Luck in the Shadows (Lynn Flewelling, 1996) Study Guide: Chapters 38-41

Summary: Chapter 37 "Backtracking"

Seregil and Alec continue for home, stopping the night at Watermead. Kari is pregnant again, and Micum wants to stay home. Seregil assures Micum he doesn't need his help for the next part of the plan, which he's decided will involve Alec romancing Kassarie's serving-girl. Although Micum makes Seregil agree to check with Nysander before continuing, Seregil decides to dispense with that step when he and Alec get back to find Nysander is away. He and Alec decide time is of the essence and head for Kassarie's keep.

At the keep, they notice a strange tower in ill-repair, and predict they'll find the gold (and any other damning evidence) there. Meanwhile, Micum changes his mind and decides to head into town to offer his help. He informs Nysander of the boys' plans; Nysander magically checks up on them and senses that all is well.

Summary: Chapter 38 "The Key to a Poor Girl's Heart"

Alec catches Stamie in the woods outside the keep, claiming he came to see her because he got her a job in the city. He attempts wooing; Stamie is sufficiently into him that his awkwardness is not an issue. It's all he can to do keep out of her pants as he guides her to a plan whereby she'll leave the door open for him that night and the next day they'll go to the city together. After she leaves, Seregil makes fun of Alec's lack of flirting skills. Alec feels guilty about deceiving the poor girl, but Seregil assures him he'll really get her that city job she wants.

Summary: Chapter 39 "The Tower"

Nysander tells Micum to hurry and head for Kassarie's with him because he got a vision of Alec and Seregil falling and screaming. Meanwhile, Alec and Seregil sneak into the house and head for the tower, where they have to climb their way up over rubble and rickety stairs and back down again to the middle. Seregil almost falls to his death, but a combination of his lightning reflexes and Alec's heroism just manages to save him. They finally reach the inner chamber.

Summary: Chapter 40 "Flight"

In the chamber, they find some of the missing gold and the semi-mummified corpse of Lord Corruth, the first Aurenfaie queen's consort who introduced the original strain of Aurenfaie blood to the royal line. Seregil surmises that since this is apparently the center of the Leran (anti-Aurenfaie) movement, it's kind of a cruel irony that they have the body. For evidence, Seregil and Alec steal some documents and Lord Corruth's rings.

During their journey back up and out, they run into Lady Kassarie and her guards. Outnumbered, outmanned, and in the hands of a ruthless woman, Seregil and Alec are about ready to give up hope when they hear Nysander's voice magically telling them to jump off the side of the tower. Alec can't do it, but Seregil pulls him down. As they're falling, they are transformed into owls.

As owls, they fly to a little ways off where Nysander, Thero, Micum, and a unit of soldiers including Klia, Myrhini and Beka are waiting. Thero changes them back. Having lost their clothes in the transformation, the only evidence they have is the rings, but their report is enough to send the military into Kassarie's hold.

In the ensuing battle, Kassarie explodes everything. Alec recognizes the smell of sulphur oil in time to drag Princess Klia out of the blast area, although he singes himself in the process.

Summary: Chapter 41 "Scars"

With Kassarie and her group blowed up, the heroes head home. Seregil's scar has returned after the bird transformation spell. Nysander obscures it again, restating his party line: he knows something, but not all, about what the sigla are; he doesn't want Seregil to remove them; he can't tell them more. That night, Nysander has a vision that he descends into a terrible black chasm into the deepest vault beneath Orëska House. There, he meets Tikárie Megraesh, the necromancer whose hand is in the museum, who welcomes him to the feast. A bunch of monsters are feeding on corpses, including Seregil's, Micum's and Alec's. Eventually, Nysander meets a giant devil creature who tells him "Welcome, O Guardian. You have been most faithful." Nysander breaks out of the vision in a cold sweat, moaning, "Must I be the one who sees the end of it?"

The End! To Be Continued!

Analysis: Chapters 38-41

WTF I HAVE TO READ THE NEXT ONE NOW