Chapter 22: The Voice Trial – A Fragile Alliance

⚠️ 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

Time passes in a blur of classes, training, and avoiding thoughts of Killian. Meryn works privately on strength and weapon skills, asking Tomison for sword help and later training with a bow and arrow. Stark has not repeated his humiliating attack, but Meryn stays guarded, expecting retaliation.

The night before the Voice Trial, Meryn cannot sleep. When she finally dozes off, she has a nightmare: she is in the medic’s office with her mother, but the medic holds her head and speaks calmly of delusions. Then her mother appears, lucid, wearing fine clothes and a bloody crown, standing in a pool of blood. Her eyes turn black and she speaks with a deep, otherworldly voice, commanding Meryn to come because Nocturn commands it. Meryn’s body moves against her will until she wakes gasping. She cannot fall back asleep.

The next morning, Meryn enters the arena with the other Rawbonds. Leader Aldrich has warned that an eighth of the participants may die in this first major test, which challenges communication between rider and direwolf. The arena has been transformed into a nightmarish obstacle course with fiery braziers, a narrow bridge over flames, and a final leap of faith with three targets. Nobles fill the stands; the king watches with cold amusement, and Killian stands beside him. Stark is near the instructors, and Meryn suspects he arranged the course to punish her.

Meryn has chosen daggers as her weapon. She watches other pairs attempt the course: some succeed fluidly, others fail catastrophically, with riders dying from falls or wolves snapping at them. Izabel and Henrey complete it; Tomison impresses. When Meryn’s turn comes, she approaches Anassa without the usual stab of pain. The mental barrier has thinned to something glassy, allowing brief flashes of Anassa’s intentions. As Anassa begins the course, she shows Meryn the exact path she will take across the platforms. Meryn adjusts her body and weight to stay mounted. Anassa’s determination to win aligns with Meryn’s desire to prove herself and embarrass those who dismissed her.

They cross the narrow bridge, with Anassa surefooted and Meryn hitting all six targets using Anassa’s warnings. The spiral descent requires careful turns; Anassa controls speed, and Meryn leans into each curve. For the final leap, the platform drops. Anassa gives Meryn a glimpse of the jump, and Meryn uses her pit-fighting instincts to throw daggers at the three targets during the fall. They land hard but in the designated circle. Meryn hears “Third!” – the third fastest time.

Anassa’s disdain still leaks through the barrier, but Meryn senses a grudging recognition of her strength. For a moment, Meryn feels respect for Anassa. Then the iron wall slams down harder than ever, leaving Meryn disoriented. She looks up at the stands and sees Killian watching her intently. She wonders if she has truly lost him, or if she is the one shutting him out.

Key Events

Meryn has a disturbing nightmare in which her mother, under Nocturn’s influence, commands her to come.
The Voice Trial obstacle course is revealed, with a high death toll expected.
Meryn watches other pairs fail and succeed, including a rider killed instantly by a fall.
For the first time, the mental barrier between Meryn and Anassa thins, allowing brief flashes of communication.
Meryn and Anassa successfully navigate the course, placing third.
Immediately after the trial, Anassa slams the barrier back up, stronger than before.
Meryn sees Killian watching her and questions whether she is the one closing herself off from him.

Character Development

Meryn: She demonstrates resilience and adaptability, using her pit-fighting instincts to anticipate movements and aim during the chaotic fall. Her desire shifts from mere survival to actively wanting to embarrass her detractors. She also shows emotional complexity by acknowledging her own role in the distance between herself and Killian.

Anassa: The direwolf reveals a crack in her hostility. She shares glimpses of her intentions during the course, motivated by pride and a desire to dominate other wolves. After the trial, she reasserts her independence by slamming the barrier, but the brief cooperation hints at possible future trust.

Stark: He remains a looming threat. Meryn believes the obstacle course was designed to kill her, and she catches a malicious smile from him.

Killian: Though not directly involved in the trial, his intense gaze from the stands and Meryn’s internal reflection show his continued importance to her arc.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Communication versus Pride: The trial is designed to test rider–wolf communication, yet both Meryn and Anassa are too proud to truly cooperate. They succeed through a temporary alignment of goals, not genuine trust.
Survival as Spectacle: The nobles and king watch the trial for entertainment, framing the characters’ struggle as a public performance. Meryn’s fear of becoming “crispy corpse” underscores the dehumanization of the Bound system.
The Mental Barrier as Iron Wall: The barrier is described as an “iron cleaver” or “iron wall,” symbolizing the deep mistrust and lack of intimacy between Meryn and Anassa. Its thinning and violent return mirror the fragile nature of their alliance.
Nocturn and the Nightmare: The dream introduces Nocturn as a commanding force, possibly linked to Meryn’s mother and the Binding magic. The black eyes and bloody crown suggest a dark, controlling influence that Meryn must resist.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 22 marks a turning point in Meryn’s journey as a Rawbond. The Voice Trial is the first major test, and her ability to survive and place third proves she is not as hopeless as she feared. The brief connection with Anassa offers the first real hope of a working relationship, though it is immediately withdrawn. Simultaneously, Meryn’s internal reflection on Killian pushes her to consider her own role in broken relationships. This chapter lays the groundwork for future growth in both the bond and her personal connections.

Study Questions and Answers

What causes the temporary thinning of the mental barrier between Meryn and Anassa during the trial? Both characters share a powerful motivation: Anassa wants to prove her superiority over other wolves, and Meryn wants to embarrass those who dismissed her. This alignment of goals momentarily lowers their mutual hostility, allowing Anassa to share glimpses of her intentions.
How does Meryn’s background in the fighting pits help her succeed in the final leap of faith? Meryn uses her muscle memory from the pits to calculate when to throw her daggers, accounting for Anassa’s speed and the fall trajectory. She knows exactly when to act—neither too early nor too late—just as she did in combat.
What is the significance of Meryn wondering if she is the one shutting Killian out? This question shows Meryn’s growing self-awareness. She has blamed Killian for their distance, but now she considers that her own fear and pride may have erected barriers similar to the one Anassa slams down. It hints at a potential reconciliation if she chooses to trust him.

Previous: Chapter 22 Summary
Next: Chapter 24 Summary
Book Hub: Dire Bound Home