her unease. It sets the tone for their power struggle and hints at Chella’s internal conflict between her necromantic nature and residual humanity.
2. “‘What will not pass into heaven may be returned to the body. How much is returned depends upon the person, and upon the call. It doesn’t take much to get a fresh corpse on its feet. A little hunger, greed, some anger maybe. Sula had plenty of greed.’”
This crucial explanation reveals the mechanics of necromancy in this world, distinguishing between those who can be resurrected and those who pass on completely. It introduces the moral and spiritual implications of Chella’s craft.
3. “‘A saint maybe. I’ve never met one.’ Also children. But she didn’t say it. Whatever the road to hell is paved with, the key is to take one step at a time.”
This unspoken thought provides deep insight into Chella’s moral compass and self-justification process. The reference to children adds disturbing weight to her necromantic practices while showing her capacity for selective honesty.
4. “‘Death is broken, Kai. Hell is rising. How long do you think heaven will keep you safe? The Dead King is putting an end to all of that. Eternity will be here, in this world, in this flesh. All you need to decide is whether to feed the fire or be the fuel.’”
This powerful climax to their exchange presents the chapter’s central apocalyptic vision. Chella frames her dark offer as inevitable progress, forcing Kai (and readers) to confront the terrifying new world order being established.