THE HEART DOESN’T CARE

~Poppy~

Drowning in panic and helplessness, I jolted awake with a leashed scream burning my throat.

Heart thundering, my eyes snapped open. My wild gaze darted around the unfamiliar, moonlit chamber. It took me a moment to recognize my surroundings. I started to sit up, but the weight of a warm arm resting against my bare waist stopped me.

Resisting the urge to reach beneath the blanket and touch him, I willed my heartbeat to slow.

It was just a nightmare.

Casteel was beside me, alive and well, and we were at an inn tucked away in the small town of Tadous, halfway to the capital. We weren’t in that dark, cold place, trapped and—

Just a nightmare.

The soft bed shifted. A heartbeat later, the scent of pine and rich spice enveloped me, crowding out the faint smell of woodsmoke.

“Poppy?” Casteel’s voice, roughened by sleep, reached me a second before his arm tightened around my waist.

Hearing his gruff voice calmed the pounding in my chest. I turned my head, making out the chiseled line of his jaw and the curve of his lush mouth. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, clearing my throat. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

His chin, slightly roughened by stubble, grazed my shoulder, sending a shiver through me. “It’s okay.”

No, it wasn’t. I couldn’t even begin to keep track of the number of times I’d woken him in the middle of the night. “It’s official. I have to be the

worst person to sleep next to.”

“I have to disagree with that. You are officially the best person to go to sleep next to.” The short hairs on his leg tickled mine as he drew himself up. “To sleep beside.” He kissed my shoulder. “And to wake up with.”

The corners of my lips turned up. “You have to say that.”

“I only speak the truth.” His arm loosened as his hand moved, skimming over the curve of my waist. “Was it another nightmare?” His palm drifted over my hip. “The Dark One?”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I almost wished it was that nightmare. Those were a product of the past. This one felt like…like a harbinger. I swallowed.

My gaze shifted to the exposed beams of the ceiling awash in streaks of moonlight. A chill entered my skin. “It wasn’t that kind of nightmare.”

Casteel traced small, idle circles on the top of my thigh. “Tell me about

it.”

“It’s not a big deal,” I told him. “Morning will be here soon, and we still

have a ways to go, right? We should be asleep—”

“Poppy.” The hand on my thigh returned to my hip and then firmed, tilting me so my body was on its side, facing him.

I pressed my hands to his chest. “I don’t even remember it.” In reality, I wasn’t sure how I could forget it: the sight of him, cold and gray, bloodless and immobile.

My heart sped up again. Why would I dream something like that? Now?

I pressed my lips together, suddenly hearing Kieran’s voice in my mind.

The heart doesn’t care how long you have with someone.

Gods, I suddenly understood what had spawned such a nightmare, such feelings of panic and helplessness.

In the moonlight, Cas’s gaze found mine. “Tell me about it.” My eyes narrowed. “You’re being incredibly bossy.”

“And you’re being incredibly evasive,” he replied. “That worries me.” “It shouldn’t.”

“And it makes me more curious,” he continued, his hand squeezing my hip. “Makes me wonder if you were dreaming of another, and that is why you’re being so vague.”

“Really?” I stated dryly.

“Yes. My ego got diminished somewhere between Saion’s Cove and here,” he said. “I am now in need of your assurances.”

There wasn’t a single part of me that believed Casteel’s ego was capable of weakening. Or that he believed I’d dreamt of another. In fact, I doubted his ego would even allow that to enter his mind.

But I’d learned that two could tease. “You’re right.” I drew a finger down the defined line of his chest. “It was another—”

He gave my rear a light smack, catching me off guard. Surprise caused me to let out a little squeak, but a dart of wicked heat made me jerk.

My eyes narrowed on him. “That was uncalled for.”

Casteel’s chuckle danced over my lips. “You liked it.” Unfortunately, he was right. He palmed the flesh he’d tapped. “And I know you weren’t dreaming of another.”

“Then why did you suggest such a thing?”

He moved his leg again, nestling his thigh between mine. “Because I wanted to bask in the glory of your assurances.”

“You’re insufferable,” I said, fighting a laugh.

“You meant to say insatiable.” Casteel’s head lowered, his mouth finding mine with unerring accuracy.

I immediately opened for Casteel. His kisses were compulsory, even these slow, languid ones where he seemed to sip from my lips. Tiny shivers broke out across my skin as his tongue flicked over mine in an intimate, sensual dance.

Using the hand on my rear, Casteel hauled me closer. I gasped as those coarse leg hairs dragged across the most sensitive part of me. The unexpected friction caused my hips to twitch.

“I love how responsive your body is to mine.” He pressed his thigh up, causing more friction against me. I shuddered as darts of pleasure radiated out from my core. A deeper, dark chuckle teased my lips. “Have I told you that?”

Before I could think if he had, the hand on my rear tugged me onto his thigh, and he moved his leg up again, hitting that taut bundle of flesh.

Tighter, hotter ripples of pleasure skated through me.

Casteel’s lips returned to mine. My fingers curled, digging into his chest as he moved me again. The kiss deepened, and he rocked my hips against his hard thigh. Soon, I needed little guidance. His growl of approval rumbled through me as my thighs tightened around his, and I strained against him, feeling my breath picking up and my core clenching. I knew I

was damp against his skin. Wet. My cheeks warmed, knowing he could feel my slickness.

His head tilted, and the kiss turned harder, fiercer. Then he broke the contact, his arm clamping down on my hips, stilling me.

“Cas,” I cried out, my body vibrating with unspent desire.

Nipping at my lips, he made that deep sound again. “I need to be inside you when you come, and I need you on top, riding me when you do.”

I swallowed a moan. “I want that.”

He grasped my wrist, drawing it down between us. My fingers brushed his hot, rigid length. He folded my hand around his cock. “Then do it.”

Upon his heated demand, a full-body shudder rocked me. I flattened one hand against his chest and urged him onto his back. Both of his hands went to my hips, steadying me as I straddled him. With my hand still encircling the base of his cock, I started to lower myself. My moan got lost in his groan as the head of his cock parted me. Shaking, I planted both palms on his chest and sank onto his length, inch by inch, until our bodies were flush.

Panting, I held myself still, my body adjusting to his size. His thickness seemed to stretch and fill every part of my being. There was a sharp, intense swelling of pleasure that almost bordered on pain as Casteel’s fingers pressed into the flesh of my hips. My eyes opened, drifting over the tightly packed muscles of his abdomen, his chest, and then the stark tendons of his throat. He held himself still, his jaw clenched as he gave me time.

He always gave me time.

“I love you,” I whispered, tipping forward to kiss him. The position sent a wave of harsh pleasure through me.

Casteel groaned, his fingers spasming on me. “Show me,” he rasped. “Show me how much.”

And I did.

I began to move. It took a few moments for me to find my rhythm, but he didn’t rush me, just allowed me to find the spot that hit just right. Liquid heat flooded my core when I did. I moved faster then, his groans a decadent cacophony as I looked down at us—at me and our bodies.

“Beautiful,” he growled. “You’re so damn beautiful, Poppy.”

I flushed, my breath quickening. My gaze lowered to my swaying breasts, the hardened tips piercing the strands of my hair, to the rounded curve of my lower stomach that no amount of training ever flattened, and the scars there, faint in the moonlight. I saw his hands on my hips, his

fingers creating indents in the flesh there. I could see the scars on my thighs, and my legs’ thickness and strength from years of training. Unlike Casteel, whose body was hard and defined—every inch of him—I was strong, but under a layer—or two—of softness. I shuddered as I moved up and down his length, watching myself take him into me until I lifted my gaze to his.

His eyes were like heated pools of honey, and the sight of them hit that spot just as well as his cock did.

I rode him then, moving faster and harder. His arms came around me, drawing me down. I shivered as the tips of my breasts grazed his chest, feeling the tension building.

Casteel kissed me and raised his hips to meet mine, both of us moving furiously now. The smoky flavor of his passion heightened what I felt. It was all too much. The tension unfurled. Hot, slick waves of pleasure took me, sweeping Casteel up in the storm, too. He spent himself, each spasm of his cock sending aftershocks of pleasure through me.

“I love you.” Casteel’s lips brushed mine as I eased my body free of his.

He laid me down, so I was on my side, my legs tangled with his. Then stroked my hair as our skin cooled and our hearts slowed. Some time passed before he spoke again. “You going to tell me what woke you up?”

I closed my eyes. Of course, he hadn’t forgotten what had awakened him. “You’re like a barrat with a bone.”

“That creates pleasant imaginary,” he remarked. A moment passed. “Remember what we talked about? We share things with each other.

Everything.”

“I remember. I do. It’s just…I don’t know.” I pressed a kiss to his chest as I stared at the bare, wood-paneled wall. “It’s Kieran—”

“So, you were dreaming of another,” he cut in. “That is…intriguing.” “That’s not what I meant.” Giving him a wry grin, I shook my head. “I

think I had this dream—or nightmare—because of something he said.” Casteel grew very quiet and still then, triggering warning bells.

I rose onto my elbows. “He didn’t say anything bad that upset me or anything.”

“I know he wouldn’t say anything to upset you.” His hand smoothed down my back. “He wouldn’t do that. But Kieran…he sometimes says things you’d expect to come out of the mouth of a Seer.”

“It wasn’t like that either.” I lowered my chin to his chest. “He was telling me about Elashya.”

Casteel’s surprise was like a splash of ice water against the back of my throat. “He brought her up?”

I nodded. “That surprises you?”

“Yeah, it does.” Casteel lifted his free hand and dragged it through his hair. “He doesn’t talk about her much.”

“I can understand why.” Sorrow pierced my heart as I thought about the love and loss Kieran had felt. “It…it kind of amazes me that he knew he would lose her and still fell in love.”

