The third Catalina book will be titled Ruby Inferno
Because of the precious stones Theme Naming in Catalina's books; Ruby is probably the most popular stone left, after diamond, sapphire and emerald were already used. Given the synonyms for 'fire' are also being used, Inferno is not only one of the simplest words remaining, but the implications - inferno is usually used in a catastrophic sense - also prepares the reader for an increase of stakes befitting the final book in a trilogy.
- Close! On September 24 2020, the Andrews' announced on their blog that the third Catalina book would be Ruby Fever
Arabella's love interest (when her trilogy comes out) will be Stephen Jiang
The Baylors have form with love interests showing up earlier in canon; Catalina meets Alessandro during the final book of Nevada's trilogy, though she's had a crush on him for years before that due to his internet fame. Runa is introduced in book 3.5, and
her romance with Bern develops in the background of
Sapphire,
Emerald and
Ruby note In the first chapter of Ruby Fever, Catalina remarks that their relationship is quickly heading towards marriage. Arabella meets Stephen Jiang in
Emerald, and the short story
The Cool Aunt, which takes place concurrently with the final scenes of that book, she's carefully doing her makeup before going out to a pitched battle, because Stephen's going to be there. It's also implied she's admired him for awhile, due to his
guest role on a xianxia tv show.
As per the previous WMG, one of the major conflicts of Arabella and Stephen's love story will be family vs House decisions.
For a start, this has already happened to Nevada (she chooses to give up the Head of House position and leave House Baylor for her husband's), and Catalina (who is bound by oath to only marry a man willing to join her House; luckily, Alessandro is disowned and willing to join House Baylor). However, Nevada married an only child, and there was really no other way it was going to work out for her. In Catalina's case, she is not only Head of House, but she's going to marry a man
glad to leave his House (though we haven't seen how his mother and sisters are taking this yet). We don't know what's happening with Bern and Runa yet, but House Etterson consists of Runa and her two teenage siblings, so absorbing them into House Baylor isn't going to be a big issue if it comes down to it
note In the first chapter of Ruby, Catalina's found a new compound for them all to live in; Bern claims a group of three linked casitas - room for both younger Etterson siblings to have their own place - which seems quite suggestive.Stephen is one of several siblings, and Arabella is a younger sibling, with the Head of House position and the responsibility for it's propagation already in Catalina's control. However, given the lengths Stephen is willing to go to in order to make his parents happy (that temporary role in a xianxia tv show? Was his brother Henry's condition for coming home for a visit), and his position of responsibility in the House and the family company, mean that he might not see any other way than his wife joining his House. But this is Arabella of the fierce independence, barely-leashed temper, and the Beast of Cologne transformation. Not only might Arabella have major issues leaving House Baylor without it's trump card fighter, but it's entirely possible that House Jiang wouldn't consider her an acceptable choice of bride for Stephen, given the family's image tends towards the aristocratic, their strict adherence to tradition (after all, they lie to everyone at large about Henry studying computer science to cover up the dread secret that he's an actor), the Lamarck Was Right tendencies of House society in general, and House Baylor's fledgling status - Arabella can't bring anything to the table in regards to magical breeding, political or financial gain.
