I love reading your thoughts on this book! (Well, and in general too, but there's always a special delight in reading how somebody else liked a book you also liked.) And thank you for linking to the podcast -- will have to go have a listen when I get the chance!

(Re: Cashore has never confirmed her two very friendly male characters are together, but I am pretty firmly convinced they're being deliberately written in a romantic relationship -- I'm not sure if you've read Bitterblue or not, but it actually does touch back on this subject again and gives you a definitive answer, if you're interested.)