Last chapter of the Nine, Under the Sea, was largely a matter of opening moves. I had to get Bleys into Rebma, and have various undertakings down there, but those seeds aren’t going to germinate for a bit. Likewise I had to get the royals out of the castle.
There’re a couple aspects I’ve got in mind. First, Benedict has now lost use of both hands. Anyone who counts Benedict out on the mere basis of losing both hands is overconfident to the extreme, but anyone who doesn’t think being behanded is going to affect him is equally overconfident. Benedict’s entire power structure has changed, and the character has noticed.
Secondly, Bleys now doesn’t have a ring. After the madness that fell on him before, he gave both of them up immediately after Gerard walked the other six through the Pattern and broke/weakened/did something to Sauron’s hold on them. But he’s also not being a great guy. There is treachery and gamesmanship afoot, and Bleys is no novice.
Happy reading everyone.
If you want a reply or advice on something, please let me know. I’m not terribly skilled at C&C, and improving that will help me. Receiving C&C may help you, and at the very least, it might alleviate the feeling of sending work out into the void. I know that feeling well. Either way, good luck on your own writing everyone.