The Priory of the Orange Tree
Seventy-One
by Shannon, SamanthaThe chapter “Abyss” depicts a chaotic naval battle aboard the *Reconciliation*, where Loth and Queen Sabran face the onslaught of the Draconic Navy. Eastern dragons wreak havoc, breaching the waves to drag victims underwater, while fires rage and grappling hooks entangle combatants. Sabran, guarded by the Knights of the Body, watches as the witch Kalyba transforms from a wyrm into a woman on the *Defiance*. Recognizing the threat, Sabran declares that Ead must confront Kalyba, and Loth prepares to distract the witch to aid Ead’s strike. Amid the carnage, the crew scrambles to defend the ship as enemy vessels close in.
Meanwhile, Tané engages Kalyba in a fierce duel on the *Defiance*, wielding the rising jewel to counter the witch’s fiery attacks. Kalyba shifts between human and animal forms, wielding the sword Ascalon with deadly precision. Tané fights desperately, using the jewel’s power to enhance her reflexes, but Kalyba’s mastery of fire and transformation keeps her on the defensive. The battle reaches a climax as Tané severs one of Kalyba’s antlers, forcing her back into human form, wounded but still dangerous. The witch’s obsession with Ascalon and her hatred for Sabran’s lineage become evident as she taunts Tané.
Sabran and Loth arrive on the *Defiance*, drenched from their escape through the waves. The queen confronts Kalyba, her ancestor, revealing their eerie resemblance. Kalyba mocks Sabran, calling her an imitation and belittling her sword as a lesser copy of Ascalon. Sabran accuses Kalyba of destroying the House of Berethnet, to which the witch responds with a chilling monologue about her immortal grievances. She reveals her jealousy and heartbreak over Galian’s love for Cleolind, framing her actions as a twisted legacy. The tension escalates as Sabran maneuvers to position Kalyba for Ead’s unseen approach.
The chapter culminates in a standoff between Sabran and Kalyba, with Tané and Loth poised for action. Kalyba’s bitterness and immortality-driven nihilism contrast with Sabran’s resolve to protect her legacy. The scene is set for Ead’s decisive intervention, as the witch’s arrogance blinds her to the impending threat. The battle’s outcome hangs in the balance, with the fate of the *Defiance* and its combatants uncertain amidst the storm of fire and steel.
FAQs
1. What strategic role do the Eastern dragons play in the naval battle, and how does their combat style differ from traditional warfare?
Answer:
The Eastern dragons employ unconventional amphibious tactics, diving beneath waves to breach upward and drag enemies to the depths (e.g., “They would dive beneath the waves… drag their prey back to the deep”). This contrasts with traditional naval artillery like cannons and grappling hooks. Their scales also extinguish fires when they soar overhead, providing incidental protection. Their versatility—alternating between aerial combat and aquatic ambushes—disrupts conventional warfare, forcing gunners to avoid hitting allies while they strangle fiery breeds mid-flight like constrictor snakes.2. Analyze the significance of Kalyba’s shapeshifting abilities during her duel with Tané. How does this reflect her character and combat philosophy?
Answer:
Kalyba’s rapid transformations (bird→woman→stag) showcase her predatory adaptability and psychological warfare tactics. Each form serves a purpose: avian speed for hit-and-run attacks, human form for swordplay, and stag antlers for brute force. The seamless integration of Ascalon with her shifts (“when she was in her human guise, she swung with the sword”) underscores her mastery of both magic and steel. This fluidity mirrors her immortal perspective—rejecting fixed identities, much like her view of legacy as transient (“everything you build seems too small”). Her combat style embodies her nihilistic grandeur, using terror and unpredictability to dominate.3. How does the confrontation between Sabran and Kalyba reveal thematic tensions about legacy and power?
Answer:
Their face-off exposes competing visions of legacy. Kalyba dismisses Sabran as an “imitation” and mocks the Sword of Virtudom as inferior to Ascalon, framing her descendants as disposable tools in her centuries-long vendetta against Galian. Sabran’s accusation—”You took my child from me”—highlights Kalyba’s willingness to destroy her own bloodline for personal vengeance. The witch’s monologue about immortality reducing human achievements to “rot” contrasts with Sabran’s mortal struggle to preserve Inys. This clash underscores the novel’s exploration of cyclical violence and the corrupting nature of eternal life.4. Evaluate Tané’s tactical use of the rising jewel against Kalyba. What strengths and limitations does this reveal about her combat abilities?
Answer:
Tané demonstrates resourcefulness by using the jewel’s magic to summon seawater (“Seawater crashed onto the ship… fires were smothered”) and repel a cockatrice. However, her reliance on raw power leaves her vulnerable when Kalyba exploits her momentary hesitation (e.g., the molten fire that burns her thigh). The jewel’s reactive “singing” to Ascalon suggests untapped potential, but Tané’s physical endurance—pushing through pain to keep fighting—proves equally critical. This duel highlights her growth from disciplined warrior to adaptive mage, though she still struggles to anticipate an immortal foe’s unpredictability.5. Why does Loth prioritize direct action (“To the Defiance”) over the captain’s suggestion to evacuate Sabran by boat? How does this decision reflect his role in the narrative?
Answer:
Loth’s insistence on immediacy (“There’s no time”) underscores the battle’s chaotic urgency—grappling hooks and barshot make evacuation impractical. His choice to swim to the Defiance with Sabran and shed armor (“breastplates, greaves… clattered in their wake”) mirrors his narrative role as a pragmatic protector who values mobility over tradition. By rejecting the captain’s conventional plan, Loth embodies the theme of adaptation in crisis. His hand-holding gesture with Sabran during the plunge into waves symbolizes their shared vulnerability, contrasting with Kalyba’s solitary immortality.
Quotes
1. “One of the topsails was afire. Bodies strewed the decks. Cannons hawked barshot and chainshot, cut with cries of Fire from the boatswain, while siege engines from Perchling hurled grappling hooks that tangled around legs and wings.”
This vivid description captures the chaos and brutality of the naval battle, setting the stage for the chapter’s high-stakes conflict. The imagery underscores the desperation of the fight against the Draconic forces.
2. “One shortcoming of immortality is that everything you build seems too small, too transient. A painting, a song, a book—all of them rot away. But a masterwork, made over many years, many centuries… I cannot tell you the fulfilment it brings.”
Kalyba’s reflection on immortality reveals her twisted motivations and god-complex. This quote exposes her warped perspective on legacy and power, explaining her destructive actions against her own bloodline.
3. “Galian lusted after Cleolind Onjenyu the moment he laid eyes on her. Though I had nursed him at my breast, though I gave him the sword that was the sum of all my achievements, and though I was beautiful, he wanted her above all things. Above me.”
This confession reveals the centuries-old grudge driving Kalyba’s villainy - a toxic mix of maternal possessiveness, romantic jealousy, and wounded pride. It provides crucial backstory for the Berethnet lineage’s central conflict.
4. “You are an imitation of me. Just as your sword is a cheap imitation of this one.”
Kalyba’s venomous comparison between herself and Sabran encapsulates their fraught relationship - a twisted mirroring of creator and creation. The sword metaphor underscores how Sabran’s entire legacy is built on Kalyba’s original designs.
5. “Sabran kept one hand on the Sword of Virtudom. They watched the pale wyrm transform into a woman and land on the Defiance.”
This moment marks a critical turning point as Sabran comes face-to-face with her ancient ancestor. The symbolic gesture of gripping her sword shows her steeling herself for this fateful confrontation that will test her claim to power.