ToP Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six: Clouded River

Meliu and Ivin Choerkin, aboard the Archer’s Eye to escape Bdein’s deadly pestilence, face betrayal from Loduma Ar-Bdein, a disgraced noble seeking to reclaim his status. Meliu, haunted by guilt over possibly unleashing the disease, struggles with nausea and her conflicting feelings for Ivin, impulsively kissing him before stepping onto the deck. There, she encounters a caged Ilu-Silvstro, a humanoid lion-like creature, and is ambushed by Loduma’s crew. Loduma reveals he recognized Meliu as a Silone priestess and virgin, whose actions in a tower caused madness and death, making her valuable to Thonian priests. Forcing Ivin into the Ilu-Silvstro’s cage for deadly entertainment, Loduma is surprised when Ivin, refusing to fight, bonds with the creature, Nostrolum, sharing raw meat and earning mutual respect. Meanwhile, Meliu, bound and drugged with a substance blocking her prayers, is held in Loduma’s lavish cabin. Loduma confesses his survivalist betrayal of his uncle and plans to sell Meliu for gold and favor, dismissing her offer to aid his ambitions. Despite her failed attempts to summon divine power, Meliu resolves to kill Loduma when the opportunity arises, while Ivin’s unexpected alliance with Nostrolum hints at a potential escape. The chapter weaves themes of deception, survival, and moral ambiguity against the backdrop of a treacherous river journey and a city’s looming plague.

• ToP Chapter 35 — Shower of Stars
• ToP Chapter 37 — Spilling Shadows
• Trail of Pyres - Main Chapter Listing