Silver Elite: Chapter 14
Aug. 11th, 2025 12:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaWren tries to decide if the open gate with a motorcycle is a trap for her or not. She then gets on the bike and rides away. Unfortunately, another, faster bike gives chase.
I'm shocked that this obvious trap was a trap.
Side note: the swearing in this book is so cringe.
If all your curses are just combinations of modern swears, why even bother, truly. It's yet another element of the book where no one appears to have given it any real thought.
Anyways, it is of course Cross on the bike behind her, and there's a forcefield set up in front of her blocking the way, so she has no choice but to stop or get electrocuted. She still barely stops in time, and gets thrown off the bike for her trouble.
Guys, this book is stupid.
Like, what is Wren doing? Wasn't her plan to escape to fail at everything so she would be cut from the program? And she knows, as she has told us repeatedly, that she really shouldn't draw attention to herself. Because Cross suspects she's lying and told her so to her face. But none of that stuff matters, because all popular romantasy books are just collections of the same five or six tropes reskinned over and over again with meaningless drivel filled in between.
Wren tells Cross she wasn't trying to escape, just going for a ride, but also so what if she was trying to escape, because she already told him she didn't want to be here.
Cross isn't having it--either she stays in the program or she goes back into the "stockade", which is the windowless room she was trapped in earlier. I looked this up and "stockade" does mean military prison, so okay.
We then get this:
I'm not really sure how Wren having to prostitute herself out to survive is her getting infected with her enemy's morality. What does she mean here? The ends justify the means is a phrase usually used when the means are something horrible but the ends are like, the greater good. Wren's just trying to survive here.
Anyways, she tries to do it and Cross accepts, but she backs down last minute. There's more banter. Wren tells us for the millionth time that she is attracted to Cross and doesn't like it. Maybe imagine your dead uncle for a bit and see what that does for your libido, Wren. Seriously, it is worth noting that Wren never thinks about Julian--she specifically thinks about Wolf and Tana in this scene, who are both still alive.
This is like in Fourth Wing when Violet would obsess over how dangerous Xaden was but never thought about her brother being dead because of him, because that would have created an actual obstacle to their romance. Yay.
Next scene.
Cross and another officer show up to wake everyone in the barracks up early. He tells them that because Wren tried to run off, they all have to run laps until sunrise and anyone who stops running gets cut from the program. So now everyone hates her.
Yeah, okay, Wren. I'll believe it when I see it.
I'm shocked that this obvious trap was a trap.
Side note: the swearing in this book is so cringe.
“Hellfuck!” I shout into the wind.
If all your curses are just combinations of modern swears, why even bother, truly. It's yet another element of the book where no one appears to have given it any real thought.
Anyways, it is of course Cross on the bike behind her, and there's a forcefield set up in front of her blocking the way, so she has no choice but to stop or get electrocuted. She still barely stops in time, and gets thrown off the bike for her trouble.
Cross steps closer. His dark hair is windblown, and he runs his fingers through it, drawing my attention to his inked arm. He has the kind of tattoos you need to study in detail. From far away, they appear like meaningless swirls and spirals, but standing this close to him, I realize I’m looking at wings and flames, with tiny lines of text weaving through the designs. I resent the curiosity they evoke.
This is General Redden’s son.
I shouldn’t care what his ink means.
I shouldn’t notice how dangerous it makes him look.
I shouldn’t find that danger embarrassingly sexy.
Guys, this book is stupid.
Like, what is Wren doing? Wasn't her plan to escape to fail at everything so she would be cut from the program? And she knows, as she has told us repeatedly, that she really shouldn't draw attention to herself. Because Cross suspects she's lying and told her so to her face. But none of that stuff matters, because all popular romantasy books are just collections of the same five or six tropes reskinned over and over again with meaningless drivel filled in between.
Wren tells Cross she wasn't trying to escape, just going for a ride, but also so what if she was trying to escape, because she already told him she didn't want to be here.
Cross isn't having it--either she stays in the program or she goes back into the "stockade", which is the windowless room she was trapped in earlier. I looked this up and "stockade" does mean military prison, so okay.
We then get this:
I gulp hard, the reality of my situation sinking in. “There has to be a way for us to reach some sort of agreement.” I study him for a long moment. “There must be something I can do to convince you to send me home.”
I don’t miss the way his eyes flare with heat. At least I think it’s heat. Could also be irritation. Revulsion.
But if that was heat…
I swallow again, this time to bring moisture to my suddenly dry mouth. I could do it. There’s no reason why I can’t. In fact, it would be easy to let myself become infected by the twisted morality that governs our world, where the ends always justify the means, no matter the cost.
I'm not really sure how Wren having to prostitute herself out to survive is her getting infected with her enemy's morality. What does she mean here? The ends justify the means is a phrase usually used when the means are something horrible but the ends are like, the greater good. Wren's just trying to survive here.
Anyways, she tries to do it and Cross accepts, but she backs down last minute. There's more banter. Wren tells us for the millionth time that she is attracted to Cross and doesn't like it. Maybe imagine your dead uncle for a bit and see what that does for your libido, Wren. Seriously, it is worth noting that Wren never thinks about Julian--she specifically thinks about Wolf and Tana in this scene, who are both still alive.
This is like in Fourth Wing when Violet would obsess over how dangerous Xaden was but never thought about her brother being dead because of him, because that would have created an actual obstacle to their romance. Yay.
Next scene.
Cross and another officer show up to wake everyone in the barracks up early. He tells them that because Wren tried to run off, they all have to run laps until sunrise and anyone who stops running gets cut from the program. So now everyone hates her.
No. I won’t be attempting another escape. There’s no room for reckless Wren anymore. I need to be more restrained going forward. If I run, it can’t be a spur-of-the-moment decision like tonight’s haphazard move. It needs to be planned. Methodical.
It’s time to play it smart.
Yeah, okay, Wren. I'll believe it when I see it.