Casteel’s gaze found mine in the dim light. “The heart doesn’t care, Poppy.”

My breath caught. “That’s basically what Kieran said. That the heart doesn’t care how much time you have with someone.” Emotion clogged my throat. “That it only cares that you have that person for as long as you can.”

“I didn’t always think that.” The hand on my back made another sweep. “When everything happened between him and Elashya, I couldn’t understand how he’d let himself fall in love. Couldn’t wrap my head around it. But then along came you.” His fingers tangled in my hair. “Now, I fully understand that the heart doesn’t care about plans, duty, or vengeance. It doesn’t care about time.”

My heart swelled. Kieran had been right. Casteel was right. I knew that, too. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with Casteel, but I did when he was simply Hawke to me, regardless of my duty. And I continued to fall even deeper in love with him, despite the lies and betrayal.

His hand fisted in my hair. “I think I know what you dreamt.”

I exhaled a shaky breath. “I dreamt that…that something happened to you. That l lost you.”

“Poppy,” he rasped.

“It was so real.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “I can still feel the hopelessness and desperation.”

“It was a bad dream,” he said. “You’re never going to lose me.” “Promise?” I whispered.

“Promise.” He cupped my cheek. “You never need to fear it or even think about it.”

I nodded, pulling my lower lip between my teeth. “Forget the nightmare.”

“I will.”

“I want you to forget it now.”

My lips quirked. “You’re being bossy again.”

“Only because I don’t want you wasting even a second of worry on something that will never happen.”

I splayed my fingers on his chest. “It’s kind of hard not to think about it, you know? Anything can happen to any of us—”

“That won’t happen,” he cut in. “But you know what will?” I tipped my head back. “What?”

“You won’t be thinking of anything much longer,” he said, shifting and rolling me onto my back.

Casteel’s mouth came down on mine, and his weight settled over me. He kissed me until I was breathless, then explored my body first with his hand, then with his mouth. Finally, he delved with his tongue, stealing my ability to think of anything but how he tossed one of my legs over his shoulder, spreading me wide as he laved and licked until I came apart again. Then he started all over again, dipping his tongue, then his fingers in and out of me, slowly and methodically until I squirmed helplessly, pleading for him to stop, begging that he continue. It was only when I thought I may lose all control of my senses that he thrust into me.

Casteel took me hard, first on my back and then on my knees with his skillful fingers playing at the junction of my thighs. Then he guided us onto our sides, face-to-face as he made love to me. He thoroughly exhausted me until I was limp and sated. The nightmare and the fear were nothing but faint memories as I fell back to sleep in his arms, our bodies still joined, knowing the only thing I’d remember about tonight was this.

Us.

Our love.

Our hearts.

PRINCE CASTEEL “CAS” HAWKETHRONE DA’NEER (A.K.A HAWKE FLYNN)‌

Becomes King Casteel Hawkethrone Da’Neer

Click here to see a full-size image of Cas by art.bymikki.

To be honest, Casteel didn’t feature prominently in my visions until his fate began to align with Poppy’s. Once that happened, all sorts of cords started weaving themselves into a gorgeous tapestry of strength and sensitivity.

Hair: Black with a blue hue, brushing the neck and curling over the forehead.

Eyes: The color of cool amber honey.

Body type: Broad shoulders and chest. Long, lean, muscular body. Tall

—around six feet, five inches—but not as tall as his brother Malik.

Facial features: High, angular cheekbones. Straight nose. Proud, carved jaw. Fangs.

Distinguishing features: Dimples—right side common, left only shows with genuine and full smiles. Brand of the Solis Royal Crest on his right thigh, just below the hip. Miscellaneous cuts and scars on his body. Deep voice with a slight accent.

Other: His heartmate thinks he smells like pine and dark spice, but his blood smells like citrus in the snow. He’s over two centuries old but looks like a mortal of twenty-two. After being stabbed with a dagger made from the bones of the Ancients, he can shift into a silver-eyed, black-and-gold- spotted cave cat, standing five feet at shoulder height.

Personality: Doesn’t laugh much. Assertive. No tolerance for threats. A betting man. Takes pleasure in revenge. Persistent when it comes to what he

wants. Confident. Progressive.

Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Able to use compulsion.

Abhors violence against women. Good judge of character. Knows when someone is lying. Loves to hear himself talk. Driven. Takes pleasure in killing when it’s warranted. Loves to read. Feels spousal needs should come before those of the kingdom. Knows how to braid hair. Expert with many weapons. Great tracker. Secretly fascinated with agriculture. Blood has healing properties.

Background: Elemental Atlantian. Second son. Held captive by the Blood Crown. Bonded to a wolven since birth.

Family: Parents = Queen Eloana and King Valyn Da’Neer of Atlantia.

Brother = Prince Malik Elian Da’Neer. Uncle = Hawkethrone†. Great- grandfather = King Elian Da’Neer†. Descendant of = Attes, co-ruler of Vathi, Primal of War and Accord. Other ancestral family = Kyn, co-ruler of Vathi, Primal of Peace and Vengeance.

Casteel is an interesting man. Smart, strategic, and savvy, he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty to achieve any goal. He also has a bit of a tragic past. Used, betrayed, imprisoned, and abused. Yet still, he prevails.

Poppy brings out the best in him, even his already present loyalty and bravery. Not quick to smile, rare to laugh, and not one for hugs, he softens when she enters his life, creating an interesting dichotomy of fierce protector and sensitive lover and friend.

I feel he’s her ultimate match. And given their pairing, it seems the gods and Arae would agree.

I absolutely cannot wait to bear witness to what the future has in store for the new King of Atlantia.

CASTEEL’S JOURNEY TO DATE:

Born to King Valyn and Queen Eloana, Casteel grows up in Atlantia and is close with his older brother, Malik, his bonded wolven, Kieran Contou, and his best friend, Shea Davenwell—who later becomes his intended.

As disturbances between the kingdoms of Solis and Atlantia rise, Casteel becomes convinced he can kill the Blood Crown—Queen Ileana and King Jalara—by himself. Unfortunately, the Ascended capture him and hold him for five decades, torturing him ceaselessly.

Shea and Malik attempt to save him multiple times until the Ascended lay a trap during one attempt and ambush them. Shea and Malik are separated, and Shea tells the Ascended who she’s with, making a deal to trade Malik’s life for hers and agreeing to leave Casteel.

With the Ascended occupied, Shea reneges on her deal and attempts to flee with Casteel, entering the tunnels with him. Unfortunately, they don’t get far and are stopped by a pair of Ascended.

Despite putting up a good fight, the vamprys prevail and tell Casteel that Shea previously traded her life for Malik’s, thus turning traitor and allowing the Prince to be taken, which subsequently leads to their current predicament of being ensnared. While he doesn’t believe it at first, Shea then tries to save herself again by offering to trade Casteel’s life for hers.

In a rage, Casteel kills her with his bare hands as well as the Ascended, and then attempts to find and rescue Malik. I feel there is more to the story of Shea’s end, and I keep trying to see more. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to glean any additional information there. But back to Casteel’s escape. He is unsuccessful in rescuing his brother and ultimately ends up on the beach, where he is discovered and returned home.

As I said earlier, I didn’t have much interaction with Casteel either personally or via my visions, so my knowledge of the time between that rescue and when he finally meets up with Poppy at the Red Pearl masquerading as Hawke Flynn—with a little help from me—is somewhat sparse. The pieces after he meets Poppy are the good bits, though, so let’s start there…

Casteel, as Hawke, enters Solis and remains for two years. Posing as a Rise Guard, he watches and waits, following Poppy through her daily routines as the Maiden without being seen, hoping to capture her and whisk her away to Atlantia. With a plan to use her in Atlantia’s plot to save his brother Malik and circumvent war, and working with the Commander of the Royal Guard, Griffith Jansen—who later turns out to be not only a double agent but also a traitor to Atlantia, and a changeling!—Casteel insinuates himself in such a position to become close to Penellaphe Balfour.

While on the Rise, Cas—as Hawke—watches over Radiant Row, thinking about how the entire city is divided into haves and have-nots and visits with his partner guard, Pence.

Hawke sees mist gathering in the distance and knows what it means.

The Craven are coming. Pence curses and blames the Atlantians and it takes

everything in Hawke not to set the man straight…in a violent way. But he realizes the guard doesn’t know any better and lets it go.

Hawke sees a guard unsteady on his feet and knows what’s happening.

He’s been infected. But before he can do anything, Lieutenant Smyth arrives on the Rise and gives Hawke hell. Hawke is flippant with his responses, basically telling the man off. When the lieutenant leaves, Pence asks Hawke how big his balls are because he was so bold and insubordinate.

I’d like to know that, too. *winks*

Hawke asks Pence about Jole Crain, the cursed guard, and the guard tells him that he lives on the third floor of the dorms. He finds him trying to kill himself but can’t—the curse won’t allow it—and asks him some questions before compelling him and ending his suffering.

Hawke trains in the courtyard and sees the Maiden. While sparring with Vikter, he gets hell for being distracted. While Hawke denies it, Vikter tells him he has some sage advice. He says it only takes a heartbeat to lose all that truly matters.

Hawke feels like it’s an omen.

He meets with Jansen, Kieran, and Jericho at the Red Pearl. Jansen mentions the guards are good men and says he doesn’t like what they have to do.

I’m certain none of them particularly did.

They discuss the Maiden’s habits and talk about where best to get to her, and Hawke tells Jericho that no harm should come to the Maiden.

With Hawke as Poppy’s personal guard and Kieran still working as a City Guard, the plan is to take the Maiden the night of the Rite. The Descenters are supposed to create a distraction by setting some fires.

