"When you have recovered, and you are ready, come to me. I'll be waiting."
- Sicarius to Amaranthe in Blood and Betrayal. !!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEE! I may or may not have screamed.
OK, reading about Amaranthe's torture was horrible but so far B&B is my favorite book in the series (I am about halfway through). Because:
* We learn more about Maldynado. I think he is my favorite non-Amaranthe POV. He also reminds me a bit of Budjold's Ivan, only with a much more homicidal family.
* We learn about Sicarius' 'childhood' - I use the quotes because I don't think any sane person would qualify it as childhood. It explains pretty much everything about him and the only shock is he is still capable of caring for Sespian and Amaranthe. I love that while he would win 'worst childhood ever' awards hands down in any Universe, he's incredibly pragmatic in a 'past can't be changed so no point in worrying about it, should deal with the future.' It's worth noting that while he killed the three men responsible for him being an assassin and his childhood, none of it was for revenge - I mean, who knows why he killed Raumesis (though with his pattern, probably to protect Sespian), but he only went after Hollowcrest after he harmed Sespian, and he only went after Pike after he hurt Amaranthe. That whole scene btw, where Amaranthe tells him she is surprised he killed Pike quickly without making him suffer, seeing what Pike put him through when he was a child, and Sicarius says he wanted to make it slower for what Pike did to Amaranthe but didn't because he thought Amaranthe wouldn't like it - that just might be the most romantic thing ever! I loved that he only wanted to torture Pike for the hurt to Amaranthe, not to himself! And that he refrained because she wouldn't like it! And that she actually might have liked it, because she is not saintly and after her suffering she wanted some pay back.
* Amaranthe/Sicarius OMFG OMFG best thing ever! He rescues her! Tracking her for a week! And leaving Sespian (!!!!!!!) to do so! And doesn't kill anyone except for Pike because she wouldn't like it! And goes into a rage when he sees what Pike did but doesn't torture him (see above) and opens up to Amaranthe and actually talks about his past and his feelings (and OMFG he says he is sorry and also tries to explain why he went assassinating Forge members and is worried she won't like him any more clearly) and he hugs her! And carries her! And tells her he won't step aside for Sespian! And and and and!!! It's pretty clear that Amaranthe is the first person in his life who wanted to make him happy and who cared for him unconditionally - I think he finally drops all his barriers here (well, as much as Sicarius can) because she proves it here - she's seen him kill 30 Forge members, something she disapproves of utterly, and she still loves him. She was captured and tortured to protect his secret and she still loves him. But I think there is also the whole 'they both got tortured by Pike so she knows how it feels' a bit of - in there. In a way, he can let down some of his guard because she's been there.
Anyway, I am addicted. Off to read more.
Also, I cannot remember the last time I got so excited about an OTP interlacing their fingers - these books have turned me into a lunatic.