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After Tawny gets injured, Hisa remarks that she’s never seen a mortal wounded by shadowstone before and wonders if/hopes one of the Elders might know how to help. I did, thankfully.

When she’s ready to send her message, Poppy asks Hisa to send word to the Blood Crown that she wants to meet with them at the end of the following week and says to let them know she’ll only speak with the King or the Queen.

Once the group makes it to Massene, Hisa undertakes the task of creating a map of Oak Ambler. Later, she encourages Poppy to share the plans and makes sure to be present for the briefing with the generals. When they discuss warning the mortals before they converge on the cities, Hisa agrees that it’s a good idea. They then go over battle strategy, and she states they should kill any Ascended who attack, but only capture those who surrender. As planning drags on, she voices her concerns about the timing of rescuing Casteel and says she disagrees with that part of the scheme.

As the others go off, Hisa stays with Valyn to ensure the plans are followed. When her girlfriend, General Lizeth Damron, goes to leave to take care of her duties, she tells her to be careful. Lizeth responds: “But be brave.” And Hisa says, “Always,” before kissing her.

I love that so much.

Hisa and Valyn lead the army inside the city. Once there, she searches Castle Redrock with him and the other soldiers. They find and fight the Craven inside. When they encounter the Priests and Priestesses, Poppy has Hisa watch Framont and the others as she speaks with Valyn. After, they follow the Ascended Priestess to the room where the bodies of all the murdered children are.

As they settle in later, discussions turn to using magic to help locate Casteel. Not long after, Atlantian visitors arrive—Tawny and Gianna—and Hisa is unhappy that Lin didn’t get their names. When she sees Tawny and the evident changes in the mortal, she’s understandably leery of her.

In Padonia, Hisa joins the generals at the entrance to the manor. Later, over dinner, she and Lizeth share a quiet moment, and she insinuates that she knows why Isbeth wants Malec. Wondering about the after, Hisa asks what’s to become of the god after they defeat the Blood Crown. Do they put him back in the ground? She’s told someone will return him to his parents, Nyktos and his Consort—likely Reaver.

The night of Poppy, Cas, and Kieran’s Joining, Hisa spends time with Jasper and Valyn.

Once they retrieve Malec, Hisa rides next to the wagon, guarding their prize. When Poppy replies to Sven’s order to, “Be careful” with, “But be brave,” it makes Hisa smile.

During the big battle with Isbeth at the Bone Temple, a Revenant with shadowstone kills Hisa. Later, she revives and ends up sitting on a wall, staring at Poppy—likely in awe.

LIZETH DAMRON

Hair: Chin-length and icy-blond.

Eyes: Wintery blue.

Facial features: Fair skin.

Background: Wolven. A general of the Atlantian Army.

Family: Unknown. Her family of choice is Elemental Atlantia Hisa Fa’Mar, Commander of the Crown Guard.

LIZETH’S JOURNEY TO DATE:

Like Hisa, I do not know much about Lizeth. Therefore, I can only tell you what I saw as it pertains to others.

Lizeth enters my field of view after Poppy and Casteel are crowned the new King and Queen of Atlantia.

Just before the meeting with the generals, Lizeth arrives with General Aylard and is curious about what’s going on. When the generals and others discuss strategy, Lizeth approves of the assessment that controlling the supplies to other ports is good—it will prevent the Blood Crown’s forces from entering that way, too. Seeing the map of Oak Ambler for the first time, she instantly knows it’s Hisa’s work.

When Poppy displays her power, Lizeth drops to a knee and addresses her as meyaah Liessa.

Before setting out for Oak Ambler, she and her girlfriend, Hisa, share a tender goodbye.

Later in Padonia, she welcomes the group’s arrival with Sven.

Over dinner, when she and Hisa are talking quietly, and Hisa mentions knowing why Isbeth wants Malec, she surmises that it’s because the Blood Queen thinks he will give her Atlantia.

Despite being a general, Lizeth looks forward to nothing more than an end to the war once and for all.

DIARY ENTRY ~ LABYRINTHINE ESCAPADES

Dearest Diary,

This evening’s rendezvous deserves an entry. I knew the minute I walked away, sated and smiling, that I wanted to capture the event in glorious detail.

The air felt charged tonight during my time out, though whether from an encroaching storm or my excitement, I knew not. Regardless, it kissed me as it passed, billowing my gown and caressing my bared skin, making goose bumps rise deliciously. I can feel them in this moment as I write, a frisson of anticipation skittering down my spine.