Chapter 70: 65 West – Summary & Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Tunuva and Canthe have joined forces with High Prince Guma of Yscalin to secure passage through the Middle Pass and across the sea to Inys. After helping defend Hart Grove from wyverns, Tunuva reluctantly accepts Guma’s offer of a place on his ship to Garazna in exchange for her warrior skills. They journey across the scorched Vetalda Plain, fending off further wyvern attacks. Meanwhile, Glorian welcomes her grandmother Marian Berethnet, the newly appointed Lady Protector of Inys, to Arondine. Marian, frail from illness, offers counsel and emotional support. Glorian confides her fear that she is not yet pregnant by Wulf, and Marian advises her on timing and discretion. News arrives that Prince Guma has reached Inys and is riding for Arondine. Glorian and Wulf share a final private moment before he must return to the North.
Key Events
- Tunuva and Canthe fight alongside Prince Guma’s forces at Hart Grove, repelling a wyvern attack.
- Prince Guma offers Tunuva and Canthe passage to Inys if they help escort his party to the port of Garazna.
- The group crosses the Vetalda Plain, passing burned villages and facing more wyverns; Tunuva’s presence deters some attacks.
- Glorian meets her grandmother Marian at Arondine and formally welcomes her as Lady Protector.
- Marian advises Glorian on concealing her affair with Wulf and on the best times for conception.
- Glorian learns that Prince Guma has arrived in Inys and is heading to Arondine.
- Wulf’s archery lesson with Thrit highlights Thrit’s lingering injury and Wulf’s mentoring role.
- Glorian and Wulf share an intimate farewell, acknowledging that he must soon leave for Hróth.
Character Development
- Tunuva – She remains driven by her mission to reach Inys and uncover the truth about the Dreadmount, though she chafes at serving a prince of Virtudom. Her bond with Canthe deepens, and she openly admits the weight of her unresolved pain.
- Canthe – Displays diplomatic cunning by accepting Guma’s offer before Tunuva can refuse. She remains a calm, smiling presence even under duress.
- Prince Guma – Pragmatic and authoritative, he values Tunuva’s combat skills enough to overlook her heathen status. His cold dismissal of his own people at Garazna reveals his ruthlessness.
- Glorian – Grows more comfortable in her role as queen, leaning on Marian’s wisdom. She admits vulnerability about her failed attempts to conceive, yet resolves to keep her plan in motion.
- Marian Berethnet – Returns to court frail but determined. She offers Glorian both maternal comfort and hard political counsel. Her line “We do what we must to serve the Saint while not destroying ourselves” encapsulates her pragmatic faith.
- Wulf – Acts as a mentor to Thrit, encouraging him to overcome mental barriers from his injury. Shows tenderness toward Glorian in their final scene, promising to pray for her.
- Thrit – Works to regain archery strength after a shoulder injury; Wulf’s guidance helps him find his form.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
- Duty vs. personal desire – Glorian’s need to produce an heir clashes with her love for Wulf. Marian’s advice underscores that political duty often requires personal sacrifice.
- The burden of truth – Tunuva states that she carries a wound that never scarred; seeking the truth is the only way to honour the Mother. This echoes the Priory’s core value of bearing pain without letting it fester.
- Waste and survival – The burning almond groves, failed harvests, and the desperate Yscali pleading for passage illustrate how war and plague erode ordinary life.
- The symbolic weight of the Middle Pass – As the fastest route to Inys, it represents a crossroads between duty and danger, and between the old world and an uncertain future.
- Marian’s hands – Her pale hand touching Glorian’s face and later stroking her hair conveys the passing of legacy, comfort, and the unspoken sorrow of mothers who have lost children.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 70 advances two major plotlines toward their convergence. Tunuva’s journey takes her to the sea, placing her one step away from Inys and the conflicts brewing there. Glorian’s political position strengthens with Marian’s arrival, but the news of Prince Guma’s approach forces her to accelerate her plans. The chapter also deepens the emotional stakes: Glorian’s fear of failing to conceive, Wulf’s impending departure, and Tunuva’s longing for Esbar and Siyu all underscore the personal costs of the larger war against the wyrms. The archery lesson between Wulf and Thrit encapsulates the theme of overcoming psychological wounds, a motif that runs through many characters’ arcs.
Study Questions & Answers
1. Why does Tunuva agree to travel with Prince Guma despite her distrust of Virtudom?
Tunuva accepts because Canthe points out that the Middle Pass is a toll way controlled by Guma, and joining him is the fastest route to Inys. Tunuva concedes that reaching her sisters quickly outweighs her personal objections, though she refuses to serve a prince who “loves the Deceiver.”
2. How does Marian’s arrival change Glorian’s political position?
Marian, as the former queen and now Lady Protector, brings legitimacy and experience to Glorian’s regency. Her presence also provides Glorian with a trusted confidante who can offer practical advice on the succession crisis. Marian’s willingness to support Glorian’s secret plan reassures the young queen and strengthens her resolve.
3. What does Wulf’s archery lesson with Thrit reveal about their characters?
Wulf’s patient guidance shows his ability to mentor and his understanding that injury has both physical and psychological dimensions. Thrit’s frustration and eventual success reveal his determination to overcome his weakness, as well as his underlying fear of failure. The scene underscores Wulf’s role as a steadying influence before he must leave.