I am back and ready to talk Atlantis!
Let’s talk Wraith again cause I love ‘em so.
Early in the book we have Ember working on the retrovirus. (I like that Guide decided to take another route on it because the humans might be overlooking something ya know?)
He’s called to meet with Bonewhite and the other masters’ of the Hive. Essentially the meeting is to let them all know what Guide has decided to do in regards to the Lanteans, his daughter, and such.
You’d think it would be a simple and short meeting.
It was short, but not so simple and things are brought up that are fun to know!
Ember is new to the Hive, but in true Guide fashion he let Ember make a place for himself through his own skill (I wonder if that part of Guide is due to Snow and how she saw things?) and so Ember is particularly loyal to Guide.
Bonewhite starts by letting them know that Alabaster is in fact alive and that she has a son.
Everyone assembled is relieved at that fact because it’s already stressful having Steelflower (their true Queen) and Death demanding Guide’s loyalty. Adding Alabaster to the mix would have been worse, but somehow her having a son makes things different?
I’m not sure how but the way it’s phrased makes it seem that since she had a son she won’t be as inclined to try and take the Hive from Steelflower? Or maybe it’s because she’s still so young and untried (it’s mentioned later on) that it’s a relief to find out she’s only had one child and not a daughter she’d be inclined to fight for a Hive for?
If that makes sense…
Anyways.
The idea is tossed out there that Guide may be planning on putting Alabaster as their new Queen and denouncing Steelflower. Something that’s apparently been done before.
This is not what they’d like happen, but considering how Guide is when it comes to his daughter…
Ember, not having been born of the Hive, doesn’t know that story and so asks.
Bonewhite (being the closest thing Guide has to a friend and was there for pretty much all of it) tells him about how after the battle that killed Snow, Alabaster went missing. An enemy Commander said the ship was destroyed, but Guide didn’t believe it. Later, a worshipper claimed that a young Queen was dead on a human world.
That’s when Guide was taken captive by the Genii.
The implications and suggestion here, though very carefully said of course, is that Guide is not rational when it comes to his daughter.
This is true.
But you can’t blame him.
Poor dude lost the love of his life (be honest here, that’s exactly what Snow was to him otherwise a Queen like Death would have been more of an enticement to him) and his daughter at the same time.
Even the hint or suspicion that she could still be alive had him racing to find the truth.
Ember, understanding all of the undertones and inuendoes and such going on here, challenges Bonewhite (very lightly but still challenges) when it seems the others are planning something they may all regret.
The challenge is simply that he asks Bonewhite what their next move is.
Bonewhite (and I love him for this and all the years he’s stood by Guide and his crazy schemes) says that they will be doing as commanded and joining Guide in orbit around Atlantis.
Why are all my Wraith posts longer than planned?
Next week will be more Wraith because there was another part during this meeting that I wanted to look at, but alas, time has run out.
Till then!
The Dark Library 