A Soul of Ash and Blood

Although Cas appears grateful for Jericho’s actions, he cuts off Jericho’s hand as punishment for disobeying orders. Cas warns the other Atlantians present that future acts of disobedience will be punishable by death. As they leave the establishment, Cas and Kieran realize they have underestimated the Maiden.

Cas attends Rylan’s funeral, observing how similar the ceremony is to Atlantian funerals. He feels guilty for ordering the death of a good person. Cas is surprised when the Maiden attends; Solis royals rarely pay respects to fallen guards. Vikter moves to light Rylan’s pyre but realizes doing so will leave the Maiden unguarded. Cas quickly approaches and offers to guard the Maiden in Vikter’s absence. Vikter warns Cas that he is responsible for Solis’s future. Seeing a bruise border the Maiden’s jaw, Cas feels justified in cutting off Jericho’s hand. When the Maiden refuses to look away as Rylan’s body burns, Cas resolves to stop making assumptions about her.

Cas expresses his gratitude for the Maiden’s presence, eagerly waiting to hear the Maiden’s voice again. She doesn’t respond. Cas boldly states that she will never experience harm again.

With Kieran, Cas investigates a disturbance in a lower-class district in Masadonia. Shocked and horrified, they discover a dead couple drained of blood and their infant child, a screaming Craven, in her crib. Cas develops a fresh hatred for the Ascended, whom he knows committed this atrocity. Cas wonders if the Maiden knows the extent of the Ascended’s cruelty as he stabs the infant with his bloodstone dagger.

Cas interviews with Duke Teerman for the Maiden’s guard position. Having little experience with the man, Cas reads him as a “predator.” Duke Teerman is pleased with Cas’s answers to his questions, and he acknowledges Cas’s glowing recommendations and accolades; Duchess Teerman finds Cas handsome, adding to his impressive resume. The Duke falsely assumes the Maiden is pure and chaste, though Cas knows otherwise.

The Duke warns Cas that the Maiden has a history of failing to maintain boundaries. He remarks about the Maiden’s innocence and how her purity might entice others.

The Duke and Duchess order a session with their subject, and Cas attends. He observes the gods and goddesses painted on the walls and ceiling in the meeting hall, recognizing that several of them are fictional. The Maiden looks uncomfortable and fidgety standing next to the Teermans. Cas locks gazes with her, though she is veiled, and can feel a prickling sensation in his neck. Lieutenant Smyth confronts Cas about his recommendation to replace Rylan, insinuating that Cas is sleeping with Duchess Teerman. Not believing Cas earned the opportunity on merit alone, he vows to investigate.

Mr. and Mrs. Tulis, citizens of Solis, plead to spare their third son from the upcoming Rite. Their first two children died in infancy from a “sickness of the blood” (188); Cas knows the children died from an Ascended feeding on them, though the mortal parents were lied to by doctors and priests covering up the murder. The Teermans deny the Tulis’s request, using the “gods” (whom Cas knows are asleep) as a scapegoat to carry out their atrocity. The Maiden looks increasingly uncomfortable, and Cas recognizes a growing anger and unease in the crowd. Finding the interaction “heartbreaking,” Cas leaves the Great Hall, strategizing how to help the Tulis family.

Cas is formally introduced to the Maiden as her new guard. Jansen explains that his fresh perspective and superior combat skills best qualify him for the job. Poppy’s personal maid and closest friend, Tawny, ogles “Hawke Flynn” (Cas’s false identity), appearing happy for the Maiden. Wondering if the Maiden’s dagger is strapped to her thigh, Cas becomes aroused.

Duke Teerman introduces the Maiden as Penellaphe, and after excusing nearly everyone else but Cas, he asks her to remove her veil. Poppy hesitates, and Cas grows alarmed by how the Duke speaks to her. Poppy yanks off the gold chains holding her veil in place, revealing a face with two scars cutting over her left eye. Cas is struck by Poppy’s beauty, immediately recognizing her scars as a testament to her strength. Recognizing that Duke Teerman enjoys Poppy’s discomfort, Cas declares, “Both halves are as beautiful as the whole” before bowing and pledging to protect Poppy until his final moment (201).

With guard duties beginning immediately, Cas and Vikter escort Poppy and Tawny to Poppy’s room. She resides in the castle’s oldest part, which is cold and drafty in the winter. Cas agrees to stand guard outside Poppy’s room while Vikter, clearly irritated by Cas’s new position, leaves to speak with Jansen. Cas uses his superior Atlantian hearing to eavesdrop on the women. Tawny grows suspicious of Poppy’s outright anger over Cas’s appointment as her guard; Tawny finds Cas incredibly handsome. Poppy admits kissing him at the Red Pearl, and Tawny reacts excitedly. Poppy fears punishment should her transgression be discovered; she is supposed to be pure and untouched. Tawny and Poppy theorize Cas’s motivations for becoming Poppy’s guard. Poppy worries he wants to gain the Duke’s favor and, thus, better treatment.

Tawny disagrees, believing Cas genuinely prioritizes Poppy’s well-being. She wishes Poppy would have waited at the Red Pearl for Cas to return, encouraging Poppy to indulge in whatever freedom she can carve out for herself before Ascending. Poppy admits enjoying kissing Cas, and both women agree that his oath to protect Poppy “sounded like…sex” (213). They wonder if Cas realized he was with Poppy at the Red Pearl even though she wore a mask. Poppy declares that kissing Hawke Flynn cannot be repeated; however, Tawny predicts future excitement in Castle Teerman. Cas unsuccessfully battles an unwanted erection.

