"The kingdom of Ilya is in turmoil…"
At the end of book 1, Paedyn had just murdered the King. Mostly in self defense. Which promoted Kitt, who she had just betrayed, to King.
So in book 2, Pae is on the run. Kai has been tasked with fetching her and bringing her back to Kitt. Here’s the problem - Kai feels like Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You. He hates Pae…but mostly hates that he doesn’t hate her. Not even a little bit, not even at all.
Pae sets off across the Sorches (desert) to reach the kingdom of Dor. She eventually makes it and does what she does best - sleeping outside and stealing. She stumbles upon a fighting ring. She knows she can beat these dudes and make some money. Which she does.
Meanwhile, Kai has finally made it across the desert as well, where he runs into a little girl that he had banished vs killing in the first book. She tells him that she is going to the fighting arena so she can steal. He follows her and notices the new fighter, and thinks she looks mighty familiar.
Let's sum up the majority of this book as - they fight, she tries to kill him, she either hesitates or he stops her, he captures her, she tries to escape, rinse and repeat. Also, along the way, they are both mad at each other that they don’t actually hate each other. They make out a few times.
Her Resistance friends rescue her at one point and take him hostage. Then the fighting ring leader comes and kidnaps her and Kai (and we never find out what happens to her friends) because he wants the ransom money from Kitt. They end up escaping which leads to more making out.
Kai and Pae finally get out of Dor, through the Sanctuary of Souls, and on their last night/morning before they reach the castle, they finally have a real, honest, no pretending conversation. Kai admits that he loves her and he is going to let her escape but that he has to go back to Kitt. Just as he is telling her she needs to go, he feels someone approaching. Some of the guards had been patrolling and looking for him. Well, shit, now what? He tells her that she needs to go along with what is about to happen and he is sorry.
Kai and his guards treat her like a prisoner and lead her back to the castle to Kitt.
Before we get into that, let’s back up and talk about what has been going on with Kitt.
He is not handling things well. He spends the first half of the book not leaving his study, not showering, not eating. A couple things happen - Andy (their cousin) tries to talk to him, but it doesn't really work for her. His dad’s advisor comes in and offers him guidance, with the latest suggestion being something we don’t get to find out until the last chapter. He tells Kitt that the life he has to live is no longer his but what is good for his kingdom, that this suggestion is one that will help the people. He tells Kitt he has to “sacrifice who you were for who you need to be. And who you need to be it with.” Then hands him a box. He also reminds Kitt of “The Three B’s” that his dad always said makes a great king. Bravery, Benevolence, and Brutality.
Who is this mystery advisor you ask? Oh, it's Calum. Remember him? He is one of the leaders of the Resistance. The Mind Reader. What the fuck? Yes, that was my thought too.
Couple other things we learn that’s important: Kai had a sister named Ava. She was younger than him, she was sick, and the King kept her a secret from the Kingdom because he thought her sickness showed weakness. She died when she was 4.
Pae finds out her parents are not her birth parents. That’s why she is an Ordinary even though her dad had magic.
Kai finds out there are Mixes - children born from an Elite and an Ordinary.
Pae finds her dad’s journal, which she and Kai read. It tells about how the King wanted her dad to work at the castle but he refused. He describes how the King has paid off all the Healers to spread the lie about the Ordinaries being sick and killing the Elites. Which totally throws Kai’s world through a loop.
Pae confronts Kai about killing her dad. Her dad was his first kill. He had no idea who he killed or why he had to do it, it was just his first mission from his dad. She is able to forgive him because, well, she killed his dad, soooo….they’re even?
Alright, back to the end of the book. Kai takes Pae to Kitt in the throne room. Kai doesn’t know what Kitt is going to do or how he is supposed to carry out whatever he tells him to do. But Kitt shocks ALL of us.
He finally pulls the box out and opens it…it’s a ring. He tells Pae that she is to be his bride.
WHAT THE WHAT?
And what does Kai do? He just blends into the background and is basically like well, I have to love her from afar now because Kitt is marrying her.
And then the book is over.
I have questions, I’m sure you have questions, but we will have to wait until Book 3 in 2025 for any answers.
Like - what in the actual F is Kitt doing?
Is Kai really not going to fight for her? What the flip is Calum doing?
Where are her Resistance friends?
And most importantly - how many pages into Book 3 until Pae stabs someone?
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