Chapter summaries The Devils Joe Abercrombie

Chapter 35: The Current Set of Enemies

⚠️ 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

Sunny crouches in damp brush at dusk, watching a camp of four men, a woman, and a werewolf. She reflects on her life as a natural spy with terrible luck, forced to skulk rather than sit in comfort like Cardinal Zizka. While gathering Nun’s Worries mushrooms (which cause severe diarrhea), she hears hoofbeats. Duke Sabbas and seven riders arrive, including a gaunt man, twin sorceresses, and a werewolf called the Dane. Sabbas learns from a mercenary with a corkscrew that others are hunting Alex. The Dane claims he smells a salty elf (Sunny). Sunny creeps toward the horses, steals a boy’s dagger, and cuts the hobbles while holding her breath. She slaps Sabbas’s horse, sending the entire herd stampeding. The Dane detects her; she shoves one sorceress into the fire, poisons the stew, and flees. She leads the Dane on a chase through the woods, using her invisibility to lose him. She finds Alex with a couple on a cart; Alex learned there is a war between the Count of Niksic and the Countess of some forgotten place. Alex has bread and points toward Troy. They discuss the pursuit, Alex’s cousin Sabbas, and Sunny’s difficulty making friends. Alex insists Sunny has made one friend: herself.

Key Events

  • Sunny spies on a mercenary camp including a werewolf and Duke Sabbas.
  • She sabotages the camp: cuts horse hobbles, poisons stew with Nun’s Worries, and shoves a sorceress into the fire.
  • The werewolf Dane nearly catches her, but she escapes using stealth and invisibility.
  • Sunny reunites with Alex, who has gathered intelligence about a local war.
  • Alex reassures Sunny that she has made a friend, despite Sunny’s self-doubt.

Character Development

  • Sunny: Demonstrates resourcefulness, patience, and reluctance to kill. Her internal monologue reveals deep insecurity about her social skills and her place in the world. She longs to be taken seriously like Cardinal Zizka but accepts her role as a spy. The chapter ends with a rare moment of vulnerability and hope.
  • Alex: Shows empathy and warmth. She actively tries to be useful by gathering information and sharing food. Her comment “You’ve made one” (a friend) directly counters Sunny’s loneliness, solidifying their bond.
  • Duke Sabbas: Introduced as a cruel and arrogant character who mistreats his horse. He represents the dangerous family Alex is fleeing.
  • The Dane: A werewolf with a keen sense of smell and a threatening demeanor; he nearly captures Sunny but is outwitted.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Spying and Deception: Sunny’s entire approach is based on concealment—hiding her scent, holding her breath, using invisibility. Her sabotage relies on misdirection.
  • Loneliness vs. Friendship: Sunny’s narrative voice repeatedly emphasizes her inability to make friends, while Alex’s persistence and kindness challenge that belief. The chapter’s emotional core is the simple declaration of friendship.
  • Family Conflict: Alex’s cousins, including Sabbas, are trying to kill her to steal her inheritance. This personal war contrasts with the larger political war between the Count of Niksic and the Countess.
  • Survival: Every action Sunny takes is driven by the need to survive and to protect Alex. The mushrooms, horse sabotage, and escape are all calculated risks.

Why This Chapter Matters

  • It advances the immediate plot: the hunters grow closer, but Sunny delays them effectively.
  • It deepens the Sunny-Alex relationship from mere traveling companions to friends, giving both characters emotional stakes.
  • It showcases Sunny’s spy talents in a prolonged action set piece, establishing her as a capable protagonist.
  • It introduces Duke Sabbas as a personal antagonist for Alex and expands the political conflict around the throne of Troy.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. How does Sunny sabotage the mercenaries’ camp, and what are the immediate consequences?
    She cuts the hobbles of the horses so they stampede, adds Nun’s Worries mushrooms to the stew, and shoves a sorceress into the fire. The horses scatter, the sorceress is burned, and the mercenaries must chase the horses and deal with the poisoned stew. This buys Sunny and Alex time to flee.

  2. What does Alex learn from the couple on the cart, and why is it significant?
    Alex learns there is a war between the Count of Niksic and the Countess of an unnamed place, and that Troy lies in the direction they’re heading. This confirms they are on the right path and that the region is unstable, but it also underscores that Alex’s own family conflict mirrors larger political turmoil.

  3. What emotional shift occurs between Sunny and Alex at the end of the chapter?
    Sunny confides that she can never make friends, but Alex responds, “You’ve made one.” This simple declaration transforms their relationship from a reluctant partnership to a genuine friendship, giving Sunny a sense of belonging she has lacked.

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