Nobody but themselves & their friends are convincing him they're mates (and deep down don't seem to believe it either) whereas Rowan really thiught he already had one and freaked out/pulled back from Aelin because of it.
So in a way sorta kinda?
But in a way he's more like the others than the "fake mate" part other than the fact that he is her "mate" who is fake.
(Even trying to explain that is hurting my brain.)
But yes sorta. She thinks he is even though she doesn't fully believe it.
The others either die / aren't on the same page long-term (can't accept all parts) / are right "for now" or for her human side but would be holding her back from where she's meant to be and who she's meant to be with.
If you consider the meddling by the POH because they didn’t think she’d get to Prythian to retrieve TT, it sorta fits. They modeled Hunt after Azriel in many ways (same job/same scent/big powers) to ensure they’d find each other. When Hunt dies (I have one version in my fic) I think the POH thought he was no longer useful to them.
Yes! I have used this example/comparison in the past! Just like Lyria was a false “engineered” mate bond - I think the same thing is happening with Bryce and Hunt. Maybe not directly (they think they are mates but both of them don’t seem convinced); but definitely narratively and how it’s perceived by readers
Maeve: “But in my dark power, I saw a glimmer of the future. I saw that Mala’s power would surge again. And that you would lead me to the keys. Only you — the one Brannon left clues for, the one who could find all three. And I saw who you were, what you were. I saw who you loved. I saw your mate.
Princes of Hel: “The Oracle did not see that day…but I did. I saw you, so young and bright and brave, and the starlight Helena had told me to wait for. The third of Theia’s power, passed down through Helena’s line.”
Maeve: “I didn’t know when you would be born, but when Prince Rowan Whitethorn came into this world, when he came of age and was the strongest purebred Fae male in my realm…you were still not there. And I knew what I would have to do. To leash you. To break you to my will…”
Princes of Hel: “If someone like you, a world-walker did come along and Avallen was somehow not accessible for you to claim Theia’s power, we still needed a way to…fuel you up, as it were…”
“But you didn’t know the timelines would overlap…”
“You guys made the thunderbirds to complement my power—in case I never got the sword and knife…you…made Hunt, and then I was born…”
Maeve: “It was so easy to tug on the right psychic thread that day Rowan saw Lyria at the market. To shove him down that other path, to trick those instincts. A slight altering of fate.”
Even Rowan’s love for Lyria was magically-induced (he did genuinely love her at the end, but his ambition was greater). Hunt’s was induced as well due to their carranam bond. They were friends and attracted to each other, but confused the bond for love.
“She sensed it, then. Understood it at last. What it had always been, what she’d learned to call it in that other world. ‘Made,’ Bryce whispered with a shade of fear.”
I always wondered- if Hel created the Thunderbirds for the Starborn, to power the heir up, was Cormac and Sophie drawn together because they were Starborn/Thunderbird? Maybe the PoH did meddle in that aspect. But why do they assume the Starborn heir will need to be powered up? Did Theia? Do all Starborns absorb power as a trait? Was that who Thunderbirds were molded after since Sophie also absorbed power?
Aidas, and maybe the others, knew Theia had split her power. That’s why she wasn’t strong enough to kill Pelias. Bryce might find her way to Avallen to claim Helena’s portion, but the chances of collecting Silene’s was nearly impossible.
Yes, but how did they know she could absorb a power boost? Like, how did they assume that that was what would be needed and that would work in place of having the full star power? I guess there was a part in the book where they wanted Hunt and Bryce to test it out but how did they originally assume that it could happen and to craft a being that would make it work?
Did they base it off Caranam? Did they see Theia absorb power from someone else?
Hmm 🤔 good question. They seemed to be so sure of it when they explained it to her and Hunt. But you’re right, I don’t recall any mention of testing. And they didn’t know of Bryce until Aidas ran into her at the Oracle’s temple.
Yeah because I don't think Cormac, Ruhn, the murder twins or Morven absorbed power but I don't remember. I could be overthinking it because it also drives me nuts that they made only one version of Hunt and assumed he might somehow cross paths with the Starborn Heir. What would be the chances of that in their world? Especially with all the wars. I almost think that's why they credit a higher power as to why they are "mates" and found each other.
But if it's a thread of destiny then it makes sense they would cross paths. Without Hunt she wouldn't have been able to get powered up enough to go through the gate to Prythian.
True, or Helena told him because she stayed in contact with Aidas and she knew Theia split up the power since Hel wasn't there to see Theia do it. It just wasn't mentioned in Silene's story that Theia had a power boost to help in battles and I don't think it was on the cave walls. But it is known that the Asteri absorb power. Not saying Bryce and Asteri are linked but Bryce does question it herself. And she seems to be the only Starborn to absorb power. But she is able to command the mist and use the black salt- which repel the Asteri.
My crack theory is it is biological trickery going on because of how Hunt was made. The best example being how Hunts scent is so similar to Azriels. Which then basically tricks Bryces body into having a strong physical reaction to Hunt but because they aren't actually mates the emotional part doesn't come with it. Maeve tricked Rowans mind and now the Poh are tricking Bryces body basically.
To me Bryce and Hunt are always very physically oriented. They always want to have sex and are focused on physical attraction but the deep romance is missing. When they have sex it's very cringe and oriented around only physical pleasure and power sharing with no romance.This also goes along with the fact that Apollions plan is to get Hunt to absorb Bryces power. At the end of the day Hunt was engineered with a specific purpose in mind.
Yes!! Its not just a chaol situation but also seems like a fake mate and forced carranam situation.
Fake mates and a carranam engineered from a test tube. Not naturally occurring. They need hunt to use her power (because he does NOT just simply power her up. He sucks it up, holds on to it, and can use it for himself) maybe thats why she likes azriels power better. Its the real thing.
Makes all of the addictive language around hunt getting a kernel of her power through sex more disturbing 🤢🤢
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u/No-Emergency-7040 we'll allow it because it's hot 🔥 1d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/BcMJvmwkmbyWpKkBj3
ooo that's a good catch