After the others leave, Hawke and Kieran talk about the Maiden’s ancestry and why the Ascended value her so much. They can’t figure it out. Hawke says they’ll likely get more out of the Ascended they befriend.

Kieran agrees and then leaves to check on their other resources.

Meanwhile, Poppy wanders into the Red Pearl downstairs, and I work a little of my matchmaker magic to get her and Casteel in the same room.

After that, I knew nature would run its course.

Thinking that Poppy is a maid named Britta, whom Casteel has dallied with in the past, he welcomes the intrusion to his room at the Pearl but is still wary since the woman doesn’t smell like Britta, she doesn’t feel like

Britta, and she makes him feel things Britta never has. But she’s a welcome distraction, nonetheless, and he takes her to the bed, kissing her deeply and exploring as much of her as he can with her still cloaked.

When he finally lowers her hood and takes in her face, he’s shocked. She may be masked like most are wont to do at the Pearl, but he knows exactly who he has beneath him. It’s Penellaphe. The Chosen. The Maiden. They spend an intriguing span of time together before Kieran interrupts with important news, forcing Casteel to leave.

Sometime later, Kieran and Hawke meet Emil and Delano in Wisher’s Grove. Cas greets them both, and Emil gives him shit—as usual. Kieran tells the Atlantian he has a death wish.

He really does.

Emil relays that the King and Queen are worried, and Alastir hasn’t helped assuage their anxiety. After they talk a bit more, Cas feeds from Emil and sees the Atlantian’s memories, which interestingly enough are of Vonetta.

Very interesting, indeed.

Emil offers to stay close in case he’s needed, but Cas tells him to go to Evaemon and watch Alastir to run interference.

As they leave the Grove, Cas tells Kieran he doesn’t plan to kill the Maiden like his parents do—or would if they got their hands on her. Kieran just takes it in.

When Casteel returns to the room at the Red Pearl, he finds that Poppy didn’t wait for him. He trails her through the Grove and finds an Ascended stalking her. He tears the vampry’s heart out and leaves him hanging over the branch of a tree. Either he’ll be discovered, and it will cause talk, or the sun will take care of him when it rises.

Either way, win-win.

He takes a bath and gets turned on by thoughts of the Maiden, which both confuses him and makes him a little angry. He’s conflicted. He pleasures himself to thoughts of her but then thinks about his time in captivity—the assault, his trauma, his healing. Steeling his resolve, he reestablishes his goal in his mind.

Hawke wonders what’s going on when Poppy doesn’t visit the garden like she usually does. He catches sight of Lord Mazeen with the Duchess and finds out they’re looking for a Descenter. He overhears talk about

puncture wounds on a body, and then Mazeen mentions Lord Preston—the vampry Hawke strung up for stalking the Maiden.

Good. Then he served as the message intended.

When the Lord walks by, Hawke realizes he smells of jasmine and… something else. When he realizes it’s the Maiden’s scent, it bothers him more than it probably should.

Britta comes to say hello, and Hawke asks her what happened, indicating what’s going on in the castle. She tells him that Malessa Axton, a Lady in Wait, was killed and left in the castle. After some prompting about the Lord, Hawke learns that Mazeen is, indeed, a bit too friendly.

His people make things happen to advance their plot and take out Poppy’s guard Rylan Keal, thus opening a Royal Guard position at Poppy’s side. However, when Jansen comes to Hawke on the Rise to tell him the guard had been taken care of, Hawke finds out Jericho tried to take the Maiden, and she fought back. Even cut him. In retaliation, the wolven hit her.

Hawke heads to the Three Jackals, but Kieran catches up with him before he makes it and says he can’t kill Jericho. Hawke says he’s not going to. He’s going to murder him. Kieran tells him that they’re the same, and Cas explains the difference—which is ridiculous.

Hawke and Kieran enter a room at the pub to find Jericho playing cards with some other wolven and Descenters. He tries to calm Hawke, explaining what happened.

Hawke pours him a glass of whiskey as a distraction and then cuts off his left hand. He warns him to do as he’s told next time—no more, no less

—then leaves, telling Kieran to send Jericho to New Haven.

The day of Rylan’s funeral, Hawke watches over the Maiden as Vikter goes to light the pyre.

Sometime later, Kieran and Hawke meet up with Descenter Lev Barron in the warehouse district and find a dead couple and a baby who’s turned Craven. It’s pure disregard for life and disgusts Hawke. He takes the baby’s life and vows to make them all pay.

Summoned to the Duke’s office, Hawke goes and meets with the Ascended. The Duke tells Hawke that a guard must not fear death. Hawke disagrees and tells him that if one doesn’t fear death, then they don’t fear failure. He tells the Duke how he would have handled the situation in the garden and other times watching the Maiden. When the Duke insinuates

some things, Hawke says he has no interest in seducing the Maiden or becoming her friend. The Duke warns that her innocence is charming and warns that Hawke will be flayed alive if anything happens to the Maiden.

The Duke and Duchesses address the people about current happenings, and Hawke observes the Maiden. She isn’t like others, and it both charms and frustrates him. The Tulis family is outed as Descenters, and Lev is taken prisoner after throwing a Craven hand at the Royals. Hawke orders his people to remove the Tulises so they don’t have to give up their only remaining child.

Called back to the Duke’s office for the official assignment, Hawke is introduced to Poppy and Tawny and given a rundown of the rules and what’s required of him. With each word out of the Duke’s mouth, he hates him more and more. When the Maiden is unveiled, he’s stunned speechless. She’s stunning, and he can see the strength and resilience in her.

Escorting Tawny and the Maiden back to her chambers, Hawke remains outside and eavesdrops on their conversation. Every time Tawny talks him up or tries to convince her friend of something, Hawke thinks how the Lady in Wait has become his favorite person.

Eventually, Vikter brings Hawke his white mantle and warns Hawke to watch himself.

After discussing the Maiden’s schedule, Vikter warns Hawke about Penellaphe’s nightmares and tells him about her Craven attack when she was six. When Hawke inquires whether he’ll know if it’s only a nightmare or if it’s an attack, Vikter tells him that she will never scream if she’s in distress.

After everything is shared, Hawke realizes what an abysmal existence Penellaphe has had. It bothers him more than it probably should, and he can’t stop thinking about it.

During his off hours, Cas finds a note from Kieran and goes to the meat packing district. He enters the slaughterhouse building overseen by a Descenter named Mac, then goes downstairs to where Kieran is with Lord Hale Devries. The Ascended is tied up and unconscious.

Kieran wakes him by dumping a bucket of cold water over his head, and Cas asks the Lord where Malik is being kept. The vampry replies that he knows of no kept Prince—which is true, since Malik was no longer kept at this point.

Easily sliding into all the things required of him as the Maiden’s personal guard, Hawke somehow finds himself torn between his duty and plans, and what he starts feeling for the Maiden.

While guarding her, he starts to wonder why he hasn’t seen her in several days after he escorted her to the Duke’s office. While thinking about the fires the Descenters set to create chaos, he hears a scream coming from the Maiden’s room. He goes in and hides in the shadows, thinking he should probably think of her by name. He looks at the sparseness of her room and once again thinks about the horrible life she’s had—not at all like what he and others imagined. He checks on her and catches the scent of arnica.

The mist comes again, and Hawke goes beyond the Rise, seeing Vikter there, as well. He realizes that means nobody is watching the Maiden and goes to check on her. Instead, he finds someone on the parapet firing arrows. He’s very intrigued when he discovers it’s Penellaphe.

Hawke talks to Vikter, and Vikter asks why he hasn’t told anyone about Penellaphe being on the Rise. He tries to explain, thinking his respect for her is a complicated mess, then tells Vikter he knows he’s the one who trained her.

As time goes on, Hawke and Penellaphe share personal information and get to know each other, stealing intimate moments where they can—which only makes Hawke want things to become more intimate.

He realizes how intense things are getting when Britta visits him in his room and basically throws herself at him, and he denies her.

Surly over that knowledge, Cas goes to the Red Pearl and walks in on Kieran and Circe having sex. The couple invites him to join—which wouldn’t be a big deal, he’s done it before—but he’s not in the mood. He sulks, seethes about how he’s imagining having sex with Penellaphe, and drinks until they finish.

Kieran gives him shit for sitting with a hard-on and asks him what’s going on. He tells him a little and then shifts focus to how he plans to kill the Duke. Kieran tells him he can’t. He adds that it’d be revenge and it’s selfish.

They discuss Penellaphe being on the Rise and how they really have underestimated her, and Kieran just comes out and says that Cas cares about the Maiden. He denies it and assures his friend that plans haven’t changed.

Hawke follows Penellaphe to the Atheneum and finds her hanging outside on a windowsill with my journal tucked against her chest. He teases

her about it, reads a bit from it, and embarrasses her before escorting her home. He also calls her Poppy for the first time.

This was a real turning point for them. It was clear Hawke was already softening and enthralled, but him using her nickname was a big forward step.

As they walk through the Grove, they talk about her dulling her tongue when she’s not with him. She sasses him even more. Then, they talk a bit more about reading.

Cas just can’t resist teasing her about my journal, and I love it so much.

When he realizes that his plans will basically just swap one cage for another for her, it bothers him. And the fact that it bothers him bothers him.

Yep. The guy has it bad…

Later, Hawke waits in the Duke’s office with his feet on a dead guard. When he sees the canes, his fury rises. He insists that what he’s planning isn’t revenge and tries to solidify that in his mind.

The Duke comes in and is shocked to find Hawke. Even more so when he sees his dead guard. He threatens Hawke, making him laugh. He reveals himself as the Dark One and the Prince of Atlantia and tells Dorian he has no idea who is in his city.

The Duke insists Hawke will never get the Maiden, and Cas overpowers him. He makes him blink to show him how many times he whipped her and then gives it back.

