The Mircea Conspiracy- Rip it up
Bear with me, this is going to be a long one. It has layers. At the end, I want all of you to poke as many holes in this theory as you can. I don't want to bring KC another bunk theory if I can avoid it.
After rereading bulk of RtW I take back my theory that Mircea knew before the events of RtS. He can't have known for long or he would have used this before now. For example, he would have used it in RtW as leverage for the vampire army he wanted. Especially when he, Marlow, and the Consul wound up in hell in ch34 of RtW. He was beyond pissed there. That was a perfect time and place to trot out his Pritkin = Merlin knowledge. It was a relatively private moment, and most of the people there in the box presumably knew already. So, this must have been a more recent knowledge development. Surely, he wouldn't be so selfish that he saved this for something more personal? This is a world ending war after all.
KC said the hint was there on page but subtle. Thus, it has to be someone or something we’ve seen or dealt with this book. So that said, let me list of Cassie's allies who know Pritkin's identity for sure know and when they found out, and look at their motives and opportunities for keeping quiet or not, just to rule them out.
Rosier: Pritkin's bastard of a demon lord father. He has obviously known Pritkin's identity from the start. He has nothing to gain by letting the world know that Merlin is back. In ETN he did everything in his power to keep the codex out of human hands, he would want the world to know that the writer of the codex was still among the living, no matter what realm he's currently in. The demons don't want the gods back any more than the mages, less so in fact. That leads me to my next person on the list.
Rian: Rian was my first suspect on the list. She's known since time unknown, being a succubus herself. She talks about Pritkin when he first came to hell. She has a strong connection with everyone involved, Cassie, Pritkin, Mircea, and Rosier, and has turned traitor in the past (TtS, ratting out Cassie to Rosier). She mentions trying to find a way to serve both her masters. Reporting to Mircea could be another way of serving him. But, her betrayal of Cassie was before Cassie helped her and Casanova in RtW. It's hard to see her betraying Cassie after that. So, the theory of him paying her off (expensive clothes at the end of the book) just rings hollow at this point. It's still possible, but doesn't seem likely. Plus, she would suffer from the god's return with the other demons (see Rosier above).
Caleb: Caleb has known since HtM. Has Caleb ever met Mircea? He's met some of Cassie's vampires, but never the man himself. He doesn't appear to trust vampires and appears to think the world of both Cassie and Pritkin (even if both are a giant pain in his ass). I simply cannot see him giving up that knowledge without being under an insanely strong compulsion. Even then.
Fred: I've been debating on putting Fred on this list or not, but I think he deserves a spot. He's sneaker and trickier than he initially appears. He figures things out rather quickly it seems and keeps them relatively quiet unless he's throwing questions to Cassie. He walks in on Cassie and Rian's talk during RtS. Cassie was talking about Arthurian Britain. As quick as Fred proved to be in the past, there a good chance he's put it together by now. He knows she's looking for a way to bring Pritkin back (several references in RtW). Also in RtW he agrees with Rico that he likes knowing things the master doesn't so I don't see him ratting her out. Then Mircea didn't put him under in RtW So many he doesn't control Fred that well? Either way, I don't see Fred as giving Cassie/Pritkin up.
Casanova: Casanova has known since at least CbS but it's possible he knew at any time in the past 400 years. He's only 3rd level so it's entirely possible that Mircea pulled this out of him. But, KC said the info was in text just subtle. Casanova wasn't in this novel. He was mentioned in the "vampire prom" scene, but that's it. I'm all for grasping at straws (been doing a lot of that lately) but I just don't see it. Not even a little.
This leaves us with only one person.
Cassie: As much as it pains me to say it, I think Cassie herself gave it away. Cassie and Mircea share three scenes this book, giving her three opportunities to inadvertently give away Pritkin’s identity. The first scene, the battle at Dante’s, she was too busy fighting for Rhea’s life and her own to think about Pritkin. Both she and Mircea were more concerned about healing Rhea and then escaping from the dark mage/Ares. He didn’t get anything from her there. Their second scene, though, in chapter 31 that’s where I think she gives it away. Cassie had shifted to the Consul’s place to see if they had more tears. She passes out. She wakes up in Mircea’s quarters. He lightly heals her and they talk a bit, not much. During that scene, she’s thinking about her half-incubus war mage partner formerly known as Merlin. While she’s thinking all this Mircea is suspiciously quiet and he mentally shuts up the baby vampire who interrupts them. I think he was either picking that up from Cassie, or more likely, she was accidentally saying it out loud.
Cassie has a really bad habit of saying things out loud without meaning to, especially when she is exhausted or distracted or both. She is definitely both in this scene. In RtS she does it with Caleb after she hurt her knee. Later she does inadvertently talks aloud to proto!Rosier after they land in Wales for the first time (KC confirms this when she said that Rosier is the one who asks “which one” when she’s “thinking” about a hot guy on the beach). I’ve found several cases in RtW where she does the same thing. Ch57 talking to baby!Pritkin, taking about Light Fey. Ch23 with Rhea about Agnes, I think she does it there because Rhea answers something that was never directly asked. Again, in chapter ch39 with Rico, too (people will die for you speech)? I’m sure if I dug into the other books more I would find more cases, I’m actually planning on doing that when I have a bit.
What do you guys think? Am I just grasping at straws again? Seeing something that’s not there, like before? Rip it apart. Tell me what I’m missing or making up or just plain wrong about.
@pritkins-little-witch @windsurfingthroughhell @cassiepalmerfan @emberfaye @pritkinsprettydick @chibioniyuri
