Empire of Storms & Tower of Dawn: Part 4

Episode Title: Empire of Storms & Tower of Dawn Tandem Read – Part 4 (The Sea Dragon Was a Manatee & Canada Up Four Nothing Edition)

Description:

The full Romantasy Roundtable crew is back and Amanda has returned from wherever Jaylen Brunson and the Knicks parade took her — which apparently included a ceremony, a kid in a Manika shirt, and a therapist who confirmed that New York is simply a vibe right now. Rick made it to the parade, got blocked out of the barricade, watched some idiot try to drive through the crowd in a dress shirt and a visor, and has zero regrets. We also squeeze in the World Cup (Canada up four nothing, Qatar down to nine men, one broken leg), a heated top five TV shows debate that lands on It's Always Sunny, Criminal Minds, and Scrubs, and the reveal that Rick has been picturing Lysandra's sea dragon form as a large, friendly manatee. We are choosing to respect it.

Once we get into the books, Empire of Storms goes absolutely feral — possessions, sea battles, soup on the beach, a ghost leopard cuddle session, Dorian kissing Manon and shrugging about it, and Elide Lochan decapitating an Ilken with an injured wrist. Tower of Dawn wraps its section with Falkan turning out to be a shapeshifter, a giant spider dungeon, and Nesryn firing nine arrows across three targets simultaneously while Sartaq is low-key smitten about it. Rick is bored of Sartaq. Kim says he's Melba Toast. Amanda is not interested in Nesryn. They are choosing to read about her anyway.

Key Topics Discussed:

- Lysandra Becomes a Sea Dragon and Rick Pictured a Manatee: Aelin cooked up the whole mycenian prophecy play by having Lysandra study temple carvings back in Illium. Rol grips the ship's wheel like a man having a spiritual crisis. Lysandra wants to know if she can become a plant next, or maybe a bit of wind. Book girlfriend of the year. No notes.

- Aelin Gets Possessed by Deanna Mid-Battle: Their combined magic goes nuclear, the word key cracks Aelin's power open an entire secret basement level, and Deanna takes over her body long enough to aim moonfire at the civilian town. Rowan throws himself in front of it. Aelin shatters back in, redirects the blast, and obliterates half the fleet, the boat, and a chunk of the island. Rick's read: this is how you nerf Aelin.

- Dorian Kisses Manon and Shrugs: He visits her cabin in the middle of the night, delivers a kiss, says maybe another night witchling, and walks out. Manon is absolutely feral about it. Dorian says I'm the king in a war council argument and Rick nearly stands up out of his chair.

- Elide and the Barge Ambush: Vernon shows up with three Ilken and a coffin-sized iron box and informs Elide that Lorcan abandoned her. Two lies. Lorcan was on the rooftops the whole time and saves her with a hatchet to the wrist. Elide decapitates an Ilken, delivers a threat to Erawan cold enough to freeze the river, and reveals the word key she's been carrying — wrapped in Kaltain's cloak scrap from a cold dungeon. Lorcan swears he will always find her. Rick is on board with these two now. Kim confirms the carnival arc was simply that.

- Fenrris Gets Replaced by a Bloodhound: Erawan's shapeshifting spy impersonates Fenrris, monologues in Manon's cabin, gets choked by Rowan, rips a porthole off the ship wall, and reveals that Asterin screamed when Erawan broke her before dropping her wristband on the floor. Manon's composure evaporates. Dorian steals the kill. Manon is furious about this specifically.

- Aelin is Probably Pregnant and Nobody is Saying It: She asks for Lysandra instead of Rowan when she gets sick. Rowan figures it out from the crow's nest. They have had one conversation about the tonic situation. The chapter ends with Elwy burning. Nothing is resolved. Rick is simply laughing.

- Aen Promises to Marry Lysandra on a Beach While She's Bleeding: She washes up barely conscious in sea dragon form. He crouches in the sand and tells her he's going to marry her one day. She gives him an exhausted dragon huff. Amanda called this pairing episodes ago and would like everyone to know that.

- Falkan the Shapeshifter is from Assassin's Blade: He followed them into the spider dungeon as a falcon — his actual name — and turns into a pony-sized wolf to save Nesryn and Sartaq from a horse-sized velvet-voiced Karan Kui. Then bleeds in the pine needles while Sartaq debates the ethics of helping him. Nesryn threatens to wound the prince herself if he doesn't produce bandages.

Amanda's sister just started the series and has confirmed that the spinal cord injury science checks out — she will love everything Rick finds boring and vice versa. Next up: Tower of Dawn chapter 36 through Empire of Storms chapter 61, stop when you see Tower of Dawn chapter 49. Find the full tandem read order online, subscribe, and drop your Dorian and Manon feelings in the comments. We'll see you in Part 5!