During, something comes over the Duke and he says that Poppy is and will always be his—I have a feeling he was channeling Kolis there, but that’s just my hypothesis.

Incensed, Hawke impales him with a blood tree cane and then puts him behind the banner where the Rite is being held.

When he meets Poppy and the others, he acts like nothing happened.

Cas attends the Rite and spends some quality time under the willow with Poppy. When they emerge, Vikter catches them and has some choice words for them both. Hawke talks back but ultimately lets Poppy go with Vikter.

Kieran gives him hell for not taking Vikter out and taking Penellaphe right then and there. Cas assures him it’s only a slight delay. He tells Kieran he’ll meet him in the Grove with the Maiden. Kieran says something doesn’t feel right to him but tells Cas the Descenters have set things in motion.

When Cas returns to the castle, the Rite battle is already underway. He joins in, looking for the Maiden the entire time. When he finally finds her, it’s to see her swallowed in grief and wrath. He watches as she witnesses her friend and guard, someone who was like a father to her, be struck down. Then stands back and watches as she approaches Lord Mazeen with fury in her eyes.

With everything that happened, Casteel knows it’s time to make his move. He allows her to take her vengeance but then subdues her. But as he does, he realizes they can’t go right away. Jansen sends word to Kieran in the Grove about what happened, and Cas doesn’t think delaying for a bit longer will matter much.

Upstairs sometime later, Cas and Tawny talk about how the Maiden just needs time. Tawny tells Hawke she thinks he cares about Poppy. While he admits it to himself, he doesn’t out loud.

The Duchess arrives and tells him about the sleeping draft Poppy was taking. She adds that his loyalty is admirable and says the Queen will be pleased.

That makes my skin crawl because we know that’s all just a manipulation.

Cas goes to see Kieran at the Red Pearl, and they talk about Valyn. They also discuss how Cas has regrets. They talk about how they still don’t know what Poppy’s role is with the Ascended. Regardless, Cas can only think about how she deserves a future. He doesn’t say that, though. He lies and tells Kieran the plans are the same despite the delay.

Poppy and Hawke set off for the capital with eight men and continue growing closer as the days pass, despite the circumstances. They share things about their pasts and personal things about themselves—vulnerable things. And all along, Kieran continues to remind him to remember his task and stick to the plan.

In New Haven, Cas meets with Elijah, Delano, and Kieran, and they discuss next steps and what’s happened so far.

Finally, Poppy and Hawke are no longer able to resist each other and have sex. The next day, he meets with Elijah, Delano and Orion—an Atlantian bearing a missive from the Crown. They find out he’s being shady, and when he threatens Poppy’s life, Cas rips out his heart and throws it into the fire, telling everyone the messenger died unexpectedly during his journey.

Cas realizes he needs to go to Berkton to meet with his father, but there’s a storm on the way. Delano offers to go with him, but Cas tells him he needs him in New Haven. Elijah assures him that Poppy will be okay.

Suddenly, Naill bursts in, saying that Phillips (one of the men they traveled with) is trying to leave with Poppy. They all rush to the stables.

Cas’s schemes come to light when he kills one of the guards in front of Poppy and tells her the events that led to where they are now.

Clearly, she doesn’t take it well—neither that nor seeing Kieran shift into his wolven form—so he has her confined to the dungeon so she can’t escape or hurt anybody.

On his way back from Berkton, he receives word that she was attacked and feels terrible fear. Kieran takes her to his chambers, so he meets them once he arrives and sees how bad things are. He takes her to the floor by the fire and pries the dagger from her hands.

To help her heal, he feeds her his blood and loses himself in her sensual reaction to it.

Finally, he comes clean that he is, in fact, Casteel Da’Neer, Prince of Atlantia—whom she has been taught is and only knows as the Dark One. Being—as he calls her now—the absolutely stunning murderous little creature she is, she stabs him in the heart and runs.

When he catches up to her, he explains that he—unlike the wolven or an Ascended—cannot be killed by a blade to the heart. Telling her that everything between them has been real and that nothing has been a lie, he bites her, immediately realizing that she’s part Atlantian. He can’t control his lust, and they have glorious, unfettered sex in the snowy forest.

It brought back some very good memories for me. I should go back and read those journal entries in the volumes I still have in my possession…

Later, Casteel confesses that his feelings got in the way of his plan, and she takes away his pain—both the physical and the emotional—making him realize why the vamprys wanted her so badly. He then tells her he’s taking her home to Atlantia, but after some dissent within his ranks, he suddenly realizes that it’s imperative for him to show his people that she’s under his protection.

After nailing all those who attacked Poppy to the hall walls with bloodstone spikes through their hands and hearts and heads—leaving only Jericho alive, minus a hand—he informs all the others that Poppy is part Atlantian and the two of them are going home to be married. As their

journey progresses, they share stolen moments amidst sniping at each other, and Casteel tells her that he has not lied to her since she discovered who he is and explains his reasons for wanting to marry her.

When Poppy tries to escape again, and Casteel realizes she planned to go to the Ascended, hoping they’d take her to the capital where she could find and free her brother, he tells her that he refuses to carve her name in the wall of the tombs like so many of the other dead and returns her bloodstone dagger.

As he watches Poppy’s gifts change and grow, Casteel knows there’s something special about her—and it’s not just her heritage or her blood. When the Ascended finally track her down and attack, he confronts them and says: “I am born of the first kingdom. Created from the blood and ash of all those who fell before me. I have risen to take back what is mine. I’m who you call the Dark One.” And then he continues. “Yes, I have the Maiden, and I’m not giving her back.”

Something he meant in more ways than one, I’m sure.

After a battle with the Ascended that leaves him afraid she’ll be dead when he finally gets to her, he gives her his blood to help her heal and uses a mild compulsion on her to help her sleep, thus skipping the hyperarousal that usually comes from the act of feeding.

Why anyone would want to skip that is beyond me. That’s the best part.

But I digress…

Casteel’s feelings continue to grow, yet she still seems hesitant, so he asks her to pretend and live in the moment with him. To not worry about the past or the future.

As someone all about roleplay and pretending, that was super sexy to me. But it was also ridiculously sweet.

After gifting Poppy with her retribution for Lord Chaney attacking her and taking the child hostage, he sets off to take care of his princely duties, even though he hates leaving her. Being away from her is getting harder and harder as the days pass. Later, when Poppy has a nightmare, he comforts her and pretends again. But it’s becoming something more than a ruse with him. He can’t seem to stop himself from pleasuring her and loves to watch her shatter beneath his touch.

Continuing their journey to Atlantia, Casteel worries about his people. He plans to wait for the first group from New Haven before continuing on to the Skotos Mountains, but he finds that he’s not only worrying about his

people. His protective instincts for Poppy continue to grow—as do his feelings.

When Poppy tells him she’s not his and says she only belongs to herself, he asks her if she’d be willing to give him at least a piece, whatever one she chooses, and tells her that it will be his most prized possession.

Could he be any sweeter?

They eventually discuss their relationship, what they can expect, and what people will expect of them, as well as the changes in Poppy. In passing, Cas mentions her finding someone to love for real after all is said and done, but the way he poses it, it’s really still about them—I wonder if maybe he didn’t even realize it. When Poppy asks him if he’s ever been in love, he confirms that he has, but cuts off any more questions she has by simply saying, “She’s gone.” He doesn’t want to talk about Shea. Who could blame him?

Things are pretty quiet for the next three days until their group comes upon the Dead Bones Clan. Cas gives Poppy a crossbow and shows her how to use it. It’s a sign of trust, plus necessary. When the Clan attacks, their group fights valiantly, but Casteel is injured in the battle, shot with multiple arrows—in his left shoulder, just to the right of the center of his back, one in the back, and another in the stomach. The last gets stuck when he tries to pull it out, but he assures Poppy it’s not serious.

Once settled in Spessa’s End, Casteel rouses with Poppy but wakes up starving. The injuries he sustained took too much out of him, not to mention the blood he gave Poppy to heal. But despite his need for blood, he hungers for her and is done waiting. He scares her a bit at first until she realizes his intentions. Then…he devours her. Until Kieran storms in to stop him, worried about Poppy’s safety—and Cas’s mental state should he accidentally hurt her. Eventually, the Prince comes out of it and apologizes. But he knows he’ll never think of honeydew the same.

Despite needing blood, he hesitates when Poppy offers to feed him.

When she insists, he ultimately relents and says he’ll do it, but only under one condition: They can’t be left alone. They invite Kieran to oversee the act, and when he’s fed enough, Casteel lets Kieran leave and offers to ease Poppy’s lustful ache—her glorious reaction to having him feed from her. He tells her how brave and generous he thinks she is. How beautiful. And then brings her to climax with skilled hands while finding release himself— something he says has never happened before like that.

Earnestly, he admits that he’ll always want more when it comes to her and asks to hold her, to pretend once again, even though it hasn’t been a ruse to him in quite some time. He doesn’t think she’ll let him. So, when she does, he tells her that there are no takebacks and pulls her close, reveling in how she melts against him.

My heart is melting again while writing this, just like it did when I saw

it.

Casteel proposes a field trip to the real Spessa’s End for Poppy, the one

that outsiders don’t get to see, but gives her an ultimatum. He’ll only do it if they keep pretending to be a couple—his ruse to keep her close. They seal the deal with a kiss, and Poppy laughs. It absolutely undoes him.

Her laugh is pretty spectacular.

When a young wolven named Beckett is hurt and Poppy heals him, Casteel witnesses her glowing and wants her so badly it’s nearly unfathomable. Being Cas and never afraid to speak his mind, he tells her— both that she glowed and that he wants to do wicked things to her.

Pretty sure I would feel the same.

It’s clear that her powers are growing, and it absolutely awes him.

