#kilian

The night before it all ends, and we get some much needed closure

Honestly understandable. Kilian's absence from the series was a mild frustration for me, both cause I actually liked her as a character plus I'm shamelessly into redheads. Though given how chronically bad with relationships Catherine is, it makes sense. It takes years from when they broke up to actually get this closure, but even though they've both moved on it's still nice to see.

And just goes to show how obvious Cat is about Akua. A lot of harsh words were exchanged between her and Hakram earlier, but one thing he said that still rings true is when he said that while Cat loves all of the Woe, and him the most, she is only in love with Akua. Painful to hear, but she hasn't once denied it.

T_T

It's hard to say, as it is so (delightfully) painful to watch Cat torture herself like this while totally getting why, and that I'd lose all respect for her if she didn't even wait until journey's end at least, when the debt was due. Luckily Catherine Foundling has never done anything wrong.

Noooo! Well damn, there goes the failsafe. Hey, it's not like it was hard to predict that wasn't gonna go according to plan. Still, it makes sense why it was so effortlessly easy for Yara to set this up; there's not a story out there where Indrani wouldn't save Akua's life here.

But with a little tender care from Masego's (former) Apprentice and the greatest (living) sorceress of the age, another miracle could occur.

The immediate benefit I see of the fetters is that they are infinitely simpler than the Autumn crown, making them way less likely to backlash against a villain who would use them. A prisoner and their Warden, I mean warden? We'll see-

Speaking of Indrani's fate, shout-out to all time coward Hye Su

Let's go Indrani! You'll make a better Ranger than Hye ever did. Way to drop the ball hard Hye, I already didn't like you, but seeing as Indrani already had settled things with you at Praes, it's only fitting that she take your place by bothering to step up for other people. Do you know how hard you have to fuck up to lose me, Hye? Me?? The Evil Woman Fucker???

Pathetic. Anyway,

So it comes down to this: with the Dead King's soul contained within the entire city of Keter itself, it's effectively impossible to kill him even with Severance, and of course with Akua not in a position to have accepted it already, Catherine volunteers to be his jailer.

But the Intercessor, Yara, has other ideas, and lets Cat sample her ability to Guide.

Once again, Catherine's bad leg comes through to remind her of her own mortality and humanity! This is why I loved the parts of the story where she's had it the most. When she's been the most who she really is. Now get fucked, Intercessor, she will not be tricked into becoming you!

With the Dead King finally dead, brought back to life from undeath and then Sentenced to die, all that's left is how to deal with Yara, who still intends to finish this off how she wants; with everyone or nearly all on Calernia dead, the stories she's been bound to for millennia wiped clean at last.

And then... is that a Black Swan I see?

Intercessor Akua! A tag team of Good and Evil in the story of fate!

There's your Black Swan Event

So I'll be honest, I had this idea quite before even book 6, that what Akua was ultimately going to do would impact fate permanently. And I knew before I even finished Book 4 that Cat's final name would be the Warden, on account of checking the fan wiki and immediately seeing her Name listed as such, so I backed out lest I see any other pertinent information, like whether she dies at the end or not, and swore off the fan wiki until I was all done. This did make me convinced she was going to get a Bad End as a jailer for eternity. And then Akua calls her out for it and steps up instead!

I HAD thought that her unexpected, unpredicted act, the Black Swan Event in question, would have had to do with her redemption, perhaps ending with a new heroic Name. So I goofed there. She does use this moment to call the Gods' attention at least, which is similar if you turn your head sideways and squint.

THAT'S RIGHT YOU GO GET YOUR GIRL YOU BITCHES HAVE EARNED IT

At the end, debts are settled, long prices paid. And there was justice for all. Akua saved Catherine from the unhappy ending the latter was convinced was fated for her, and the knife that started us down this path since chapter 1 will be what finishes the journey.

And then, many years later

And THAT, is the single most well done, well paced, and well earned Enemies to Lovers story I have ever read. Every painful, ragged inch earned along the way, and while it ends in tragedy, there remained still a way for them to find each other, and for just a little while, partake of what a life together could have been.

Absolutely blew ALL of my expectations away. Holy SHIT