We finally arrive at Lienid, and Katsa gets her first glimps of the very pretty and perfect island where all the perfect people in this novel come from.  (Seriously, is Lienid supposed to be some mythical fairy land?)  And the domes and turrets of the structure that rose above the others and sprawled across the…

Katsa’s first view of the sea was like her first view of the mountains, though mountains and sea were nothing like each other. Well.  That was helpful. Katsa and Bitterblue make it to the port city and start slinking around the docks, trying to pick out a ship to approach without being recognized in the…

And it was the wolves and cats that always appeared so suddenly, spitting and roaring, tearing toward them across rock. First of all, while cougars are ambush hunters, wolves are pack hunters and should not be behaving like this. Second of all, WHERE ARE ALL THESE APEX PREDATORS COMING FROM AND WHAT ARE THEY EATING?…

In the pink of dawn they stumbled upon a small cabin with little to offer except its shell; […] Broken shutters and a cold fireplace. A blanket of dust on the rough wooden floor, on the table and the bed, on the cabinet that leaned on three lopsided legs with its door hanging open crookedly.…

Early the next morning, Po leaves for his assassination mission.  Before he goes, he gives Katsa one of his rings and claims she can use it to insist on passage back to Leinid and entrance to his castle to hide Bitterblue there.  All based on a ring.  You know, those very easily stealable bits of…