However, it concerns him, as well. He discusses her gifts with her and asks her not to use them in front of crowds until they know more and can control the narrative.

They talk about their upcoming nuptials, and Cas tells Poppy that he wants to marry her now in Spessa’s End. She agrees, but Alastir is anything but pleased by the news. Casteel isn’t happy with the wolven’s reaction and reiterates that Poppy is what he wants. After the encounter and needing to share some of the beauty of Spessa’s End with Poppy, he takes her to the poppy fields and the caves, letting little bits of his truth free and telling her how he feels.

While in the cavern, they agree to stop pretending and have wicked and wondrous sex in the hot springs. When they return to the others, Alastir’s ire turns vile, and he blurts out that Casteel is already promised to another

—namely, Alastir’s niece, Gianna.

Poppy is clearly hurt by the news—who wouldn’t be after everything they shared? Casteel can almost see her thoughts on her face and argues with Alastir, saying that what he did was a weak move. He explains his actions once again, reiterating his love for Poppy. He even goes so far as to

reveal that she stabbed him in the chest after learning of his original plans in an attempt to smooth things over with those in attendance.

Poppy tells everyone that she knew about his plans to capture and use her, but she fell for him anyway—when he was still Hawke. She goes on to say that he is the first thing she’s ever chosen for herself.

Be still my heart.

Later, when Casteel goes to her chambers to wake her, they fight about Gianna. He tells her that he never openly protested the suggestion of the two of them marrying because he didn’t want to hurt Alastir’s niece but ensures Poppy that he’s been completely honest with her about everything

—except his need to feed. And he kept that from her for a good reason.

He asks her if what she said at dinner was true—that she’s fallen for and chooses him—and admits that he wants everything from her. He shares that his original plan made less sense the more they interacted. And that with her, he can just be.

Before he can show her how much he loves her, they’re interrupted and told the sky is on fire.

Yeah, that would be an ardor douser.

They wonder if it’s an omen and go out to investigate, finding it’s not actually the sky but something large in the distance. A bit later, Delano arrives, wounded, with news that the Ascended are on their way with an army.

Casteel sends Alastir and Kieran for reinforcements and asks Poppy to go with them. But, as usual, she’s stubborn and resists. He threatens to compel her if she doesn’t go but finally relents when she argues that she can be an asset and won’t be a liability.

She’s a great fighter. I would have believed her.

Kieran is angry about leaving Cas but knows it must be done. They share an emotional goodbye, and Casteel goes to determine who can fight. Once he’s assessed, he arranges a strategy meeting and invites Poppy to join. Another sign of trust and love.

In a heartfelt exchange, Casteel admits that the most shame he’s ever felt is tied to her and says he actually planned on taking her during the Rite. He even had Kieran and others waiting to move in. He also admits that he wanted…no, he needed to be her first everything, and that he still wants everything from her. He adds that he pretends he can have it, even when he knows she’ll inevitably leave, leaving him still wanting.

Poor guy. I just want to hold him close.

In a moment of vulnerability and honesty, he finally tells Poppy about Shea, revealing that he doesn’t talk about her. Not because he loved her but because he hates her and loathes what he was forced to do. He tells Poppy that only Malik and Kieran know the truth. The people of Atlantia think Shea died a hero, and he’s okay with that. He goes on to explain that one of the big reasons he couldn’t marry Gianna was because she looks like Shea, and it bothered him.

Poppy reciprocates by pouring out her heart to him and telling him how she really feels. He proposes again and asks her to marry him immediately. She accepts and tells him to remember he’s worthy.

Casteel and Poppy marry in the traditional Atlantian way, but when they are pronounced husband and wife, the afternoon sky turns as dark as midnight. It’s an omen, something that hasn’t happened since Casteel’s parents married, and is believed to be a blessing from Nyktos, showing his approval of their union.

After the wedding, Casteel takes in his new bride, utterly in awe. Poppy asks him why he stares at her when she laughs or smiles, and he tells her it’s like déjà vu, as if he’s heard it before, even before meeting her. When she asks about heartmates, he explains that it started at the beginning of recorded time, when one of the ancient deities fell so deeply in love with a mortal that he begged the gods to bestow the gift of long life on the one he chose. The ending of that story is sad, but the beauty behind the thought of having someone who is made for you, to complete you, is beautiful. They also discuss the Joining, which leads to shared blood and bodies.

And let me tell you, a glorious consummation of marriage it was.

When Duchess Teerman arrives with her knights, asking for the Maiden to be returned, Casteel demands that Poppy stay concealed on the Rise so as not to make herself a target. He also tells her that if anything should happen to him, she is to go to the caves. Kieran will find her there. But when the Duchess begins spouting lies about Ileana being Poppy’s grandmother and the Queen not being Ascended, his new bride can’t stay hidden—or silent.

Casteel absolutely loves her spirit, but he hates when she paints a target on herself.

When the Duchess catapults her gifts, and Elijah’s head lands at Casteel’s feet, his fury consumes him. He tells Poppy to kill as many of them as possible and leaps from the Rise.

Once things die down a bit, she suggests she should just go to them so no more of their people die or get hurt, insisting they won’t kill her. Casteel tells her they cannot have her because he knows what they will do to her.

He says she is what matters now. They are.

I absolutely love him.

Before he can get her to safety, she threatens to kill herself if the Solis army doesn’t stop, warning them what the Queen would do to them if they allowed that to happen. Cas wants to throttle her and tells her as much— because he knows she would do it. She’s that impulsive. And while it shouldn’t be something that endears her to him, it does. Luckily, her threat makes the soldiers hesitate—just long enough for the Atlantian Army to arrive.

The new couple greets Kieran and tells him he missed a lot, showing off the marriage imprint. But before Casteel can say more, Poppy’s suddenly gone and rushing to the Royal carriage. He catches up, arriving just as Poppy destroys the Duchess. He’s absolutely furious with his wife for her stunt earlier and for putting herself in danger, yet totally in awe of her—and wickedly turned on. He tells everybody they are not to get near the carriage under any circumstances and then enters with Poppy, closing them both inside. Bursting with emotion, he tells her that he needs her and asks if he can have her, then they show each other with their bodies what words cannot convey.

They spared a single Solis soldier in the battle, a boy barely past the cusp of manhood, and only so he could deliver a message for them. Casteel and a few others set out for the scorched land of Pompay with the boy so he can let the Ascended in Whitebridge know that Spessa’s End has been reclaimed, and anyone who comes for it will meet the same fate as those before.

When Cas returns, he tells Poppy the wolven heard her during the battle and veered in her direction. Poppy relays what the Duchess said in the carriage about their brothers being together and Poppy accomplishing what the Queen never could: taking Atlantia.

Setting off again, they travel through the mist in the Skotos Mountains, planning to meet the others at Gold Rock. When they stop for the night, they discuss how the mist seems to be interacting with Poppy. That night, Poppy sleepwalks, but Casteel is able to stop her in time, pulling her back just before she walks off the side of the cliff.

He tells her that he thinks the gods helped him find her and says they seem to like her. Then he tells her he dreamed she was in the same cage he’d been held in and that he couldn’t free her. He also tells her about Kieran’s dream.

Seems something affected them all. It’s my thought that the gods were already restless by this point, and Kolis was already affecting things in the mortal realm a bit.

They finally reach Gold Rock and reunite with the others. As they continue on and pass through the Pillars of Asphodel—not the same pillars as in the gods’ times that served as the gateway to the Vale and the Abyss— Cas welcomes Poppy home.

With Poppy in awe of everything she’s seeing for the first time, he leaves to speak with Alastir, and Beckett offers to take Poppy to the Chambers.

Word of a commotion reaches him, and he takes off to find her, arriving after the attack with Naill, Emil, Alastir, Casteel’s parents, and others, only to see nothing but carnage and a mini forest of blood trees that were not there before.

When Jasper growls at him as he approaches, Cas suddenly understands what has happened. Something his mother confirms when she asks him what he has done and what he brought to Atlantia.

Alastir insists there’s still time. Casteel drops to one knee, his short swords crossed over his chest as the wolven lower to their bellies or dip into bows, their hindquarters in the air.

Queen Eloana tells Alastir it’s too late and removes her crown, placing it at the foot of the Nyktos statue before saying, “Lower your swords and bow before the last descendant of the most ancient ones, she who carries the blood of the King of the Gods within her. Bow before your new Queen.”

When Poppy wobbles, Casteel goes to catch her but stops momentarily when all the wolven growl—even Kieran, his bonded wolven. He doesn’t care. He understands they are just protecting her, something he is all about, and it makes him angry that the Royal Guard and those in the Temple see Poppy and the wolven as a threat. But then what Alastir says penetrates, and he realizes why the wolven are acting the way they are.

All the bonds between the Atlantians and the wolven have been broken. By his wife.

When Poppy explains what happened, Cas is enraged that his people tried to stone Poppy in the Temple and orders Beckett to be found. He also declares for all to hear that a move against his wife is a move against him, and anyone who even tries will die. He then orders that Alastir be seized.

Can you imagine having someone you’ve known all your life, someone you trusted implicitly, betray you like that? It hurts my heart to think of it.

When Casteel’s father declares that Casteel is not the King yet and Poppy is not the Queen and orders Alastir to be put somewhere safe, Cas makes it known that if Alastir doesn’t go willingly, he’ll be the first at his throat. But before they can take him away, Alastir instructs the guards to protect their King and Queen—Valyn and Eloana, not Casteel and Poppy— and they attack.

Jasper and Kieran are hit with arrows during the skirmish, and Casteel moves to shield Poppy. Unfortunately, he is struck, as well—in the back, the shoulder, and the leg. And the shadowshade-dipped arrows turned his skin to stone.

