I’ve been mulling over this theory for a year and a half but I finally put it into words. I’m likely not the first person to have had this idea!
Spoilers for Fragile Threads of Power below
I think a key detail for the future Threads books is going to be what type of elemental magic (if any) Ren has.
We get two (and a half-ish) clues in TFTOP for what her element will be. Each clue suggesting a different element (or none).
One is Alucard’s direct prediction that she’ll be a wind mage (based on the fact she behaves like a normal four-year-old but I’ll digress).
The half is that Rhy’s worst fear is Ren having no magic like him and V.E. Schwab cannot seem to let Rhy Maresh know peace.
The second (and I think most compelling) piece of evidence is more subtle. It’s the increased inclusion of bone magic in this series compared to the original trilogy. In TFTOP there’s repeated reference to the fact that bone magic is illegal, more than we get in the original trilogy to my recollection (though to be fair this book does repeat some world building details for those using Threads as their jumping off point). We also get a character who is a bone magician (Nero), giving us a shred more insight as to what it’s like to wield an illegal element. The more bone magic referenced means we get Alucard’s confirmation he knows what those threads look like, should Ren manifest them. Given the increased amount of bone magic hasn’t had a clear bearing on the plot yet, I do wonder if it’s priming us to be on the lookout for bone magic elsewhere.
With Ren’s affinity for animals, and bone magic being illegal because it can be used to control a living thing, the juxtaposition there would be so interesting to explore.
More importantly, imagine Ren, showing only an affinity for bone magic, having to be taught to hide her powers. So, in the eyes of the public she would have no element, proving their theory about Rhy and driving the Hand’s political fervor still more.
It would be devastating and, as much as I love this theory, I don’t want to see it fulfilled on-page because it will absolutely break my heart.
That being said, anyone else have any different theories about Ren’s magic?
