#064: This week on A Novel Bunch, we're covering chapters 16–31 of House of Sky and Breath and BUNCHIES... the conspiracy is conspiring, the rebellion is rebellion-ing, and Bryce and Hunt are finally running out of excuses.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

As Bryce and Hunt continue investigating Sofie Renast, Emile, Ophion, and the seemingly endless list of secrets Danika left behind, it becomes clear that Danika was involved in far more dangerous things than anyone realized. Every lead Bryce follows somehow circles back to her best friend, and the deeper she digs, the bigger the mystery becomes.

Meanwhile, Bryce and Hunt spend most of these chapters trying—and failing—to ignore how completely obsessed they are with each other. Between emotional conversations, longing looks, and enough sexual tension to power Crescent City, Hunt begins imagining a future that includes freedom, peace, and Bryce. Naturally, that terrifies him more than battle ever did.

Ruhn's storyline becomes one of our favorites as he continues communicating with the mysterious Agent Daybright. Their mind-bridge conversations somehow manage to be equal parts rebellion planning and flirtation, and we're officially convinced Sarah J. Maas is setting something up here. Ruhn keeps pretending he's chill about Day. He is not chill about Day.

The rebellion plot thickens when Hunt is given the codename Agent Night and begins communicating with rebel contacts through Cormac's crystal. As more information comes to light, Bryce and Hunt start realizing just how deeply the Asteri's control reaches and how many people have suffered because of it.

Things take a wild turn when Ruhn is attacked by Reapers and dragged into the sewers. Bryce races after him only to receive a terrifying message from Apollion himself. The Prince of the Pit tells Bryce to train harder because he wants to face her at her full power someday—and suggests that Emile may be far more important than anyone realizes. Thankfully, Cormac arrives in time to help, and Bryce discovers that the Starsword can do something impossible: kill a Reaper.

Elsewhere, Tharion continues making questionable life choices, the River Queen continues being suspicious, and Danika somehow keeps creating new mysteries from beyond the grave.

And then... it finally happens.

After months of waiting, interruptions, and emotional repression, Bryce and Hunt finally admit they love each other. Hunt reveals no one has said those words to him in over two hundred years, which absolutely destroyed us, and the two decide that if Hunt isn't Bryce's mate, no one is.

By the end of chapter 31, Bryce and Hunt are officially all-in, Ruhn is getting deeper into both the rebellion and his connection with Daybright, and the growing war against the Asteri feels closer than ever. Add in Danika's secrets, missing children, rebel operatives, and a suspicious amount of attention surrounding Emile, and we're left with one conclusion:

Everything is about to get a whole lot messier.

Let's get into it, Bunchies!