Re: Chapter Sixteen - The Coronation

Notes from Iterant Point Re: Chapter Sixteen – The Coronation (and the Epilogue)

This is the last chapter of the book, so this is the last Spoiler Warning! All the twists and reveals will be talked about in this post, so if you haven’t finished the book, and you want to experience them fresh and without any pre-conceptions, this is your final final warning!

This is it. The last chapter of Book 1. It’s an odd feeling to come to the end of the book again. I could probably say something about every page of the book, and yet I also feel like I will have said everything I need to have said after today. While there’s a great temptation to nitpick all the things I wish I could have done better, when all is said and done, I really am very proud of this book, and am very happy with how it turned out.

I’ve mentioned before that there were several scenes that I wanted in this book before I even had the plot totally ironed out. One of them was the opening scene of this chapter. A nighttime event, Kennedy working as security while Sophia was in the spotlight, and Kennedy having to jump into action as an attack unfolds. I like the levity of Dark Eye bantering from a distance, especially. After everything dropped on our heroes, they (and we) need a break. I also just like the dynamic of feeling like you can hang out with the main characters of a work. I like scenes where characters rib each other and chill. We get a taste of that here.

Not much to add to the action scene itself, but there’s plenty to cover with Sainne’s “chat” with Kennedy as they run up the tower. Again, another image that I wanted from the beginning. As for it’s presence in the final product, I think it’s interesting to consider Sainne’s intentions. After all, he trapped Kennedy in an arena and basically spelled out his plans. If those are his plans. Can we trust his words? Or were they chosen for their effect on Kennedy? Is that why he trapped him in that loop?

Skip this paragraph if you prefer to speculate. Otherwise, to find the answer, I would point you towards what he said to Kennedy after the arena broke: “How about we help you feel closer to sweet Sophia?” Or in other words, he was planning to do to Kennedy what he had nearly done to Sophia. Minus his synapse slicer, but plus that Talhesian torture device. In short, torment Kennedy and alter his mind in such a way that Kennedy would disrupt the situation on Aechyr. So Sainne certainly wanted him to escape, but not so soon. His big speech was basically priming Kennedy before he could get a chance to really drive it home with more complete programming. As for how much of Sainne’s speech was the truth and how much was bluster? Let’s just say that the best lies contain a kernel of truth and leave it at that.

Which brings us to Kennedy’s reunion with Sophia. We see immediately that the upper echelons of Aechyr’s government are indeed fractured, and the situation on the island hasn’t entirely settled yet. We also get another glimpse of Sophia’s ability to handle herself in these stressful and complicated situations. Despite Kennedy’s fears, she is capable of holding her ground instead of steering the government towards disaster. At least she is now, after having escaped Sainne’s clutches twice. Maybe Kennedy really does need to trust her.

His little outburst does then lead us to, of all things, Quincy. Yes, I had alluded to Quincy being written into the plot for more reasons than merely being a red herring, and finally we get to it. Quincy being clipped by the Enigma leads to Sophia’s mistrust of Kennedy. Kennedy’s story is naturally unbelievable, and so when he starts interjecting into her business, Sophia wonders why. Just what is his investment anyway? And the natural conclusion is obvious: a secret agent placed alongside her at school who protects her would have to be Royal Guard. Because that’s exactly what had happened with Quincy. But she doesn’t exist anymore.

Add on top of that Sophia’s past history with the crown and the institutions of Aechyr, and you get a very powerful emotional reaction from her. Emotional, but not irrational, mind you. It’s a very natural conclusion given the facts in front of her.

But speaking of Quincy getting clipped, there’s another side to that story too, isn’t there? The enigma’s side. Why was there an enigma at the basilica? Well, because the entire island of Aechyr is an enormous time gate complex. It’s all arcane tech. And that’s the final piece of the puzzle. Aechyr is a critical piece in the Eternal War all on its own. So, from a plot perspective, adding and removing Quincy from the story accomplished several goals. She served as a red herring, was a natural addition given that the Guard would be keeping an eye on Sophia, justified the final falling out between Kennedy and Sophia, and foreshadowed the truth about Aechyr. As I’ve said before, it was an important goal of mine to make sure every plot element served multiple purposes. I think I’ve accomplished that, if I do say so myself.

Lastly, there’s the brief epilogue. Commander Fia Florentine’s conversation with the Hawk hints at more reasons why Kennedy is being kept around. But that particular bit of foreshadowing will have to wait a while to be discussed. As for the next book, well, it will pick up immediately after the epilogue, but with a twist.

Book 2 will have a shift in perspective. While Kennedy is still around, he’s in a bit of a time out. Instead, Book 2 will be told from Blake’s perspective as they head below the waves and into dangerous waters. A new Anarakian leader, a new timeline, and new dangers await Dark Eye Squadron in the next installment of the Time Gate saga: Deception in the Depths!

For updates on the progress of that story, sign up to the newsletter here: www.evanjkuder.com/signup

Each month, you’ll get a little update as well as a new short story or other bonus content related to the Time Gate universe! There’s plenty to dive into, so I hope to see you there!