Chapter summaries In the Likely Event Rebecca Yarros

Chapter 19: Izzy – Rocket Fire, a Shared History, and the Call Sign "Navarre"

⚠️ 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

The chapter opens with Izzy and Nate in the passenger terminal at Kandahar Airport. A rocket attack erupts, and Nate throws himself over Izzy, then carries her behind a wall. He calmly directs the Afghan chess team and their families to safety. The squad’s helicopters leave, stranding the group. Nate uses humor to snap Izzy out of shock, asking about superpowers. Later, the team settles in the VIP lounge. Nate’s squadmates press Izzy for stories about him. She reveals he grew up on a farm, loves cookies-and-cream ice cream, and once claimed to be married to stay in a hospital waiting room during her surgery. She also explains the scar on his hand came from a coral cut in Fiji while retrieving her necklace. The conversation turns to Nate’s mysterious taped-up tag—Izzy doesn’t know its meaning. When Nate takes a radio call, Gray tells Izzy that Nate’s call sign is “Navarre,” a reference to the cursed lover in the legend of Isabeau and Navarre. Izzy realizes that Nate, like her, never truly broke the bond between them.

Key Events

  • Rocket attack forces Nate to shield Izzy and move the chess team to cover.
  • The helicopters depart, leaving the group stranded inside the airport.
  • Nate helps Izzy through shock with a calming question about superpowers.
  • The squad shares MREs with the refugee families.
  • Izzy’s medications wear off; Nate remembers her dosage schedule.
  • Squad members (Gray, Rose, Black, Lilac, Brown) grill Izzy about Nate’s past.
  • Izzy tells stories: Nate’s farm childhood, his ice-cream preference, the fake marriage to stay in her hospital room, and the Fiji coral scar.
  • Gray asks about Nate’s taped-up tag; Izzy has no answer.
  • Nate takes a radio call; Gray reveals his call sign is “Navarre.”
  • Izzy connects the call sign to the legend of Isabeau and Navarre—a love doomed to be never fully realized.

Character Development

Izzy
Izzy’s transformation in this chapter is twofold. First, she experiences real combat fear and admits she “froze,” shattering her self-image as calm and collected. Second, her emotional defenses against Nate crumble. Hearing his call sign and remembering the legend, she acknowledges that the bond between them has never truly been severed, despite years of separation and her engagement to Jeremy.

Nate
Nate shows his professionalism and care under pressure—protecting Izzy, checking on her meds, and using humor to ground her. With his squad, he reluctantly allows Izzy to share personal details, revealing a side of himself he usually keeps hidden. The call sign “Navarre” confirms that he, too, sees their relationship as an unbreakable, painful connection.

The Squad
Gray, Rose, Black, Lilac, and Brown serve as both comic relief and a mirror for Nate’s guarded personality. Their curiosity underscores how little Nate shares, and their easy acceptance of Izzy suggests they respect Nate’s trust in her.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs Evidenced Here

  • The Twelve-Inch Rule – The physical and emotional proximity Nate insists on; it becomes a symbol of his commitment to protect Izzy and of their lingering intimacy.
  • The Call Sign “Navarre” – Directly drawn from the legend of Isabeau and Navarre, it symbolizes a love that is eternal yet impossible to consummate. Nate knowingly chose this name, tying his identity to their shared story.
  • Shock and Adrenaline – Izzy’s physical reaction to the rocket attack mirrors the emotional shock of confronting her feelings for Nate. Her recovery parallels her emotional awakening.
  • Shared History vs. Present Reality – The stories Izzy tells (Fiji, hospital, ice cream) highlight a decade of connection that competes with the current danger and her recent engagement.
  • Fear of Becoming His Father – Izzy internally references Nate’s fear, planted in earlier chapters, which she refuses to discuss with the squad, showing her protectiveness.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for Izzy’s emotional arc. The rocket attack forces her to witness Nate’s world and his competence, deepening her respect. The squad’s interrogation and the reveal of the call sign make the unspoken bond between Izzy and Nate undeniable. The legend of Navarre frames their relationship as fated, yet cursed—setting up the central conflict: love that has never died but remains unfulfilled. The chapter also deepens Nate’s character by showing his life among his unit and the weight of his chosen call sign.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Nate ask Izzy about superpowers during the rocket attack?
    He uses the question to distract her from shock and adrenaline, grounding her in a familiar, playful conversation. It’s a technique he’s likely used before in high-stress situations to keep her calm.

  2. What does the call sign “Navarre” reveal about Nate’s feelings for Izzy?
    The legend of Isabeau and Navarre tells of lovers who can only meet at dawn and dusk, never fully together. By choosing that call sign, Nate signals that he sees their relationship as similarly doomed but inescapable—he has never moved on.

  3. How does Izzy’s view of Nate change by the end of the chapter?
    She shifts from fighting her feelings to accepting that their connection is still alive. The ice around her heart melts, and she acknowledges that regardless of time or distance, she and Nate are bound together.

Navigation