Chapter 35

Diem visits Mortal City’s healer center as Queen with Princess Lilian, trading rare palace-grown herbs for workroom time and supplies. She uses the moment to keep Lily away from Remis and to model reforms, critiquing laws that privilege Descended farms. Diem notes her quiet rebellions—redirecting food, seeding banned books into a mortal school, and pushing Alixe to curb abusive patrols.

Inside, Diem trains Lily on inventory and simple salves, recognizing Lily’s aptitude and how both mortals and Descended are constrained by the regime. When Lily offers to marry Roderyck to ease tensions, Diem urges delay, citing Luther’s potential need for Lily if Diem dies in the Challenging. Lily presses about Luther; Diem admits she does not hate him but refuses to discuss further.

With Alixe absent and Luther missing, Taran runs training with mortal sparring. After a hard bout, he claims Diem’s magic fails because she suppresses her emotions, starving the godhood. He tries to provoke feeling, then pleads candidly: Luther is selfless, would wait and protect her, and deserves honesty. He urges Diem to leave her mortal betrothal and choose Luther.

Diem bristles at the pressure, reclaiming her autonomy and angering Taran. The confrontation peaks when she rejects his demand and his judgment of what she wants. Hurt gives way to regret, but Diem ends the session, walking away as their friendship strains and her emotional block—and the risk to her magic before the Challenging—remains unresolved.