Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
It breaks my heart to think of so many children being slaughtered. And for what? The god complexes of a group of people who never would have come into existence if not for the greed and selfishness of a single moment in time? It’s nearly unfathomable.
Kieran retrieves Poppy to help heal Perry after he takes an arrow to the shoulder in Massene, and Reaver informs him of Poppy’s dizzy spell. Concerned, he suggests that she sit out the healing and let it happen naturally, and then asks her if she needs to feed. When she insists that she’s fine and they go to Perry, it’s to find Delano reading my journal that he took from Poppy’s cabin on the ship—much to Kieran’s amusement. Again, I say everyone should read it. Delano may even discover some new ways to please his partner, given the things I reveal in there about some of my most sensual and incredible threesomes and foursomes. But I digress…
Curled up with Poppy in his wolven form as he has taken to doing of late, Kieran wakes to Poppy’s silent screams through the notam and unconsciously shifts to comfort her. He wraps her in his arms, and when she asks him to promise to kill her if she becomes a monster because she knows that Cas will never be able to do it, it both angers and saddens him. He tells her she doesn’t give herself enough credit and would never let things get that far. Eventually, however, he agrees to her demands.
When Poppy has an idea about possibly using Primal magic to help locate Cas, they talk to Perry about what his father may have divulged. One of the items needed for the spell is a cherished possession of the one they wish to find. Kieran immediately thinks of Poppy but then quickly adds that he doesn’t consider her a thing. He knows that distinction is important to her, just as it is with Cas, and he feels bad for even saying it like he did. When Poppy reveals the carved horse she’s been carrying around, it brings back memories, as Malik made one for Kieran, too.
When Gianna and Tawny approach Poppy at the encampment later, Tawny tells them about her dream of Vikter and what she learned about the viktors. When she gets to the bit about the Arae and Mount Lotho, Kieran reveals that it’s been written that Lotho is in Iliseeum. As Tawny reveals more, Kieran wonders why Vikter didn’t tell anyone about his role or motivations, but then learns that viktors can’t. While protecting their charges, they cannot reveal their reasons.
As Tawny reveals the longer prophecy, Kieran assumes the once-promised King mentioned is Malik. They discuss more about what each of the lines could mean. Tawny reveals that Vikter had one other thing he wanted her to pass along, but she was to tell only Poppy. Kieran doesn’t like it and makes his unease known but ultimately lets the women speak.
Pseudo plan made, Kieran, Reaver, and Poppy head out for the capital. After Poppy dream walks with Cas again, she discusses what he told her with Kieran and Reaver. They talk about demis—amidst the usual bickering between Reaver and Kieran—and try to unravel what the legend about the demis means and how it could work in their favor if Isbeth is, indeed, a demis.
Later that night, after a Craven attack and Kieran discovering that Poppy needs to feed, discussions lead to them talking about Cas and whether his captors would allow him to feed. Kieran reveals that they let him the last time they held him and comments that it’s been forty days at most since he last fed. When he finally goes to feed her, cutting his wrist with a two-inch slice, he orders her to drink and not sip and tells her not to feel ashamed. When she drinks, he lets some spicy memories slip to tease her, utterly embarrassing Poppy yet taking her mind off the act. Poppy heals his cut when she’s finished, and Kieran is amused that she won’t acknowledge what he revealed—that he knows she watched him and Lyra at the wolven wedding, and that he watched her and Cas in return.
On their journey later, they discuss the differences in class and things between Atlantia and Solis and then talk about Lasania. He wonders where he’s heard the name before. They then talk about the differences between the mortal realm now versus when Reaver was last in it, and the draken tells them that the Consort was born there as the true heir and Princess. Kieran is shocked to learn that the Consort was partly mortal.
They come upon over two dozen soldiers and talk about how they might be able to make it past them. Kieran decides to use mud to disguise his and Poppy’s faces, and a story about how they were on their way to the Willow Plains and ran across some Craven. Things don’t go as planned, and they’re soon overcome by both Royal Guards and Revenants and captured.