I once saw someone wounded by shadowshade. It’s not something I care to ever see again.

When Cas finally comes out of it a few days later, he and several others set off for Irelone to rescue Poppy, finding her by telling the Crown Guard that if the conspirators don’t confess, he will start killing them all—using compulsion to make sure they got the message, and he got the information he needed.

He arrives and tears through the enemy, even going so far as to rip out the spine of someone rushing Poppy and Kieran. But when Poppy shouts for him to stop right before he kills a man in a mask, he does so without question, beyond surprised to find Jansen under the mask. Someone he trusted since before the Red Pearl—before things were even really set in motion.

He goes from pride at watching Poppy keep her promise to end Jansen to devastation when one of the Protectors hits her in the chest with a crossbow bolt. He makes promises to Poppy that he’ll make it right and ignores his father’s warnings and the things Kieran tries to tell him. Instead, he bites into his wrist and tries to get her to drink. When he sees that she’s beyond that, he dissolves with grief.

When a blood tree grows around her, he makes his decision and tells those loyal to him to keep everyone else—especially those trying to stop

him—away from Poppy and him, threatening to rip their hearts from their chests if they don’t. He declares that not even the gods could stop him from doing what he plans to do next.

The one thing his father says he cannot do because he knows what will happen.

Ascend her.

When Poppy awakens, starving, and throws herself at Kieran, Casteel steps in to stop her, urging her to use him instead and marveling at the fact that she is alive but didn’t Ascend.

He apologizes for not being there the minute she woke and tells her how in awe he is of her, going on to remind her how brave she is and saying that he’s unworthy. When she finally feeds enough to come back to herself, he tells her how much he needs her and loves her, marveling at the fact that she says it in return—for the first time!—and they show each other with bodies and mouths and more just how much.

But even with her back in his arms and still being able to see the beautiful green of her eyes versus the black he so feared, he blames himself for the attack and feels he didn’t do enough to ensure her safety.

When Poppy questions what happened when she was out of it, he tells her that she died and that his marriage imprint had even begun to fade, which was when he knew there was no turning back and started the process of Ascending her. They then discuss the things that came after—her trying to eat Kieran, him feeding from Naill, the fact that she didn’t, in fact, Ascend.

They talk with Kieran about what happened at the Temple and why she didn’t Ascend, thus turning into a vampry. Kieran reminds Poppy that he told her she smelled of Death, not like something dead, and Casteel adds that her blood doesn’t just taste old, it tastes ancient. Therefore, the blood in her must be old power. They also talk about why she did what she did—or was able to do—in the Chambers, deducing it was her being on Atlantian land combined with the blood she’d taken from Casteel, along with a few other things.

Boy, would they be surprised when they discovered the truth of it.

When Poppy inquires about the wolven bonds, Casteel confirms that his tether to Kieran is indeed broken. Kieran says they just made room for her.

That seriously makes me a puddle of goo. He’s just so sweet and sexy.

They discuss Alastir, and Poppy reveals that he was there the night she and her parents were attacked at Lockswood, Casteel tells her that he meant what he said when he promised she could have whatever she wanted. And then he tells her that Alastir is all hers.

Sweet, sweet retribution. There is something utterly erotic about exacting vengeance when punishment is due.

Before they set off for the Skotos Mountains, Casteel tells Poppy how impressed he is with her new strength and asks her to demonstrate by hitting him. When she refuses, he goads her by teasing her about how much she loves my journal—who wouldn’t?—and finally gets her to slug him in the stomach, most definitely proving how much stronger she is.

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.

When the Queen and her people confront them, Casteel is horrified to find his brother Malik at Ileana’s side and asks him what she’s done. When Malik reveals that the Queen wanted Poppy to marry him and remarks that he was to be her Ascension…of the flesh, Kieran has to hold Casteel back.

He further learns that Alastir told Ileana about the ultimatum they planned to give and learns that she would rather see the whole kingdom burn than hand over even a single acre. When he hears Ileana’s counteroffer, he tells her that she’s out of her mind.

Seems war is inevitable.

As Ileana reveals more, Casteel struggles to accept what he’s being told: that Ileana is actually Isbeth, that Isbeth is Poppy’s mother, that Malec is a

god, that Isbeth is a god because Malec Ascended her… I didn’t believe most of it myself.

Then he tells Isbeth they don’t agree to her terms, which ultimately results in Isbeth having Poppy’s brother killed and causing a skirmish to break out.

During the battle, Cas catches Poppy as she’s being choked by Isbeth’s magic and orders everyone to stand down. He tells Isbeth that she can have whatever she wants and offers himself up, saying it’s the only way for her to control Poppy.

Malik takes him to the dungeon and shackles him with shadowstone around his ankles and throat.

As the days pass, Handmaidens randomly swarm the cell to take blood from him. He’s able to take many of them out, resulting in them shortening his chains, but he also learns something invaluable: not all the Queen’s Handmaidens are Revenants—one actually stayed dead after he took her out.

A few hours after a bloodletting, five Handmaidens enter his cell, followed by Isbitch, as I’ve come to love to call her after hearing it in a vision. She reveals some things that lead him to realize that Isbeth is a demis, and he learns more about how they’re created.

He’s enraged when they tell him he hasn’t earned the right to see his brother, but it thrills him when he learns what Poppy did to King Jalara and that she knows where Malec is and threatened to kill the god.

Isbeth intuits that Casteel’s only interest in Poppy is her power, which doesn’t surprise him. But when the Blood Queen keeps talking and reveals that she doesn’t want Atlantia, she wants to remake the realms, and believes Poppy is destined to help her do it…that does shock him.

They leave him alone for a while until Callum comes and stabs Casteel with a shadowstone dagger.

With the captivity, bloodletting, and new blood loss, Casteel realizes he needs to feed and fears becoming the thing he turned into while in captivity before. There are also other similarities between then and now. They bring in a bath, and he refuses to use it, knowing they were always rewards or preludes to punishments, and he hasn’t done anything to deserve a reward.

When they remove his index finger, he’s more bothered by the fact that they took his wedding ring than by the loss of the digit. And why wouldn’t

he be? It was a union blessed by the gods and a symbol of their always and forever. At least he knows that Kieran is with her.

When the Queen’s Handmaiden, Millicent, comes in to tend to him, something about her seems familiar. He wonders if it’s her scent, but he can’t quite place it. She proceeds to tell him that she broke the wards in the tunnels when she Ascended into her godhood and that Poppy carries the blood of both the Primal of Life and the Primal of Death within her. Casteel immediately assumes it’s Nyktos, but Millicent shuts that down right away by telling him that he knows nothing.

She goes on to inform Cas that while it’s true that Isbeth doesn’t have the power to remake the realms, she knows how to bring to life something that does. The information leaves Cas reeling, thinking about what it could all mean.

That night, Cas dream walks with Poppy at the pool in the cave. He revels in the fact that he’s able to touch her. Love her. But he remains cold and hears the clanking of chains, so he knows it’s not real. Still, given that it is more than a dream, it confirms one thing: he and Poppy are heartmates.

Later, he regrets not telling Poppy that he is underground and that Isbeth is a demis, but he can’t regret what happened in the dream. When more Craven attack, he kills one and takes its shin bone to use as a weapon. It’s better than nothing…

When Malik visits, Casteel feels a brief flash of hope that his brother is there to break him out. Sadly, that is quickly quashed. The betrayal stokes his anger, but he does understand some of it. As Malik said, if he fed Cas, the Queen would discover their visit and punish Casteel. Malik does disinfect and bandage Cas’s wound, however, leading Cas to believe that Millie must have told his brother about what was going on with him.

They discuss Shea, and Malik admits that he’s been thinking about her a lot. When Cas reveals that he killed her, it seems to come as no surprise to his brother. And then they talk about Preela. Malik tells Casteel exactly what happened to his bonded wolven and reveals that Poppy’s dagger is made from her bones. It sickens Cas, and he realizes that losing Preela like that was likely the catalyst to what happened to Malik and led to what he became.

Cas then begins to put some things together regarding his brother and the Handmaiden. When Malik asks Casteel not to take revenge on Millie for anything that has been done, Cas asks his brother if he cares about her.

Malik tells him he’s incapable of that, but she—like Poppy—had no choice in her life. And he owes her. Then he cryptically tells Casteel that everything has to do with Poppy and she likely won’t remember him.

Thinking through everything he’s learned, all the what-ifs nag Casteel. That night, he dream walks with Poppy again and reveals to her that she’s a goddess. He tells her that he knew the minute he learned Malec was a god. But then Poppy tells him that Malec isn’t her father. His twin, Ires, is. And Ires is the cave cat they saw. It all enrages him, but he’s glad Isbeth doesn’t know where Malec is entombed.

They talk more, and Poppy tells him they’re coming for him and are close. She also tells him that she summoned Nyktos’s guards and has Kieran and Reaver—one of the draken—with her.

They share additional information: the fact that he’s underground, the fact that Isbeth is a demis and what that means, the fact that the Blood Queen knows how to use Primal energy, and that’s what killed the other draken Poppy brought with her…

Recounting this, I can’t help but feel relief that Nithe escaped the slaughter. I will always hold the night we shared close.

Callum wakes Cas with a bucket of cold water, and Isbeth confronts him. He taunts her before stabbing her in the chest with the bone. He barely misses her heart and tells her it’s payback for what she did to Poppy’s brother. Callum comes for him, and he fights, trying to get to Isbeth again— with no luck.

Isbeth then reveals some big and pertinent information. Primals have a weakness. Love can be used as a weapon to weaken and then end them.

They can also be born in the mortal realm, and gods pushed Primals into their eternal rest by Ascending. However, the Fates created a loophole, allowing the greatest power to rise again. The rub is that it is only in the females of the Primal of Life’s line…suggesting that Isbeth didn’t birth a god, she birthed a Primal. Poppy is a Primal.

