hunters_forest | Coldfire re-read: Crown of Shadows

With a slight delay, here is the discussion post for chapter 9 - Andrys and Narilka try their hand at star-crossed love, and Calesta gets to be a proper villain and explain a bit of his plan.

Narilka comes to return the forgotten scroll to Andrys, and gets to see him in his regular state after a night of wining and womanizing. It doesn't deter her, however, and he gets to take her out for dinner and some explanations. Dinner is nice, but the explanations are a bit of a shock: it turns out that his looks aren't just coincidence, but that the Hunter is his ancestor and that Andrys got to meet him as well, under more... bloody circumstances. Narilka gets confused in her attractions even more, Andrys gets a bit of sympathy, and they get to have their first kiss. And as a finale, Andrys has a visit from Calesta, which is more effective than the iciest shower in turning off his interests and desires where Narilka is concerned.

Quotes

It was Andrys, dressed now. He walked toward her with an easy grace, as if his confidence had been restored along with his attire.

Men that attractive are dangerous, Gresham had warned her. Especially when they know their own power.
Sweet, sweet danger. She could drown in it, gladly.

"The state let me go, in the end. Not because it judged me innocent, but because it considered me incompetent. I was a wastrel, a freeloader, a waste of human life... but I wasn't a murderer. Wasn't capable of murder." He drew in a deep breath. "They had that right, at least. Maybe all of it. I don't know."

Seeing him rendered thus, Narilka felt herself tremble. Because there there was no mistaking the portrait's subject. And no denying that she knew him all too intimately. The Hunter.

"And having these pieces restored... it's part of my healing. Supposed to be, anyway." He shook his head. "I don't really understand it. But someone I ..." He hesitated, as if seeking the proper word. "Someone I trust advised me to have these things made, and I believe in him. Enough to try it."

Warm eyes, living eyes, not like the Hunter's at all. And yet the two men were linked, not just in appearance but in essence. The Hunter's passion had sired this man; the Hunter's blood ran in his veins. How could she look at Andrys Tarrant and not feel the power of his forebear's presence?

Oh, he still played, but it was more for sport than fortune now; his only real delight was in breaking those whose skill or audacity made them seemed charmed, in pitting his fae-luck against their own. And finding such men required prowling the casinos like a hunter, alert for the smell of rich and arrogant prey... no, he was not in the mood for such games tonight.

The demon hissed sharply. "Do you question me now? Or doubt my plans? A thousand elements must all be orchestrated to perfection in order to bring the Hunter down, and you're just one of them! Go where I tell you. Do what I say. Your own hand will bring about Gerald Tarrant's downfall, I promise you."

"He'll never kill you because you're the last living Tarrant. That's what makes you capable of striking back at him; under any other circumstances such a move would be suicidal." He paused meaningfully. "But what would happen if another Tarrant were born? Maybe not one to whom you gave the name, but one who might, in time, lay claim to it."

Thoughts

This is a chapter I usually skip because it diminishes my respect for Narilka. Happening upon Andrys after a night of drunken, if not debauchery, then at least strip poker with at least one lady friend? I'd have hoped it would cure her of that crush (especially seeing how that crush is fixated on the Hunter anyway and using Andrys as the safe alternative).

Along with his looks, Andrys may have inherited that slight sense of vanity from his ancestor. They both pay a lot of attention to their appearance. At least when he remembers it, in Andrys' case.

So now Narilka has joined Damien and Ciani (and presumably Amoril and possibly a handful of other servants) in the highly selective group who know the real identity of the Hunter. It's a bit like unmasking Batman.

Given that Calesta's aspect is sadism, Andrys must be an excellent symbiont - willing to hurt himself and accept pain just because Calesta tells him it's the thing to do. Even the deal between Karril and Gerald concerning the Hunter's pleasures sounds healthy in comparison.

It's a chapter for parallels. The obvious one between Andrys and Gerald. Then the way Narilka reacts to the two of them, the way she surrenders to Andrys here and surrendered to the Hunter at the end of BSR. And even Andrys' hobby of hunting down card sharks and making them lose - with a touch of fae-luck as he calls it - to get pleasure out of that hunt. And there are a number of others, I'm sure - is there anything you spotted?

We've already speculated whether Tarrant has a few more descendants stashed away somewhere. If he does, they certainly don't know about it, but with what Calesta says here I have no doubt that he wouldn't have any trouble coaxing/coercing one of them into accepting the family name. When you consider how important the name and title are to Gerald Tarrant, he may simply have spared a few bastard children of his descendants here and there because they didn't carry the family name. Any thoughts?

ReReading this, I can't help thinking that what Andrys feels for Narilka is a good deal more genuine and healthy than vice versa. He's focused on her; she, on the other hand, sees the Hunter when she just looks at him.