The War of Two Queens

Poppy and her group travel through the Western Pass. They encounter a group of soldiers and attempt to pass as Huntsmen transporting whiskey. However, the lieutenant recognizes Poppy as the Harbinger. Poppy kills the lieutenant, and the group is forced to fight the rest of the soldiers. She uses her Primal essence to kill several Royal Guards. However, she is hit by an arrow made of shadowstone, which weakens her.

Millicent also appears, accompanied by Revenants. She says the Blood Queen is expecting Poppy and claims that if Poppy tries to fight or escape, Casteel will be killed. Just as Poppy is about to agree to accompany them to Carsodonia, the effects of the shadowstone arrow overtake her, and she loses consciousness.

Poppy has a nightmare in which Coralena tries to protect her from a viktor who invades their home. When Poppy awakens, she finds herself in her childhood room in Wayfair Castle in Carsodonia. Kieran explains she’s been unconscious for two days due to the shadowstone arrow, but he gave her his blood to help heal her.

After demanding not to wear the white gown of the Maiden, and with Kieran and Reaver by her side, Poppy descends into the castle to the Great Hall to meet the Blood Queen. To her shock, Prince Malik stands beside Isbeth, and Poppy struggles to control her fury. Isbeth addresses the crowd, vowing not to waver in the presence of the Harbinger.

Isbeth delivers a speech to the crowd in the Great Hall. The queen manipulates the audience with lies, painting Poppy as the Harbinger of Death and Destruction and claiming that Atlantia is responsible for atrocities in the northern and eastern cities. This fuels fear and anger among the mortals and Ascended, who see Poppy as the enemy.

Poppy struggles to control the Primal essence building inside her, but Millicent warns her to stay calm. Reaver and Kieran also caution against lashing out, as it would reinforce the false prophecy. During the Royal Blessing, Isbeth performs a ceremonial healing ritual on a young, frail woman. Poppy realizes that Isbeth is using Atlantian blood to temporarily heal mortals, solidifying her divine status in their eyes.

Later, in a private chamber, Isbeth mocks Poppy. Malik, to Poppy and Kieran’s disgust, is revealed to be working with Isbeth. Poppy uses her power to break through Malik’s emotional shields, which reveals the deep shame and fear within him.

Isbeth offers Poppy a choice: She can see Casteel or her father, but not both. Poppy chooses to see Casteel. She is blindfolded and led to an underground chamber. As they approach his cell, she hears an inhuman snarl and prepares herself for the worst.

Poppy finds Casteel chained in a cell, gaunt and covered in wounds. He has also fallen into bloodlust and no longer recognizes her. When Poppy tries to approach him, he reacts violently. She uses her Primal gift to heal some of his wounds and tries to calm him enough to bring him back to himself. After a moment, Casteel regains some control, recognizing Poppy and calling her name.

Poppy demands proper food and care for Casteel, but Isbeth reminds Poppy that she cannot stay with Casteel indefinitely. Though Poppy is reluctant to leave, she eventually agrees. As she leaves, Casteel reassures her of his love. Poppy also stabs Callum to make it clear she shouldn’t be toyed with. Isbeth taunts her and dismisses Poppy’s success in the north, reminding her that she may indeed fulfill the prophecy as the Harbinger of Death.

Isbeth tells Poppy how she met Ires, Poppy’s father, after the war and how he was drawn to her out of curiosity and lust. She explains how she kept Ires captive, using him to create Revenants and further her own twisted goals. She believes Ires’s bond with his twin, Malec, led to his eventual entombment.

Meanwhile, Casteel remains trapped in his cell and struggles against his rising bloodlust. Millicent enters and reveals that not only is she Poppy’s sister, but that Poppy is fated to bring about the destruction of the realms and help restore the gods’ dominance over mortals. Millicent explains that Casteel will ultimately have to make a choice: Kill Poppy to prevent her from fulfilling her destiny, or risk the destruction that will follow. She warns him that Poppy’s fate is sealed and that, no matter what, she will either die in his arms or become a force of destruction.

Poppy paces her chambers after failing to sleep or connect with Casteel. She contacts Kieran through their bond, and they debate whether to fight their way out or find an alternative escape route through the mines. He eventually convinces her that fighting through the eastern gates is the best option, though Poppy is concerned about how it will affect the city’s people. The plan hinges on creating a distraction to give them time to escape, and Poppy begins coming up with ideas.

Later, she is summoned to the Great Hall, where Isbeth mingles with the elite of Carsodonia. Poppy briefly speaks with Malik, who confirms that not all mortals believe in the queen’s benevolence. He reveals that he has been visiting Casteel. Poppy presses him for more information, but he refuses to help her find his brother. Isbeth and Poppy then speak, and the Blood Queen threatens to use innocent mortals as human shields if Poppy’s armies attempt to siege the capital.

Millicent’s earlier revelations consume Casteel, though he refuses to believe that Poppy would ever become a threat. Callum returns to the cell and mocks Casteel’s love for Poppy by saying it’s a weakness, then stabs Casteel in the chest, leaving him bleeding and at risk of succumbing to complete bloodlust.

Isbeth tells Poppy she hates Nyktos for refusing to save Malec and intends to get revenge against him by wiping out the Atlantians, whom she believes he cherishes as his creation. She tries to convince Poppy that they are alike, claiming that her emotions will also lead her to kill to protect what she loves.

Poppy insists she is nothing like the Blood Queen, but Isbeth remains confident that Poppy will succumb to her destiny. In a show of power, she kills two mortals in the Great Hall by draining their life force in front of everyone. Poppy realizes she’s running out of time and that they need to escape that night.

With Kieran, Poppy forms a plan to create a distraction by tapping into her Primal essence and summoning a mist like the one that typically accompanies the Craven. The mist rolls over the Rise, causing panic in the capital as the people believe the Craven are attacking.

Poppy sets out to find Casteel and escape before the castle locks down. She manipulates shadows and tears apart the Royal Knights who stand in her way. She is joined by Kieran and Reaver, who help clear a bloody path through the knights. As they fight their way through, Poppy worries that her summoning of the mist may have unintentionally brought actual Craven from the Blood Forest with it.

Once outside the castle, Poppy and the others head for the Temple of Nyktos, where they believe they can access the underground tunnels to reach Casteel. However, their plans are interrupted when Malik arrives and offers to help them find his brother. He also admits his love for Millicent, his heartmate, and explains he did everything for her. Despite their mistrust of Malik, Poppy agrees to let him lead them to Casteel but warns him she will kill him if he betrays them.

Poppy, Kieran, Reaver, and Malik navigate the labyrinthine underground chambers beneath the Temple of Nyktos. When they reach Casteel’s cell, they find him deep in bloodlust with a gaping wound in his chest. Despite Kieran’s attempts to stop her, Poppy is determined to save Casteel by feeding him, but they need more time and a safe place to recover.

Malik proposes taking Casteel to a secure location, and although they are reluctant to trust him, the others agree to knock Casteel out and transport him. Malik subdues his brother, and they remove the chains restraining him. After navigating through the tunnels again with an unconscious Casteel, they emerge near the Golden Bridge and make their way to the home of Blaz and Clariza, who are involved in a plot against the Blood Crown.

Once there, Poppy reveals her identity as the Queen of Atlantia and a god, earning the couple’s respect and cooperation. They provide a room for Casteel, who is about to wake up.