The last Q and A for Shatter the Earth. As always, beware of spoilers.

1. Since the epilogue is set on Samhain and “The Day of the Dead” is set at the beginning of November, does it mean we may see Tomas again from now on, maybe with Sarah? And does it follow that the world now has one less consul or also a whole senate less?

“The Day of the Dead” took place just after the events of this novel (roughly at the same time as the epilogue) so the fall out has yet to be felt. But, yes, Alejandro is now dead and the Latin American Senate thrown into chaos by Tomas’s actions. Saying any more than that would be a spoiler.

2. Please tell me what Cassie did to Jonathan. Unless it will be in the next book cause then I can wait.

She disintegrated his heart inside his body, which was basically what she felt like he’d done to her by taking Billy away.

3. Is the fey creature to whom Elena entrusted Dorina and that Jonathan used as bait to attract Mircea, Cassie and Pritkin to the eighteenth century, still alive? And is he, I presume it’s a he, still relevant in the story or were those particular episodes his only appearances in the combined storylines?

Yes, he’s alive and may have some interesting things to say.

4. I thought that the initiation in the Black Circle sort of sealed all the secrets about the Circle so even if a member was captured by the Silver Circle they would be unable to reveal anything. Was Jonathan not bound by the seal or was all he revealed not included in the secrets of the Black Circle? Or do I remember it wrong?

Jonathan was one of the leaders who set the rules, but who didn’t always abide by them himself. Also, how much of what he told the Circle could be trusted was debatable, as he admitted to Cassie.

5. Is it a coincidence that the only master vampires known or rumored to be able to morph in animals all change into snakes? Parendra, our snake loving Cleopatra and also her and Anthony’s old master?

Cleo and Anthony’s master was extremely long lived and had a lot of children. He was also very powerful, so those children tended to survive and, in some cases, inherited his ability to metamorphosize. Parendra is the Child of one of the old consul’s children, so in a way he is part of the family with Cleopatra and Anthony. But no, all vampires do not have that skill, and in fact it is considered quite rare these days.

6. Does Pritkin know the full truth of his fey heritage? About Morgaine, Nimue, Igraine etc.? In “Brave the Tempest” Cassie didn’t get a chance to tell him, while they were with Adra, but in “Shatter the Earth” Cassie hints that he knows?

He knows as much as Cassie does. You must remember that there was a month between Brave the Tempest and Shatter the Earth, so they had some time to talk.

7. Does Caedmon know who Pritkin is? I wondered, if he recognized him, when he used the waterbased disorientation spell in the fight in STE…

Caedmon did indeed think that he looked very familiar!

8. How exactly are the covens organized? It seems like they work closely together (at least Zara, Evelyn, and Beatrice), which would make a lot of sense considering their history. So I’m assuming going off the Cassie and Gillian stories each coven has their own leader, is that correct? So there would be many individual covens who choose to work with others? Are Saffy and Vi from the same coven, if so, who’s coven are they part of?

The covens are autonomous units governed by a Mother who leads and protects them. The Mothers do form alliances from time to time, and some are quite longstanding. But they don’t impose laws on each other as the Circle does its members, and they don’t police each other. They frequently disagree and occasionally fight, but since their defeat in the Coven Wars they’ve had a common enemy, which has tended to bring them closer. They also run the hidden ley line network as a collective.

As for the coven witches at Cassie’s court, they each came from a different coven, to represent those with whom she has an alliance. Saffy is from Zara’s, Vi is from Evelyn’s, and the third member you’ve yet to meet is from Beatrice’s.

9. Also, how is one chosen to run a gauntlet? Do they volunteer or are they chosen in some way like Gillian was when the time comes for a new leader?

They volunteer. The gauntlet can be deadly, so forcing someone to run it would be cruel, and would definitely result in reprisals once they were your ruler!

10. I hope this isn’t too much of a spoiler to ask, but will we be seeing more of the covens in future books? I really like Cassie’s interactions with them and they have quickly become my favorite group in the books.

Yes, there’s usually a reason for bringing up groups like that.