Time passes, and he starts going out of his mind with bloodlust. He barely notices when Poppy comes to him. She uses her gift to bring him out of his haze and heals his wounds. But when he sees Callum instead of Kieran, he knows she isn’t there to rescue him. Something happened. She tells him they were caught outside Three Rivers and brought to the Queen. When she offers to feed him, he refuses out of fear of weakening her.

When Cas realizes that Isbeth doesn’t know that Poppy brought a draken with her, it pleases him. And when she demands that he be given water and allowed to feed and then displays her power, she utterly awes him. Again. Still, he convinces her to leave. She has plans to make and can’t do it down in the dungeon with him.

The next time Millie comes to see him, washing the black color from her hair and clearing her face of paint, he realizes why she seems so familiar. She confirms his suspicions by telling him that she’s the first daughter, Poppy’s full-blooded sister. She goes on to say that unlike Poppy, she’s not a god. She’s a failure. The more she reveals, the more answers he gets, but the more questions it raises. She details Isbeth’s long-running plan and tells Cas that when Poppy completes her Culling, she’ll give her mother exactly what she’s wanted since the Queen’s son died: revenge against everyone. She doesn’t want to remake the realms, she wants to destroy them, and Poppy is destined to help with that. She is the harbinger foretold. Millie continues by saying that everything prophesied to happen will happen. Poppy will bring about the end, and Casteel will fail. He will kill Poppy.

Haunted by his thoughts, he thinks over everything the Handmaiden told him. He knows he will never kill Poppy, but things with the prophecy have been revealing themselves to be true…albeit not as expected.

When Callum returns, he tells Casteel that Poppy stabbed him with his own dagger, and Cas couldn’t be prouder. But when Callum reveals that while Casteel’s arrogance is impressive, he’s seen love bring down the most powerful of beings and has only seen love beat death once—with Nyktos and his Consort, it reveals to Cas just how old Callum is. And then…the Revenant stabs him in the chest, sending him straight into bloodlust.

Kieran, Poppy, and Malik come for him, but he’s too far gone to realize what’s happening. Kieran distracts him while Malik renders him unconscious, and then Reaver frees him from the bone chains before his brother carries him from the cell. Poppy uses her gifts and tries to heal him, but he’s too far gone for it to do much good. He goes for Poppy’s throat, but his love for her wins out, and he ends up protecting her instead of hurting her.

I don’t think he could have harmed her. I personally believe that he would always know it was her and maintain control, even in the throes of bloodlust.

Casteel meets Reaver and thinks he could like the draken, especially when he helps to remove the shadowstone shackles. Once he’s sure they’re all safe, Cas asks for some time alone with Poppy. Kieran lingers, and he thanks his friend for helping to free him, but mostly for taking care of Poppy and being there for her when he could not be.

Desperate to prove that she’s real and with him again, they show each other how much they love and missed each other and then vow never to be separated again. He assures her that he will eventually be okay.

Poppy tells him what’s been going on with her, and he finds out that while she does need to feed, any blood but a draken’s will do. He assumes that she fed from Kieran, and it actually makes him happy. She fills him in on everything else that has happened, and as he listens, he struggles with how to tell Poppy that Millie is her sister.

Unable to sleep with that lingering thought in his head as well as the Handmaiden’s words about Poppy dying in his arms, he leaves her to sleep and talks with Kieran. They discuss everything Millie told Cas and what it means regarding the prophecy and what they believe to be the truth about Millie and Malik. During their talk, Casteel realizes that Poppy will be a Primal once she completes her Culling and worries about what Isbeth said about love being dangerous for a Primal.

Once Poppy has fed, and they spend some more quality time together, he finally reveals to Poppy that Millie is her sister and that she didn’t survive her Culling—Isbeth turned her into a Revenant to save her.

With some time alone with his brother on their journey, Casteel reveals that Millie told him she was Poppy’s sister and that he put two and two together about how she ended up the way she did. His brother confirms that Cas’s blood wasn’t enough to Ascend Millie since he was so weakened from his captivity, and that Callum showed Isbeth how to create Revenants and use Primal magic.

After his discussion with his brother, Casteel tells Poppy that he doesn’t think she’s a god anymore, and Malik cuts him off, telling Poppy outright that she’s a Primal. Casteel then realizes something and turns his ire on Reaver for not telling Poppy she was a Primal right away, and then asks how a Primal can be born of mortal flesh.

As things are brought up that make him realize that Malik was the Dark One from Lockswood and thus responsible for Poppy’s scars and trauma, he compels his brother to pick up a dagger and put it to his own throat. Poppy

stops Cas and explains that Malik didn’t hurt her directly. He actually helped her escape. That doesn’t ease Casteel’s rage. When Malik contradicts everything Poppy says to try to make Cas understand that he was only protecting his kingdom and family, Cas can’t hold himself back. He launches himself at his brother, and Poppy is forced to use her powers to separate the two.

Isbeth shows up where they’re staying and kills the Descenter couple who were hosting them. A skirmish ensues, and Cas stops Malik from returning to Isbeth—with some help from Kieran, who knocks him out. But Kieran is wounded in the fight, which leads to Cas stabbing Callum in the chest before bringing Poppy back from the brink.

They head to Padonia and their armies and discuss taking Carsodonia while they meet with Isbeth at the Bone Temple. It’s not ideal, but it is something to think about. They also talk about the prophecy, how Poppy’s life is hers, the Joining, and everything that was revealed about Malik.

Cas talks to Kieran about the Joining, and the wolven makes it clear that he doesn’t want or expect them to do it just to save him from the curse that’s now on him from the blade Callum stabbed him with. Cas tells him they’re more than friends or brothers—they’re halves of the same coin. And then he tells Kieran when he plans to do the Joining if Poppy is still willing.

If she’s not, can I volunteer? Just kidding.

Or am I? *wink*

With a cooler head, Casteel confronts his brother, making it clear how he feels about Malik being the Dark One and how it hurt and thus impacted Poppy’s life. After further discussions about Alastir, Millie, and Malik’s intentions and beliefs regarding Poppy, Cas has a moment of softness where he tells Malik not to get himself killed and asks him to fight with them, not against them.

Now, I’m not saying they were close again by any means, but that was a big step for Cas to extend that olive branch, and for Malik to agree—at least in the moment.

Casteel asks Malik about the creepy rhyme that Poppy heard, and Malik tells him he has no idea what he’s talking about, confirming that it wasn’t his brother. He then orders the bone chains to be removed from Malik. He doesn’t want his father or the kingdom to see him again for the first time while in chains.

Seeing the draken for the first time in Padonia leaves Cas speechless, but he feels slightly more sure-footed when Poppy identifies each of them for him. He’s taken by surprise once again when he sees Tawny. She no longer feels the same to him, though he can’t put a finger on what she feels like. It’s just something…different.

The group prepares, and Cas tells everyone they will only deliver Malec to Isbeth to have Kieran’s curse lifted. After that, they will end the war once and for all. Plans are then put in place to call the generals back, and discussions are had about how to take Carsodonia.

The next few days are full of planning and enjoying his Queen until they set off to get Malec. The journey is full of strife as usual—Craven, Sentry Gyrms, serpents—but it’s also rife with information. Cas learns about the different types of Gyrms and how they came to be, how Malec changed after visiting the mortal realm, and that Nyktos and his Consort had their reasons for not intervening when their son was entombed.

With that part of their journey done, he orders everyone to take a day to rest before they leave for the Bone Temple. That night, he leads Poppy to the Wisteria Woods and the bank of the River Rhain, where Kieran waits.

Outside, amongst nature, the three will become one. Could anything be sexier?

The trio begins the ritual: Poppy drinks from them, they drink from each other, and then he and Kieran drink from her, exchanging the words that solidify consent and intent and make tensions rise. I saw the whole exchange in a vision, and let me just say, I had to pay a visit to one of my regular paramours afterward. The three of them, a gorgeous palette of colors blending, sighs filling the air, the trust, love, and respect in the moment…it was truly something beautiful. As were the cords of the Joining that connected them.

When they lay in a tangled, satisfied, bonded heap after, they see that Kieran’s wound is healed, but they don’t know if the Joining lifted the curse. It’s still a worry, but the Joining was about much more than just saving Kieran’s life, and all three of them know that. The most astonishing thing to Cas is now sharing a heartbeat with the two most important people in his life. It’s a marvel.

The group sets off for the Bone Temple, and Cas, Kieran, and Poppy revel in their newfound closeness. They always had a bond, but it’s so much more now. When they reach Isbeth, Cas squares off verbally with Callum

and taunts Isbeth about how Malec still sleeps. He also asks why she would ever think that Malec would give her what she wants. Smug as ever, she replies that she knows he will.

Once Callum lifts the curse, Cas tells Kieran to let Poppy heal him—for her, not for him—and then stands with them as a unit as they await what Isbeth will do. When she pulls a shadowstone dagger, he comforts Poppy.

They can’t trust Isbitch, and she’s shown she’s nothing if not unpredictable, proven once again when she plunges the blade into Malec’s chest.

When Callum explains the real meaning of the harbinger and bringer of death and destruction bits of the prophecy, Cas reminds Poppy that he never thought she was death and destruction. Still, he’s shocked by what Callum reveals and incensed by what he says about the so-called “True King of the Realms.” The last straw, however, is when Callum says that he’s waiting to pick his pretty poppy and watch it bleed. Cas has heard enough and rips the asshole’s still-beating heart from his chest with his bare hand…just as Kolis makes his presence known.

