Serpentine 11/65
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Serpentine: Chapter 11
In Which Anita Has The Emotional Range Of A Teaspoon
This chapter consists of one long session of walking and talking, only without the walking. We, that is I, are introduced to a pair of werelion bodyguards Nathaniel specifically requests so he can parade them like, “trophies of victory like slaves brought back after a war.” (p.88) Rodina (sister) and Ru (brother) are Brides that Anita acquired in the previous book Crimson Death. I did not read that one, so they are new characters to me, but from what I've read so far Rodina is a saucy bitch and I love her.
Both brother and sister wear bodyguard black with matching eyeliner, or “guy-liner”. Because they are both shorter than Anita the combo makes them look like a pair of teenage goths. When Anita commented on this they told her they were from Wales, and Ru proves he is a bit of a history buff while Anita is not. She apparently hates history.
There is a bit of Nathaniel/Rodina going on with creepy underage imagery, and Anita gets pissed because she doesn't get why Nathaniel likes being around them when they symbolize her utter failure as a person. Like Nicky, R&R are compelled to make Anita happy, but Rodina says fuck you to the mind fuckery and powers through it to keep cuddling Nathaniel. I'm pretty sure Nathaniel is doing it because he's a Grade-A douche who likes making Anita jelly despite the poly, and Rodina is doing it because she knows it pisses Anita off and that is the only revenge she can get for her other brother's death.
Yeah, R&R used to have another brother called Rodrigo. Hamilton has the worst naming schemes.
Being the raging bitch she is, Anita points out that it is the dead Rodrigo's fault they are Brides and how obvious the deep bonds that the siblings shared was and that she doesn't care. After all, Anita's mental anguish over what could have happened is much more relevant than what actually did.
All these lion people in the room causes Anita's inner beast to get fussy and we learn, in Anita's own words, that she has no soul of own:
”I saw the place where they lived inside me as darkness, the darkness at the center of me, like a well, but the moment I “looked” at it, the darkness became hints of jungle and trees, and there was ground for the beasts to stand on, for me to stand on.” (p.93)
Anita-Sue then breaks all metaphysical limits by using the power she inherited from the MoAD to tell everyone how horny her inner lioness is. There is a male lion on inside her which is supposed to be impossible, but apparently not, and Anita is confused. The lioness is confused. I am confused.
Following this we get another argument over wordplay as Anita insists she isn't an Evil Queen and the power of the Mother of All Darkness now works like a Dresden-Verse mantle to be inherited by the nearest compatible vessel. Which happens to be Anita. More issues with magic vs. psychic ability and I really, really wish LKH would sit us down and explain what the law defines as magic because I have no clue. I used to think it was tool use, but Anita uses tools when she does her animating gig but still refers to her necromancy as a psychic ability. So who fucking knows.
We get another argument about Anita not being a whore despite her sex life because God said so. I hate this sidebar, because it was unnecessary and had nothing to do with the good/evil discussion Rodina and Ru were having. It is ANITA who brings up her questionable sex life and forces herself into the center of attention.
I feel so sorry for Ru. He is a sweet summer child and doesn't realize the steaming hot mess he's stuck with. He makes valid points about choosing to do good making someone good, not nature or power, but hasn't yet learned that Anita does all the bad things for all the selfish reasons.
The chapter ends Rodina laying down a sick, sick burn and Anita swallowing crow as Nathaniel insists on seeing the confidential snake shifter pictures before they go see Melanie the Lamia. Why is she constantly referred to as 'the Lamia'? No one calls Nathaniel the Wereleopard, or Nicky the Rex/Wereleopard. Jean-Claude may be the Master of the City but no one says Jean-Claude the Vampire.
Whatever.
Micah agrees to “break confidence” (p.101) and show Nathaniel the pictures but not Edward, because Micah is an arbitrary dick bag and I wouldn't trust him with a cactus let alone a generations held secret.
Serpentine: Chapter 11
In Which Anita Has The Emotional Range Of A Teaspoon
This chapter consists of one long session of walking and talking, only without the walking. We, that is I, are introduced to a pair of werelion bodyguards Nathaniel specifically requests so he can parade them like, “trophies of victory like slaves brought back after a war.” (p.88) Rodina (sister) and Ru (brother) are Brides that Anita acquired in the previous book Crimson Death. I did not read that one, so they are new characters to me, but from what I've read so far Rodina is a saucy bitch and I love her.
Both brother and sister wear bodyguard black with matching eyeliner, or “guy-liner”. Because they are both shorter than Anita the combo makes them look like a pair of teenage goths. When Anita commented on this they told her they were from Wales, and Ru proves he is a bit of a history buff while Anita is not. She apparently hates history.
There is a bit of Nathaniel/Rodina going on with creepy underage imagery, and Anita gets pissed because she doesn't get why Nathaniel likes being around them when they symbolize her utter failure as a person. Like Nicky, R&R are compelled to make Anita happy, but Rodina says fuck you to the mind fuckery and powers through it to keep cuddling Nathaniel. I'm pretty sure Nathaniel is doing it because he's a Grade-A douche who likes making Anita jelly despite the poly, and Rodina is doing it because she knows it pisses Anita off and that is the only revenge she can get for her other brother's death.
Yeah, R&R used to have another brother called Rodrigo. Hamilton has the worst naming schemes.
Being the raging bitch she is, Anita points out that it is the dead Rodrigo's fault they are Brides and how obvious the deep bonds that the siblings shared was and that she doesn't care. After all, Anita's mental anguish over what could have happened is much more relevant than what actually did.
All these lion people in the room causes Anita's inner beast to get fussy and we learn, in Anita's own words, that she has no soul of own:
”I saw the place where they lived inside me as darkness, the darkness at the center of me, like a well, but the moment I “looked” at it, the darkness became hints of jungle and trees, and there was ground for the beasts to stand on, for me to stand on.” (p.93)
Anita-Sue then breaks all metaphysical limits by using the power she inherited from the MoAD to tell everyone how horny her inner lioness is. There is a male lion on inside her which is supposed to be impossible, but apparently not, and Anita is confused. The lioness is confused. I am confused.
Following this we get another argument over wordplay as Anita insists she isn't an Evil Queen and the power of the Mother of All Darkness now works like a Dresden-Verse mantle to be inherited by the nearest compatible vessel. Which happens to be Anita. More issues with magic vs. psychic ability and I really, really wish LKH would sit us down and explain what the law defines as magic because I have no clue. I used to think it was tool use, but Anita uses tools when she does her animating gig but still refers to her necromancy as a psychic ability. So who fucking knows.
We get another argument about Anita not being a whore despite her sex life because God said so. I hate this sidebar, because it was unnecessary and had nothing to do with the good/evil discussion Rodina and Ru were having. It is ANITA who brings up her questionable sex life and forces herself into the center of attention.
I feel so sorry for Ru. He is a sweet summer child and doesn't realize the steaming hot mess he's stuck with. He makes valid points about choosing to do good making someone good, not nature or power, but hasn't yet learned that Anita does all the bad things for all the selfish reasons.
The chapter ends Rodina laying down a sick, sick burn and Anita swallowing crow as Nathaniel insists on seeing the confidential snake shifter pictures before they go see Melanie the Lamia. Why is she constantly referred to as 'the Lamia'? No one calls Nathaniel the Wereleopard, or Nicky the Rex/Wereleopard. Jean-Claude may be the Master of the City but no one says Jean-Claude the Vampire.
Whatever.
Micah agrees to “break confidence” (p.101) and show Nathaniel the pictures but not Edward, because Micah is an arbitrary dick bag and I wouldn't trust him with a cactus let alone a generations held secret.