Page 27

As they ride on, Casteel notes how the mist seems different through the mountains this time. It scatters to let them pass. And when they reach the trees of Aios, they see that they are different, too. Instead of the gold forest they are all used to, they find one full of blood-red trees.

Coming from someone who both saw and enjoyed the beautiful golden trees, seeing them turn the color of blood was indeed a shock. But they were still stunning, and I knew it heralded the changes yet to come.

When they stop to rest for the night, Delano begins howling, sensing Poppy’s distress, and Casteel has to wake her from what appears to be a nightmare, marveling at the connection she has to the wolven now.

When they reach the Temple of Saion, Casteel inquires if anyone knows that he’s having his father held. He’s told that his mother and the Crown Guards think Valyn is with them. He also learns that some Atlantians and mortals attempted to free Alastir and were dealt with, but some are still alive for the couple’s…enjoyment.

When they’re finally face-to-face with his father, Casteel and Poppy reveal that she’s not a vampry. When Valyn still admonishes his son for doing what he did, Casteel tells him that he knew what he was doing the entire time and would do it all over again, even if she had Ascended. He then adds that she is his everything and that nothing is greater than she is. They part ways, and the couple heads off to see to Alastir.

With absolutely no mercy, Casteel beheads all those who tried to set Alastir free, leaving only the wolven alive. Cas then tells Alastir that he betrayed both him and Atlantia, but stresses that those weren’t the worst of his sins. He then confronts him about that day so long ago when Alastir became the one responsible for Poppy’s nightmares and scars. Holding his sword to his neck, Casteel threatens him, ultimately wiping his blade on the man’s clothing and turning him over to Poppy so she can have her revenge.

She takes it. Gladly.

They arrive in Saion’s Cove to a large crowd heralding the return of their Prince. Cas apologizes to Poppy for overwhelming her but says there is no other way for them to get to Jasper’s. When the praise turns to Poppy, and the crowd starts cheering, “Meyaah Liessa,” calling her their Queen, he once again feels awe.

When they reach the stables and Casteel introduces Poppy as someone very special to him—his wife—the most extraordinary thing happens. All the wolven approach and shift, dropping to one knee with their hands over their hearts, their loyalty directed at Poppy.

Arriving in their chambers, Casteel tells her what’s inscribed on their wedding rings—always and forever—and reminds her that they are real with each other, always and forever. He then goes on to tell her he knows a lot has happened and that it’s okay for her to feel however she feels. When she finally breaks down, he is—as promised—there to pick up the pieces and pulls her close.

Casteel takes the opportunity while Poppy slumbers to peruse my journal. When Poppy wakes and finds him thumbing through the leather-bound volume, he teases her by reading one of my most favorite entries: the night Andre, Torro, and I had a tawdry tryst in a garden, later joined by Lady Celestia, making the evening even more memorable. There was indeed more than one manhood and lots of scandalous lady parts about.

Casteel leaves to speak with his father. When he returns, he’s dumped into the middle of an Unseen attack—an extremist group he thought had either disbanded or died out—complete with Gyrms. When they finally prevail, he pulls Poppy to him and congratulates her on her kills.

When they discuss what to do about the Unseen, Poppy tries to convince Casteel that they shouldn’t be killed because they don’t trust or like her. She believes they should be given a chance to redeem themselves. Casteel agrees to a trial but says he will have the ultimate say on whether they live or die.

They talk about her claim to the throne, and Casteel tells her he will support her in whatever decision she makes. However, they will have to leave Atlantia if she chooses to renounce it. But he reiterates that it’s okay. He doesn’t want her to take another role she doesn’t want and didn’t choose, and he loves her more than his people. Though he does add that she would be an amazing Queen and a much better ruler than he would ever be.

A child gets injured in an accident, and Casteel witnesses Poppy healing the girl—someone beyond saving. When she does, he realizes that she is, indeed, a goddess. He’s always thought her to be, but this is actual confirmation. When they discuss it later, he surmises that she either willed the girl’s soul to remain or brought her back to life.

Casteel introduces Poppy to Kieran’s mother, Kirha, and meets his parents at Cove Palace. They all discuss Poppy’s heritage, and he learns that Poppy’s parents couldn’t have been mortal. When he learns more about the past, he’s enraged that his parents remained close to Alastir when they knew he’d left a child to be murdered by the Craven. His father only replies that Cas will have to learn to stomach things that will haunt his dreams if he is to become King.

When Poppy’s brother Ian arrives, they arrange for a convoy to Spessa’s End. After they meet with Ian, Cas and Poppy discuss why she didn’t kill her brother and whether Poppy should take the crown. But before they can do more than discuss the coronation, the Unseen attack again. This time, Poppy uses her power to defeat them, and Casteel is beyond proud of her—and very turned on.

I saw some of that in a vision and she was resplendent.

After the couple claims the thrones of Atlantia, they meet the Council. It’s their first time meeting me, and it brings me great pleasure when they realize who I am and that their most scandalous—at least, according to Poppy—and enjoyable reading material is actually my personal journal.

When some of the Council thinks to speak their minds about Poppy, Casteel tells them they will either bow to their Queen or bleed before her.

It made me smile.

After plans are made for their trip to Oak Ambler and Iliseeum, they discuss things they’ve learned thus far—about me setting them up at the Red Pearl, about the prophecy, about what Poppy has to possibly look forward to regarding her hunger…

Knowing they need someone to act as their right hand, Casteel and Poppy ask Kieran to be their Advisor, assemble the group to make the trip to Iliseeum, and then set off with Kieran, Vonetta, Emil, and Delano.

When they arrive, they do so to many perils: the mist, the Consort’s soldiers, and smoke snakes. Casteel urges Poppy to use eather to defeat anything that may harm her and then reminds the group they will not be going into Dalos, and that Nyktos’s guards may be near.

When they finally do come face-to-face with the King of Gods, Casteel tries to defend Poppy when she displays a little attitude with Nyktos, and he threatens to kill her. Then he makes Poppy promise that she won’t get herself killed when talking to the Primal privately.

After their meeting, Casteel asks Poppy about the woman she’s been seeing and surmises that she might be a Primal, too. He also takes Nyktos’s final words to Poppy—that she is due more than one crown and kingdom—to mean she’ll one day rule both Solis and Atlantia.

After they assemble their team to head to Oak Ambler and set off on the ship, Casteel helps Poppy with her seasickness by distracting her in the most deliciously carnal way possible while reading from my journal—it’s a particularly wonderful passage.

Casteel admits to Poppy that when the Blood Crown held him as their prisoner, he’d often forget himself and feel like a thing as opposed to a person. He tells her that Kieran is the only one who knows the depths of what he went through. He reveals that being called “Cas” or “Hawke” was sometimes all it took for him to remember that he wasn’t a thing.

No wonder he was so full of wonder the first time she called him that.

As their journey continues, he and Poppy come upon a large cat in a cage, and he marvels at how much it looks like the cave cats of old they believed to be extinct. He hates that he has to tell Poppy that they cannot set him free. Still, he promises to include him in their deal with the Blood Queen. When Poppy inquires whether the cat could be Malec, he tells her that Malec wasn’t that kind of deity and couldn’t take that form.