The Tarot Sequence 2022 Readalong discussion

This is the readalong/discussion thread for the final chapter + epilogue (Endgame to Epilogue) for Week 3! Please limit your comments to the events and characters that appear in those chapters.

Honestly, we never feel ready for this finale, no matter how many times we reread it...

All right, let's be real - who else is intensely alarmed by Lord Tower looking at Rune with triumph???

Siavahda wrote: "All right, let's be real - who else is intensely alarmed by Lord Tower looking at Rune with triumph???"

I am! I don't trust Lord Tower a little bit. And (view spoiler)[I'm really intrigued about what made Rune lost it and bring the building down. What could be so troublesome to risk death over discovery?
"Across the room, Lord Tower called out.

“Gods,” I whispered, and I didn’t know what to do. Lord Tower was here. Lord Tower would find out. I could not trust Lord Tower with this information. I’d lose everything." (hide spoiler)]

I can't wait to get the answer to that :D

I CAN WAIT

I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S GOING TO WRECK ME

SO I CAN DEFINITELY WAIT

When Rune does what he did to clear the sky, he describes feeling hollow afterwards, like he emptied something he wasn't supposed to. I always assumed it was him using his aspect at a more powerful level, but now I'm wondering if that's actually the case or if it was something else. We never see him describe feeling hollow the other times we see him use his aspect.

I hope we get to learn more about Rune's dad. Brand's comments to Addam before Rune goes outside make me curious about him. It makes it sound like Rune's dad was more than the other lords.

Which makes it even more interesting as to how they were able to take him down the night the Sun Court fell.

@Siavahda Lord Tower's reaction to this entire situation has always rubbed me the wrong way. Like he was waiting for this moment, trained Rune for this. As if he may have orchestrated things to get Rune to reach this level for an unknown purpose.

I mean, if Lord Tower genuinely cares about Rune, why did he not lend him sigils before he went into the Westlands to stop a lich? Why did he wait until he appears at the end, after Rune has displayed this awesome power?

There's so much about the confrontation with Ashton that raises questions. His interaction with Lord Tower, for one. What did he think he had to negotiate with? And was there something specifically he was referencing in his comment about interesting things happening in corners? It just seems a weird thing to say.

And his entire conversation with Rune. Who are the "they" being referenced and why was it so important that Rune got involved? How far back does their obsession with Rune go, and why? And does it have to do with the secret from that night Rune is so afraid of getting out, the one even Brand knows nothing about?

And what could be so horrible that Rune would rather they know about the assault but not this? Does the secret have something to do with the fact that no one else knows there were 9 people there?

And how did no one notice the court being attacked? Rune's dad was powerful enough that you'd think someone would have noticed him fighting, especially if his aspect was a pillar of fire and he used that to fight.

And then there's the woman who talks to Rune after he uses exodus, a spell that's implied should kill him, a fate which the woman almost seems to save him from. Who is she and will we see her again?

I'm betting Rune has some connection to the Hourglass court. All of the prophecies about him (and both Rune and Brand use the plural before the Hermit tells Rune about another, implying there are more we don't know about) and little things, such as Quinn saying "Time will show you" when Rune asks why him parting the clouds is so important.

And speaking of Quinn, we know he can see the past. I'm scared one day, he's going to see what happened to Rune.

Right now, lord hermit is one of the only arcana I trust and I look forward to seeing him more in the future.

Hannah wrote: "When Rune does what he did to clear the sky, he describes feeling hollow afterwards, like he emptied something he wasn't supposed to. I always assumed it was him using his aspect at a more powerful..."

I'm 99% sure it's not an Aspect thing. Especially since (as far as we know) Aspects are generally not actually weapons - they're scary, but they don't seem to have offensive capabilities. (view spoiler)[In Hanged Man, it's specifically commented upon that Rune's Aspect containing bless-fire makes it useful, and that - having an Aspect that is useful that way - is rare enough to be worth noting.

Which, now I think about it, means Lady Lovers' Aspect was noteworthy too, since hers seemed able to hypnotise people to some degree, and that can definitely be weaponised. (hide spoiler)]

Hannah wrote: "I mean, if Lord Tower genuinely cares about Rune, why did he not lend him sigils before he went into the Westlands to stop a lich? Why did he wait until he appears at the end, after Rune has displa..."

THIS. This is so confusing. Rune is worth compromising Lord Tower's secret defenses - the wall of bless-fire outside the Pac Bell - but not worth lending sigils when going into the Westlands???

On the other hand, if Lord Tower leant Rune sigils and Rune died in the Westlands, Lord Tower might not be able to get them back. That might be a reasonable reason not to give him any, actually. Whereas by the time Lord Tower shows up, he'd going to be able to reclaim any sigils he lends Rune even if Rune gets killed.

Hannah wrote: "And then there's the woman who talks to Rune after he uses exodus, a spell that's implied should kill him, a fate which the woman almost seems to save him from. Who is she and will we see her again?"

The fandom favourites for the answer to this are: his mother; the Empress; or Queenie. Personally, I'm betting on Queenie. (But then, I'm pretty sure Queenie is the Empress, so.)

Hannah wrote: "There's so much about the confrontation with Ashton that raises questions. His interaction with Lord Tower, for one. What did he think he had to negotiate with? And was there something specifically..."

'What did he think he had to negociate with?' is the one that alarms me most. It could just be typical scion arrogance, believing even now he won't suffer the consequences of his actions...but if it wasn't???

Based on what we learn in Hanged Man about the prophecy, my theory is that the 'they' who orchestrated the raid on the Sun Court did so specifically because of Rune, specifically because of that prophecy.

I don't think the fact that there were 9 people there is the secret. I read that, back in chapter one, as the kind of thing that gets lost or changed when a story becomes a rumour. Whatever the secret is, I think it's WAY worse than that.

It was mentioned that silence wards went up around Sun Estate when it was attacked, but it still seems like someone should have noticed something... But the neighbouring estate was Lovers Estate, so we might never find out if we don't get to see Elena again and somebody asks her wtf happened.

Siavahda wrote: "Hannah wrote: "And then there's the woman who talks to Rune after he uses exodus, a spell that's implied should kill him, a fate which the woman almost seems to save him from. Who is she and will w..."

You think the Empress has been hiding out as Queenie this whole time? Wow, that's an interesting thought!

Queenie has some kind of influencing/mind-magic going on - no one knows what she looks like, and any time anyone asks Rune how long she's been with them he says 'She's been with us forever.' Word for word, every time. I think he's been magically influenced to say that, and never think about Queenie's origins too hard.

I suspect the Emperor and Empress had/have the ability to influence Atlanteans somewhat. It seems like the only way they would be able to keep the Arcanum under control. Not full mind-control or anything, but something significant.

This could be why Queenie only talks in questions - maybe if she speaks in full sentences, her magic treats it like an order/compulsion, and any Atlantean she's speaking to has to obey.

Also, she stood up to Lord Tower when he wanted to send Rune to the Westlands. No normal housekeeper would do that, and Lord Tower wouldn't let any normal person get away with talking to him that way. (I don't think he recognises Queenie as the Empress, just that her Empress-magic kept him from flipping out at her.)

I think the prophecy about Rune - which we learn more about in Hanged Man - gives the Empress good reason to keep an eye on him and protect him.

Thus, Queenie :D

Also, my husband has just pointed out that her name is literally Queen.

I am very embarrassed I didn't notice that XD