We’re back between realms for Part 2 of The Assassin’s Blade, continuing our journey through the third instalment in our Throne of Glass reading order.

After covering the first three novellas in Episode 3, this episode dives into the second half of the book:

The Assassin and the Underworld
The Assassin and the Empire

We recap the final two stories in Celaena’s prequel collection, unpacking the schemes, betrayals, relationships, and devastating choices that shape her before the events of Throne of Glass.

This episode gets into some of the biggest character and relationship developments so far, including Celaena’s complicated and deeply troubling relationship with Arobynn, Sam’s behaviour and emotional impact, the power dynamics at play, and the moments that completely change how we understand Celaena’s past.

Alongside the recap, we discuss key themes from the second half of the book, squeeze in some lore deep-dives, and bring back our Favourite Lines from the Book segment to share the quotes that hurt us, stayed with us, or made us immediately need to pause and recover.

Expect betrayal, heartbreak, questionable decisions, emotional spirals, character analysis, and plenty of strong opinions as we close out The Assassin’s Blade.

So grab your favourite drink, settle into your reading nook, and join us as we revisit the stories that reveal exactly what Celaena lost before she ever stepped foot in Endovier.

Spoiler Warning: This episode contains spoilers for The Assassin’s Blade, including The Assassin and the Underworld and The Assassin and the Empire. We may also reference events from Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, but no spoilers beyond this point in our reading journey.