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When Bryant attempts to flee the stables, Kieran kills him. Once all threats have been neutralized, he changes back and joins Penellaphe and Hawke in their discussion of what’s been going on, scoffing at the things the Maiden thinks she knows.

Once they move Penellaphe to the dungeon, Kieran comes upon Jericho and his cohorts attacking her. He subdues them and brings the Maiden to Hawke’s chambers. Once in front of his friend, he tells him not to let her drink his blood and accidentally calls him Casteel—which does not go unnoticed by Poppy.

Later, after Poppy tries to escape and Cas catches her in the snow, Kieran talks with him. Cas tells him that she’s half-Atlantian and they talk about why the Ascended really wanted her. Cas finally admits he cares about Poppy, and Kieran is thrilled. They talk about how everything has changed and Kieran insinuates that Cas is in love. He tries to deny it and changes the subject.

While Hawke deals with the traitors who attacked Penellaphe, Kieran asks her if she’s going to bathe and tells her she smells of Hawke. A bit embarrassed, she agrees. When she’s in the tub for longer than anticipated, he goes to check on her, utterly shocking and scandalizing her. Trying to soothe her, he tells her that scars are revered among his people and never hidden.

I personally agree. Some of the most fascinating and deep people I have ever met and had the pleasure of being with had scars that were like roadmaps of their lives on their bodies. Tracing them was like taking in the personal braille of their history etched on their flesh.

Escorting Penellaphe and Hawke to the common area, Kieran steadies the Maiden when she stumbles, shocked by the sight of the traitors spiked to the wall. As they make their way to the dining hall, Kieran assures Penellaphe that they deserved what Casteel did to them. When they discuss how Penellaphe isn’t mortal and that she’s at least part Atlantian—something they recently discovered after Casteel fed from her—he tells her that every so often, a child of both kingdoms is born.

When Landell—another wolven—speaks up about his objection to the Prince’s announcement that he’s taking Penellaphe home to marry her, Kieran urges him to shut his mouth. He doesn’t, and Hawke kills him by ripping out his heart. Seeing the shock on Penellaphe’s face, Kieran asks her if she’d like to return to her room.

While he might have been making sure she understood that she wouldn’t be allowed to retire to her chambers alone, it was becoming clear that Kieran was developing a fondness for Poppy right along with Hawke.

As they walk, she asks him about the older man who came to dinner, and he tells her that it was Alastir Davenwell. Kieran goes on to explain that he is like an uncle to both Princes and him. As they walk more, he realizes her scent is different and tells her as much, saying that she smells of death.

Discussing the truth about the Ascended, Kieran tells Penellaphe that while the Prince earned his Dark One nickname, he is the only thing in both kingdoms she doesn’t have to fear.

Later, when Penellaphe attempts her escape, Kieran shifts and accompanies Casteel into the woods to retrieve her. Cas tells her that if she fights him and wins, she’ll earn her freedom, then orders Kieran back to the keep. When the Prince returns, Kieran heads out with him to deal with the dead Craven Cas and Poppy encountered, and Kieran reveals to Penellaphe that it is a great honor to guard that which the Prince values so greatly.

There was no use denying Casteel’s feelings for Poppy any longer, and anyone could see Kieran’s softening for her, as well.

At dinner, Kieran steals food from Penellaphe—as is common for him—and they further discuss bloodlines. They’ve talked about them before, but there’s a lot she doesn’t know. Kieran tries to educate her a bit but also teases her. When she asks why he calls her Penellaphe, he tells her that nicknames are reserved for friends. He then asks her if she always has so many questions—something he does for the entirety of their budding relationship and likely will for many, many years to come, I’m sure. It’s just something unique to them and their bond, and I find it utterly endearing.

The following day, Kieran goes to escort Penellaphe to breakfast and confesses that he knew Cas’s plans. He further says that he knew they had changed before Casteel did—before he knew she was Atlantian. He then adds that he just knows things sometimes.

Jasper has the same gift, and I wonder if they have Seer blood somewhere in their line. But that’s just my assumption. I have no proof to substantiate those thoughts.

