The Hurricane Wars

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of violence and child abuse.

Talasyn regrets losing her temper with Alaric, as she still cannot form a shield with the next eclipse only 11 days away. She decides to keep calm during the marriage negotiations the next morning. The Nenavarene delegation explains the matrilineal wedding contract that is traditional, but Alaric refuses to honor his mother in this way, as he views her as a traitor to the Night Empire and has disavowed her. Talasyn wonders what happened, and the two groups agree to use a standard wedding contract with only the names and titles of the bride and groom.

Before their aethermancing training, Talasyn wants to venture to the market for pudding made of soybean curd and sugar syrup. As she begins to leave, Alaric joins her for training, but she also makes him stop for pudding first. They enjoy their snacks, then venture to train in a plumeria grove. As they practice meditation, Alaric asks Talasyn about her mother’s death, and Talasyn says it makes her upset to discuss it. She later asks him about his mother, and he shares about her leaving behind the Night Empire, his father, and him.