'The Ivory Key' Book Club Readalong Day 4!

Welcome back to the fourth day of our book club read-along for OwlCrate's January book, The Ivory Key!

Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for Chapters 21-26 of The Ivory Key, so make sure you read are finished this section 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 #OCTheIvoryKey for another chance to win!

The story continues...

Chapter 21:
Ronak

Ronak receives a note from Riya to meet so she can give him the dagger. Predictably she is late and Ronak is now stuck at a party with Preethi who offers him a deal - get married, she take his seat on the Council, and he go on living life as he likes. He promises to think about it. When Riya shows up the exchange the dagger and necklace. The dagger, Ronak quickly discovers, no longer contains the map piece.

Jay and Ronak again meet Ekta, and she has a new deal for them. They are to return the one map piece they have and join the maharani on the search for the Ivory Key, and when they find it, they are to give it to her, or else something terrible might just happen to Kaleb.

Chapter 22:
Riya

Riya descends into the quarry using the protective gear to prevent the magic from making her sick. Inside she finds the employment ledgers of the mayakas, and to her surprise there are currently only eight, as opposed to the hundreds of her childhood. She delves deeper in the quarry and is shocked to find no magic at all. She overhears two mayakas in another chamber, sitting idle, discussing the fact that there is no magic left.

Confronting Vira, Riya expected push back, but in the end comes to realize that Vira really does think what she’s doing is best. Vira implores her to join her on her mission to find the Ivory Key, and more magic. Riya begins to doubt the Ravens’ mission, even briefly discussing it with Varun.

Chapter 23:
Kaleb

Kaleb finally is able to solve the cipher. It says: inside the dwaramatha. To his delight Riya finally comes to visit him and they trade stories of what has happened since her departure years earlier. 

Chapter 24:
Vira

The dwaramatha is leading them to an old monastery in the woods. Riya has agreed to help and leads the way with Vira and Amrit. They find the monastery and need to solve a puzzle to get inside, but luckily the games their father made them play as children has prepared them. Once inside Amrit finds a tile that is different from the others, having the symbol of the Kamala Society. Pressing her palm to it, Vira is able to open the tile to reveal an old journal and a mirror with an inscription that says “May this always remind you of your greatest treasure. -N”

Vira reveals to Riya that the final piece of the map that was once in the library is now missing and Riya realizes who must have it.

Chapter 25:
Kaleb

Finally freed, Kaleb is led to his old rooms followed by stares and whispers. He will still need to plead for his official pardon before the Council, but for now he’s no longer imprisoned. He goes to Ronak’s rooms, finding him gone and reminisces with himself about all the stories Ronak used to tell him. Picking up a book he discovers it’s hollowed out, containing plans to break him out of prison as well has a piece of the map to the Ivory Key. Ronak returns, and Kaleb confronts him about the plans. It is then Vira angrily storms in.

Chapter 26:
Vira

All the siblings, and Amrit, now stand in the same room as Ronak gives up his piece of the map with little fanfare. They arrange the pieces and discover that the Ivory Key is in a temple in mercenary territory. In the reflection of the mirror they had found, the back of the map has the words “When the equinox sun sets, the mirror will illuminate your path.” and “The only way out is through.” It also turns out that the journal they found seems to be written by someone who know the first maharani, Savitri. They agree that they will all go on the journey as the equinox is in 11 days, and Vira will arrange it with the Council.

Three days later Vira exhaustedly returns to her rooms after dealing with all the arrangements for the upcoming engagement ceremony. She finds Amrit on the balcony. When she suggests they bring Surya with them Amrit refuses, saying he knows he is able to protect them in mercenary territory without Surya, but he won’t reveal anything else.

Questions:

1. Why do you think Amrit is so confident he can get them through mercenary territory?
2. Who do you think 'N' is, and what do you think think the 'treasure' mentioned could be?
3. Do you think Surya will join them on their hunt? What about Jay and Varun? Do you think the Council will let Kaleb leave before being officially pardoned?
4. Do you think the journal will provide and valuable information? What do you think Kaleb will find?

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