Welcome back to the final day of our book club readalong for OwlCrate's June book, Together We Burn!
Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for Chapters 32-End of Together We Burn, so make sure you read are finished before continuing.
Discussion questions are listed below, and anyone who participates in the comments will be entered to win a free OwlCrate box! Don't forget, you can also post about the readalong on Instagram with the hashtag #OCTogetherWeBurn for another chance to win! Winners will be selected on Wednesday, August 3rd.
The story concludes...
Chapter 31:
They situate Zarela’s father back in his room - it is deemed he did too much too soon and has relapsed from his injuries. He tells her that he didn’t feel like he should be the one to have told her about who Arturo was, and although he hates him, he wouldn’t hold it against her if she chose to forgive him.
Back in her room Zarela hears scratching on her balcony only to find Arturo climbing the wall. He had come in hopes of slipping a letter under her door. Instead she invites him inside, and after his apology, she decides to forgive him. In the morning Arturo bids her to go find her father, who is already recovering well.
Zarela rides to Tío Hector’s place, and tries to convince him to forgive her father, and her, for not telling him about Arturo. She agrees to eat breakfast before they leave, but as they stand up Hector tells her that he has drugged her food and she blacks out.
Upon waking Hector reveals that it has been him sabotaging La Giralda the entire time. Long before, Zarela’s mother was his partner, but she broke off the engagement to be with Santiago. All this time he has viewed Zarela as the daughter he was supposed to have, and he has done everything in his power to make that true. After her mother died Hector took matters into his own hands, because if Zarela’s father were also to die, he would become her legal guardian, and all her assets would be his as well. He has sent a tincture to La Giralda that will kill her father. Once Zarela is his, Hector plans to keep her safe in his household, no more risks, until she marries a suitable partner.
Chapter 32:
Zarela tries to make an escape once Hector has left, but is once again tied up. She manages to shimmy the chair close to the window when she’s alone, and through it makes eye contact with Arturo, who motions her to wait, like he will come for her. After some time Hector returns to take Zarela to a carriage that will take her to one of his estates, and although she puts up a fight, she is eventually corralled inside.
Chapter 33:
The carriage is well guarded, and they take her a route that isn’t well populated, but after not too long Zarela hears yelling - it’s Lola with a plot to distract some of the guards. Arturo appears on Roja’s back, and Zarela is freed. Sadly it is too late to save her father. Hector has already poisoned him. But it may not be too late for the event that evening. She changes into the new Dragonador outfit that Lola, with the help of Guillermo, created for her, and they fly back to Santivilla.
Chapter 34:
They arrive, landing back in the middle of La Giralda, jumping off Roja’s back. Hector comes out from the tunnel, wanting to fight the dragon, but instead Zarela gets between them. Guillermo produces a guitar for Arturo, and he starts to play. Zarela dances one of her mother’s routines, and Roja joins in, dancing alongside her. When at long last the dance end, the crowd erupts with joy.
Zarela tells Don Eduardo, in front of the crowd, what Hector has done, and although Hector protests, Don Eduardo dispels him from the Gremio, to be held in prison until his trial. It is also agreed by a unanimous vote that La Giralda should remain in Zarela’s family, and that they remain members of the Gremio. He also grants her permission to dance with, not fight, dragons.
Epilogue:
It’s a few months later - Zarela is telling the grave of her father about their lives. La Giralda is doing well, Zarela’s performances with the dragons are well attended. Lola is hoping to open her own establishment, and Arturo is working towards having a dragon ranch of his own.
Questions:
- That's the book! First of all, did you enjoy the read?
- What did you think of the ending? Did you predict Hector to be the villain?
- Together We Burn is a standalone - would like like to revisit this world?
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