The earth cracks open, the wolven run—something Cas has never seen them do—and dakkais spill out of the fissures. They battle with everything they have, but so many fall. Naill. Emil. Delano. He does what he can to avenge them, his attention split between the battle and Poppy’s transformation. It absolutely astonishes him, as does Nektas’s arrival, and he finds it hard to look away despite the dangers coming at him from all sides. He tries to shield Poppy from the horror of Isbeth’s destruction, but she watches—they all do—until Isbitch is no more.

Coaxing Poppy back to consciousness, Cas marvels at everything that happened. Somehow, none of their people are dead, and Poppy completed her Culling. When he informs her that she brought everyone back to life, Nektas corrects him and says that the true Primal of Life, the Consort, aided her, and that Nyktos captured their souls before they could enter the Vale or the Abyss.

When Nektas shares the full story of Sotoria and Kolis and Nyktos and his Consort, they’re all intrigued—if concerned. As Nektas continues, Cas pieces together that if Kolis hadn’t done what he did—killed his brother and stolen the embers—then Nyktos would have become the Primal God of Life, and Malec and Ires would have been born Primals. But they weren’t because it took a female descendant.

When Nektas says that Poppy is the Primal of Blood and Bone, the true Primal of Life and Death, and that those two essences have never existed in one, Cas reassures her that whether that’s good or bad, they already know that she is good.

Hoping things will start to look up now that they thwarted the Blood Queen’s plans and Malec still lives, Cas feels only anger and frustration when Nektas tells them that they stopped nothing and need to kill Kolis— something Nyktos and the Consort weren’t even able to do.

Later in the tunnels, Cas kills a vampry, even though they weren’t attacked. He says it was moving toward Poppy and that wasn’t okay. He’s not sure why she seems to be fading, but it greatly concerns him.

Nektas tells Cas he’s too much like the bloodline he’s descended from— Attes and Kyn’s.

The tunnels collapse, and Cas and Kieran move to protect Poppy.

Nektas tells them that it wasn’t her, it was them. Meaning the gods awakening—primarily Penellaphe, who rests near.

Still worrying about Poppy, Cas’s thoughts must be pushed aside for a bit when they come upon Ires in his cat form, caged. He looks absolutely rough. They all see the bars and the wards, and Nektas says that nobody in the mortal realm should have that knowledge.

They tell Ires that Isbeth is dead, that they’ve come to rescue him, and that all will be okay. Poppy touches her father and he shifts into his god form, telling them about Jadis. Then, he passes out, going into stasis.

Poppy gets dizzy. Nektas asks if she slept, and she says a little. But that’s not what he meant. He’s inquiring about stasis after her Ascension. Before she can even really answer, she passes out, and Cas and Kieran catch her.

Nektas explains she needs the stasis to complete her transformation and says that the very earth will seek to protect her. He adds that he doesn’t know how long she’ll sleep but tells them to take her somewhere safe, watch over her, and talk to her. However, he adds that there could be unexpected side effects. She could awaken with no memories of herself, them, or anything that happened.

They take her to a guest room in the castle, and Cas tells Emil to make sure Wayfair is safe. He already planned to make sure they weren’t bothered but says the wolven are guarding the premises with Hisa and the Crown Guard.

He asks Cas what they should do with the Ascended and Cas’s first instinct is to say, “kill them all.” Instead, he orders them to be kept in their homes.

Emil then asks about Valyn and Ires, and Cas realizes he hasn’t even thought about those in Padonia. He says to send word to his father but to leave out the bits about Poppy, and tells him Nektas took Ires home to Iliseeum.

Remembering what Nektas said about talking to her, he thinks about the first time he saw her and decides to tell her what it was like in Masadonia before they officially met. Starting with his time on the Rise.

Poppy sleeps for hours. During that time Cas bathes her, washing the dirt and blood of battle away. He tells her that Vikter is part of the Fates in a way and that perhaps being a viktor, he sensed Cas’s true motives as Hawke. He reminds Poppy that it could have been Vikter who died that night in the garden and not Rylan Keal and admits that he had preconceived notions about her since he hadn’t known her yet. But he says that everything changed when they met.

Cas holds Poppy to his chest, telling her he had trouble processing everything that happened during his captivity, Shea, what happened after, and admits to using sex, drugs, and drinking to dull the pain. Then he started using the pain—literal pain—as a way to escape. The only thing that made him realize how bad things got was when he noticed how much he was taking from Kieran.

Kieran tells him it was okay that he used their bond to gain strength, and it’s also okay to forget things, as long as he remembers later. He also asks about Shea and wonders if Cas will ever tell her.

We know that she knows that he killed Shea with his bare hands after her betrayal. What more could there be?

His response to Kieran is that Poppy needs to be awake to hear that story and learn all of it.

I want to learn all of it!

Cas talks to Poppy about Malik being kept and what the Lord in the meat packing plant said, realizing that he wasn’t wrong given the game Malik was playing, and how Vikter didn’t let on what happened during her lessons with the Duke because he didn’t want to embarrass her.

Cas really wants to try to find her in dreams but isn’t sure it’ll work since this isn’t normal sleep, it’s stasis.

He thinks about the Red Pearl and how brave he thought she was, then mentions the night on the Rise when the Craven attacked. He says that’s when everything began to change, and she started to become Poppy for him.

Kieran and Cas talk about the day Britta came to Hawke’s quarters and he hopes Poppy doesn’t remember that bit when she wakes. They discuss whether she looks any better and conclude that she does.

Kieran tells Cas that things are calm in the city. A Descenter warned Emil about the tunnels the vamprys use to travel during the day, and Hisa is taking a group down to take care of it. Kieran admits that it’s hard not being with them, but Cas reminds him that he’s needed right where he is.

Cas asks about Malik, and Kieran says that Valyn and company were delayed in Padonia but they would arrive soon. He tells Cas to rest, and Cas turns it back on him and asks him if he’s rested. They determine where they left off in the story they were telling Poppy…

He talks to Poppy about my diary as Delano hangs out at the foot of the bed where he’s pretty much camped out since day one, and Kieran takes some time in the bathing chamber. He switches gears to the Duke and tells her he made the asshole suffer.

Bringing up the sense of rightness they both felt under the willow the night of the Rite, he says it was their souls recognizing each other.

Cas brings up Millie, which Kieran finds an odd transition, but they discuss how she’s different from normal Revs. The conversation shifts to the Rite and how things got out of control that night, with Casteel admitting he still feels responsible.

Suddenly, Emil calls out from the hall, asking someone what they’re doing. Delano wakes up, growling, and Kieran takes a defensive stance. Millie enters and politely asks them not to kill her. Cas remarks that Naill must have found her and Malik, just as his brother walks in, looking worn out.

The Revenant asks what’s happening with Poppy, insisting she never wanted her dead. Malik assures them she won’t harm Poppy, prompting Casteel to ask Millie why she ran. She explains that she panicked when she saw the Consort in Poppy’s eyes.

Kieran offers to stay if Millie wants to visit with Poppy.

Cas steps into the hall with Malik and asks Emil and Naill for a moment alone with his brother. He asks Malik what happened, and Malik explains they were in a fight with some Revenants. He managed to deal with most of the troublesome ones, but there are more out there. When Cas asks how they were able to kill Revs, Malik reveals that draken blood can kill Revenants and mentions that Millie found a stash.

They talk about trust, their past, and their heartmates, reaching a sort of truce.

Back in the room with Poppy, Cas tells her he didn’t want her to discover the truth about him the way she did—by seeing him kill the guard in the stables. He shares the fear he felt when he learned she had been attacked afterward. As he recounts more stories, he admits he thought she would stab him after he dropped the engagement bombshell at dinner, but she surprised him by picking the lock and trying to escape instead.

He confesses that he fell in love with her long before he realized it, even before they left Masadonia. By the time they reached Spessa’s End, he knew for sure. He then mentions the similarities between her and Shea’s actions and promises to tell her more when she wakes up.

After dozing off for a bit, Cas wakes with a start and sees a figure in black with a white dagger in the room. He blocks the swing and realizes the intruder is a Revenant.

The Revenant comments that Cas should have closed the window and explains that the blades he carries are made from the bones of the Ancients, capable of stopping even a primal. He even calls Cas a false primal.

I found that very interesting when I saw it, but it became clearer later.

The Revenant stabs Cas in the chest, incapacitating him. Cas feels helpless as he watches the Revenant go for Poppy again. When the Revenant recites the eerie rhyme that Poppy has been hearing—or remembering—for years, something within Cas snaps. A storm brews outside as he pulls out the bone dagger.

Then…he shifts, transforming into a black-and-gold-spotted cave cat before tearing the Revenant apart. Even with his altered memories in this new form, he recognizes Poppy as his. When Kieran enters, Cas perceives him as his, too.

Emil arrives, and Cas feels the urge to eat him. Kieran talks him down, reminding Cas that while Emil is annoying, he’s also part of their circle, just in a different way.

After Emil leaves, Kieran talks Cas through shifting back to his human form. They discuss how Cas nearly killed Emil, collect the two bone daggers, and Kieran notes that one resembles the dagger Callum used to curse him.

Kieran then mentions that Cas’s shift resembled Ires’s and speculates that this new ability might be connected to their Joining bond. He wonders if Poppy can shift too, and Cas says she’ll be thrilled to find out.

They discuss how they could hear each other’s thoughts, guessing it’s another side effect of the Joining. Deciding to store the Revenant’s remains in the dungeon for later interrogation, they turn their attention to Poppy.

Suddenly, the walls and floor begin to tremble, and a circle with overlapping pointed crosses appears on the floor. It’s the symbol for life and death, blood and bone. When they look back at Poppy, silver eather veins appear under her skin, then shadows gather there. Her complexion becomes more vibrant, warmth returns, and then…she opens her eyes.

They’re the silver of a primal.