When Casteel arrives for the meal, Kieran moves to Cas’s left in a position of power and protection and reminds him that if they can’t convince Alastir of his and Penellaphe’s fake engagement, there is no way they’ll be able to persuade the King and Queen. After they talk about Penellaphe’s murderous tendencies and shock most of those at the table, they continue with the meal, and Kieran tells Penellaphe about the gods and their rest.

After dinner, despite my diary likely being the most interesting book in her chambers—something Kieran is quick to point out—Penellaphe goes looking for something to read and finds a nearly hidden volume that mentions the wivern, ceeren, and other things. She asks Kieran about it. He reveals that it’s a book of Atlantian records and moves in to take a closer look. As he does, his arm brushes hers, and he feels a shock like being struck by lightning, making him jerk away and jump back.

When the Ascended arrive, Kieran shifts. As Casteel is talking to Lord Chaney, he slinks around the keep, coming out near the stables. As a fight breaks out, Kieran jumps on a knight’s back as the Ascended is doing his best to kill Elijah. Later, he tears out Lord Chaney’s tongue for annoying him and leaves the rest to Penellaphe.

Am I wrong for thinking that’s sexy? For Mrs. Tulis, her son, the man the knight slaughtered at Chaney’s command, the others who died during the fight, and those who perished later, I would have done the same as Poppy—and probably worse.

In the library later, Kieran tells Penellaphe the story of Casteel’s imprisonment and explains his bond with the Atlantian. He also reveals that the wolven Malik was bonded to died while trying to rescue him. They talk about Alastir and him being Malec’s bonded wolven, the war, and how the bonds changed afterward.

Everything changed after that war.

They ready themselves to leave for Atlantia, and Kieran and Casteel discuss strategy. They anticipate making it to Spessa’s End by the end of the week and talk about those they hope to join them in the battle with the scouts and knights the Blood Crown will inevitably send.

When they come upon tree hangings with unique shapes during their journey, Kieran warns Casteel. They know exactly what they are—the mark of the vicious, cannibalistic people of the land who live outside the Rise. The Dead Bones Clan attacks, and they fight.

Luckily, Kieran isn’t hurt. I would have hated to see that fine skin marred…and there was plenty on display after he shifted. Poppy certainly noticed.

Kieran sees the damage Casteel took during the skirmish and worries about the Prince’s control. He makes it clear that he doesn’t believe Cas when the Prince insists that he’s fine. The arrows did quite a number on him.

Resting in Pompay, Kieran hears Poppy scream and bursts into the room she’s sharing with Casteel. He realizes immediately that he misread the situation and that it was a scream of pleasure, not one of distress. He apologizes and moves to leave until Casteel turns to him, and Kieran sees that the Atlantian is starving. He urges Penellaphe to run and moves to make Casteel lunge for him. As usual, she doesn’t listen and tries to talk Casteel down. Luckily, the minute she calls him Hawke, he snaps out of it, apologizes, and walks past Kieran and out the door.

Once Casteel is gone, Kieran checks on Penellaphe, ensuring the Prince didn’t hurt her or force himself on her. When she assures him that she’s fine and asks what happened, Kieran explains that Cas saw him as a threat to her in that moment. He goes on to say that Cas needs to feed, and that he warned him about walking the razor’s edge of control and what would inevitably happen.

Penellaphe and Kieran share many things: that Cas told her about his nightmares, why Kieran believes Cas hasn’t fed, and stories about his and Cas’s shared childhood. When she mentions Shea, intuiting that the friend in Kieran’s story is her, he warns her not to bring Shea up around Cas.

Discussing Casteel later, Kieran tells Penellaphe that he’s happy she finally acknowledged that she cares for Casteel. When she asks him if Cas would have really let her go if she refused to marry him, Kieran tells her that, yes, she could have left, and Casteel would have let her leave, but she wouldn’t have been free of him—because he knows the depth of their connection, even if she hasn’t realized it yet.

With Cas finally agreeing to feed, Kieran referees, monitoring Penellaphe’s heartbeat and making sure Casteel takes enough but not too much. Knowing what will inevitably happen between the two of them after the feeding, he leaves.