Team Christian Vs Team Ryodan?

We've made it to BURNED release day. AND WE COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED! We have literally been counting the days since ICED. We were all sour and grumpy (and maybe a little weepy) when we found out the next book kept being postponed. (We love Karen, so much. And totally understood her reasons. We're just impatient Wenches!) But at last, it's here!!! 

SO.FUCKING.READY!

So, in our attempt to somehow survive these exciting days while everyone DEVOURS Burned, I figured we'd indulge in a round of Team Wars! (Which I am normally NOT  a fan of.) Just for fun! Click through for a look at the pros and cons in favor of each guy! (Not necessarily in a romantic light, since Dani's story is still kinda young.) 

Will contain spoilers from ICED. 

 Ryodan:

Source.

Remember when I said "I will say this: anyone but Ryodan (as HEA) and I'll be disappointed." in our Dani post? (BEFORE we read ICED.) Wow. I have come a LONG way. But anyway. We're all well acquainted with Ryo by now. While he seemed to be Barrons' slightly more domesticated pal in the first 5 Fever books, we know better now. I believe him to be the most opportunistic of the Nine (or will it be Ten!?) 

While EVERY single turn in Ryo and Dani's "relationship" so far has been a direct result of him threatening and/or blackmailing her, Ryodan seems to TRULY value Dani's mind. He seems to appreciate her intellect exactly as it is. He sees beyond the "dudes" and "fecks" and actually listens to her opinions. But, besides that, there is something creepy and self serving in all the attention he pays Dani. All the (inappropriate?) things he says to her. It's almost like she's something he wants to add to his collection that really has nothing to do with her. Yes, he sees her potential. But the whole "grooming" factor is MAJORLY icky. He wants to "train" her, "teach" her.... it's just a bit much. (But he does say the best things about her potential.)

“You’ll never be just anything. A tsunami can never be ‘just’ a wave.” 

“Get off my chin.”

“I like that about you. Waves are banal. Tsunamis reshape the Earth. Under the right circumstances, even entire civilizations.” 

I blink. 

“You’re going to be one hell of a woman one day, Dani.” 

Ryo seems like a pretty shrewd business man. I mean, he can easily keep his issues with the Fae at bay when it comes to running Chesters. And he seems to be quite adept at keeping track of all the going ons without breaking a sweat. Plus those glass ceilings mean he's never  unaware of what's going on around him, or below him as it were. The biggest factor in his favor as a character right now is the fact that there is SO much we don't know about him. Practically everything about him is a giant question mark we look forward to being answered.

But there were things that completely turned me off Team Ryo in any capacity. Him taking Dani's sword away from her was the biggest dick move EVER. She's prime bait for pretty much every evil thing walking around at night, and he left her defenseless. Willingly. DICK.MOVE.

Yup.

The whole Jo thing was just another Ryodan the Opportunistic move. Not surprising. Still something a bit distasteful about it. I mean, duh, I definitely wanted to read Ryo sexy scenes, duh, but something about the whole Jo thing was just... off? And then of course, keeping a 14 year old child who starves a LOT faster than most manacled to the stone walls of your basement when you know EXACTLY what kinda of past trauma she has dealt with from being locked up and starved when she was younger is just.. not something I'm willing to get over. There's really no redeeming that. 

Seriously, dude.

Christian:

Source.

Christian, dear, sweet, Christian. We've been in love with Christian from the moment we met him. Cut to that scene when he's just started his unholy transformation on the Fae plane and tells Mac to join him in bed so he can show her what a well hung Scotsman is for and you could add some serious lust to that love. But in ICED, Christian pulled on ALL our heartstrings. Each and every one of them. (As evidenced by our ICED review here.)

It's next to impossible to not feel for Christian... his descent into Unseelie madness is tough to read. And through it all, he TRIES so hard to not let it take complete control. But guys, it's tough not to love him anyway. That sweet Scot Mac met on campus is still very much there, and I don't want him to go away. 

"Not anymore, Dani, my sweet darling. You know how I'm so sure? I'm a lie detector. I said, "I'm human" and heard my own lie." He laughs, and there's madness in it."

He gave her sword back. Not under conditions. No deals. Just gave it back to her. 

"Your sword, my lady. I would have razed heaven and earth to get it back for you."

And guys, come on. By the end of ICED, tell me we all didn't just melt when it came to Christian? Tell me you couldn't tear your eyes away from the pages and could not believe what happened? Tell me you didn't cheer when Dani threw her FECKING SWORD to save him from the Crimson Hag? An action that Dani herself doesn't completely comprehend.

"You threw your sword for me." He looks stupefied.

I feel stupefied. I never let my sword go. Unlike Mac, I won't share in battle. Ever.

And then this happened :

"Do I save the women I care about who are standing right next to me or do I save the world? I may be a superhero but I got everyday Joe feelings.

I see Christian and he’s looking at me hard. He says without making any sound at all, You can’t do both, Dani, my love.

I know that, I mouth pissily.

It’s me she’s after.

Your point?

He vanishes.

I can’t find him anywhere for a sec.

Next thing I see is him standing, just standing there in the middle of the field between me and the other end, with his arms spread wide, head tossed back, wearing a “come and get me” expression.

What are you doing? I scream, but not a peep comes out.

The Crimson Hag swoops.

I jerk violently, like I’m the one that got stuck when she guts him.

She doesn’t flay him, though. She pierces him with one leg like he’s a shish kebob and draws him up toward her skirt. As she folds him into her dripping embrace he gives me a look. I can’t make sense of it. I don’t get it. Why did he do that? I don’t get it! Why would anybody do such a stupid thing!

As he vanishes up into the sky, clutched in her hideous legs, I shut it out. Refuse to process what he did. I can leave the sidhe-seers behind now in relative safety. I’ll think about what he did later.

Assuming there is a later."

We couldn't process it. We were devastated.

I won't lie. I was firmly in Christian's corner by the end of ICED. He was the one I wanted to read more about. The one I want to see interacting with more people, saving more lives. He was the one I wanted Dani to save. And now the Crimson Hag has him. Sigh. 

We just want Christian to be okay.

Dani's friend Dancer deserves a mention in this post. There are definitely people on Team Dancer. Age appropriate, smart as a whip, brave, not intimidated by Ryodan or Christian, and has done regular kid things with Dani like eat snacks and watch movies! Plus, he takes care of her in a regular, non creepy way no one else does. There is clearly a LOT more to him than meets the eye. And we CANNOT wait to find out. 

At the end of the day though, what I've realized is, when it comes to this particular story, is that I'm Team Dani! All the way. 100%. I'm okay with her being happy in whatever way she chooses, and that doesn't have to involve an ancient being, a 22 year old Scottish Druid/Unseelie Prince, her friend Dancer, or anyone. 

Like Dani says, herself :

“He doesn't get that I’m not interested in a superhero boyfriend. I’m going to be the superhero that can kick his ass from one end of Dublin to the other.” 

With you on that Dani!