Vikter returns, calling Cas “arrogant and cocky” before explaining their guard duty schedule (217). Vikter informs Cas that Poppy frequently experiences nightmares, which cause her to scream. He reviews Poppy’s daily schedule, and Cas realizes Poppy spends most of her time alone in her chambers. If castle servants enter, Poppy must wear her veil. She can only show her face to Tawny, the Teermans, and her guards. He confirms that Lord Mazeen is a concern and occasionally attempts to touch Poppy. Vikter warns Cas never to be in Poppy’s room with the door closed. As insulting as Vikter is to Cas, Cas admires the man for his dedication to Poppy. Cas realizes that Vikter will also accompany Poppy and Cas to Carsodonia (Solis’s capital) for the Rite, and Cas will have to kill Vikter while kidnapping Poppy.

Cas receives an encrypted message from Kieran. He heads into town, noticing an alarming number of unhoused citizens. He misses Atlantia, where the well-being of the kingdom’s people is prioritized. Cas buys pork for an unknown child, wishing he could do more. Cas finds Kieran in a butcher’s shop in the meatpacking district, with Lord Hale Devries—an Ascended—tied to a chair. Cas and Kieran torture Devries, attempting to identify Malik’s location and learn more about the Blood Crown’s plans for Poppy. They learn nothing new; Devries claims Queen Ileana isn’t currently imprisoning a prince. He recollects Cas’s imprisonment, laughing as he describes Cas while he was tortured and sexually molested. Kieran rips Devries apart into a gory mess.

In the present, Cas spoons Poppy as she sleeps, discussing his lingering discontent with Lord Devries’s comments about Cas’s torture. He wonders who else witnessed him in such a state. Cas now knows Devries spoke the truth about Malik, who willingly stayed in Solis to remain near Millicent, his heartmate. Though Cas believes he can forgive his brother’s betrayal, knowing he would have acted similarly if Poppy was in Millicent’s position, Cas still struggles to forgive his brother for nearly killing Poppy when she was a child. Cas intuits that Poppy would want Cas to forgive Malik for all transgressions.

The narrative returns to the flashback timeline. Cas escorts Poppy and Tawny to a tea party with other Ladies in Wait—mortals who will soon be Ascended, likely with Poppy. Noticing Poppy’s discomfort, Cas believes her restrictive gown is a nuisance and that the other ladies are annoying. When the ladies believe Cas is out of earshot, they gossip about his presence at the Red Pearl. They reference Ms. Willa Colyns’s diary, assuming she is deceased, though she enjoyed a hearty sex life in her time.

The gossip changes to Prince Casteel and the Descenters. Poppy remains silent for the entire conversation until one lady suggests a rebellion might help quell her boredom. Poppy chides the lady, sarcastically referencing dead children as entertainment. Cas is caught off guard, not only because of Poppy’s voice but also because of her sharp wit. Later, Tawny encourages Poppy to confront Cas about their kiss at the Red Pearl; Poppy deflects the topic.

Cas interrupts Poppy and Tawny to escort Poppy to Duke Teerman. He senses both women grow uneasy at the mention of the Duke’s name. Walking with Poppy, Cas realizes she will reprimand him if he annoys her, which he immediately takes to doing. Poppy’s heart rate increases and her breath catches when Cas hints at Poppy watching him train. They reach the Duke’s chambers, and Cas’s concern for Poppy grows with her increased agitation and hesitation to move forward. Cas summons Vikter when Poppy is alone with the Duke. Much to Cas’s chagrin, Vikter takes over as Poppy’s guard for the day. Cas reluctantly walks away, though his instincts scream for him to stay near Poppy.

Poppy remains in her bedchamber for a few days; Tawny explains that Poppy is ill, but Cas knows her absence is related to her visit with Duke Teerman. Cas feels desperate to free Malik and liberate the mortals in Solis. Not talking to Poppy slows his plans. Cas enters Poppy’s bedchamber when she screams from a nightmare in the middle of the night. He stays to watch her fall back asleep, feeling slightly creepy but wishing her peace. Poppy’s cold room lacks possessions, and Cas wonders if she isn’t allowed personal items. Poppy drifts back to sleep, and Cas tucks her in. He recognizes that he and Poppy both have nightmares about the same people who harmed them.

In the present, Cas considers sleeping to attempt to visit Poppy in her dreams, something they previously accomplished. He doubts it will work since she is in stasis, not actual sleep, but he considers resting all the same. Cas recalls the changes he went through as he learned more about the Poppy and stopped thinking about her as The Maiden.

The narrative returns to the flashback timeline. Cas travels to the Rise, the border wall protecting Masadonia, unsettled by the eerie silence of the night. A mist settles in, a telltale sign of an impending Craven attack. As a Royal Guard, Cas is no longer required to fight Craven, but he decides to do so anyway to work off frustration. The attack is significant, and many guards die. Slaughtering dozens of Craven, Cas sees Vikter battling alongside him. He realizes that Poppy has been left without protection, which will be highly problematic should the Craven breach the Rise. He runs toward her quarters. As he approaches, he witnesses an archer shooting down Craven who approach the top of the Rise. Scenting the air, Cas realizes he smells Poppy.