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)
Ileana reveals that Alastir told her about the ultimatum Poppy and Cas came to give and doesn’t hide her joy when she finds out that he’s dead. As they talk about the deal some more, Ileana vehemently states that she will see the entire kingdom burn before she offers even a single acre of land. She then counteroffers: claim Atlantia in her name and swear fealty to her. She tells them they can keep their Prince and Princess titles but that she will send several of her Dukes and Duchesses over to establish Royal Seats in Atlantia. Once they make the citizens believe it’s what’s best for the kingdom and dismantle the armies, they are then to bring Queen Eloana and King Valyn to Carsodonia to be tried for treason.
As talk of war surfaces once more, Ileana tells them she has over one hundred thousand mortal soldiers and several thousand Royal Knights if it comes to that. Still, they should really be worrying about the Revenants…because they’re not mortal. She demonstrates this by having Millicent killed so they can all watch her resurrect. She explains more about the Revenants and says she has enough to make an army.
She states that the War of Two Kings never ended; there has merely been a strained truce. She then adds that she wants the Atlantian people’s respect, which is why she hasn’t yet attacked. Poppy argues as Poppy is wont to do, and then Ileana reveals that the people likely won’t be so accepting once they discover their new leader is the Queen of Solis’s daughter.
Poppy tells her that Duchess Teerman said that Ileana was her grandmother. In response, Ileana calls her loyal but stupid. She tells Poppy that she is her mother and explains why she had Cora raise her. She then claims that she had no idea about the abuse Duke Teerman inflicted upon Poppy and says she would have flayed the skin from his bones and left him to be eaten by buzzards had she known. She also reveals that Cora was a Revenant and that she survived the Craven attack at Lockswood but not Ileana’s wrath for absconding with Poppy.
After that big revelation, she adds that she isn’t actually Ascended and wasn’t the first vampry. She then details her poisoning at the hands of Eloana, as well as her Ascension by Malec, whom she insists Eloana ruined.
Seeing the doubt, Isbeth proves she’s not Ascended by ripping off the curtains and remaining unharmed in the sunlight. It shocks those gathered, but not as much as her next tidbit. She tells them that Malec is a god, and that Eloana didn’t know. She shares Malec’s plan and what happened and says that the former King and Queen of Atlantia took everything from her when all she did wrong was love. She says she’ll never feel again what she felt for Malec and vows to take everything from them—from Atlantia—in retribution.
When Poppy tells her that the blame lies with her and nobody else, Isbeth orders Ian to be killed, claiming that she loved him as if he were her child and flipping everything around on Poppy, telling her Ian’s death was her fault.
Manipulative sociopath, much?
In her rage, Poppy’s power flares and takes Isbeth by surprise, though she easily redirects the eather with a single flick of her nails. She then tells her daughter that Poppy’s greatest weakness is that she doubts what she sees with her eyes and knows with her heart. She tells her that they’re gods and should fight like gods. She follows the proclamation with a show of power that grips Poppy by the throat to teach her a valuable lesson.
Lyra attacks to save Poppy, and Isbeth kills her without hesitation. When others move to attack in response, she warns that if anyone else even thinks it, she will snap Poppy’s neck. Turning her attention back to her daughter, she says that Poppy needs to learn that she never had a choice, even though she still believes she does.
As Isbeth tightens her hold on Poppy, Casteel pleads with her to stop and offers to give himself up, stating it’s how the Queen can best control Poppy—by taking what she values most. She remarks that he was always her favorite pet and says that when Poppy wakes, she’ll know exactly what needs to be done to keep her husband alive.
She orders Malik to retrieve his brother and allows the others to leave, giving them Tawny as a sign of goodwill, though with a shadowstone wound.
They leave and head back to Carsodonia, where she has Malik and all the Revenants watching Casteel.
Visiting her new prisoner, she tries to get Cas on her side and to open his eyes. When Cas accuses her of being the reason Poppy has her scars and states she was abused, Isbeth is clearly bothered and asks if the Duke’s death was painful. Cas tells her yes, that he made it so, and she tells him she’s glad.