Chapter Five

In brutal cold, Poppy and Casteel return to the keep. Kieran waits, teasing about her escape, and mentions a hot bath. Learning they encountered a dozen Craven, Casteel volunteers to help Kieran burn the bodies out of respect for the once-mortal. Before leaving, Casteel warns Poppy not to try escaping; Delano will stand guard.

Poppy warms by the fire, bathes, and confronts the futility of flight. She admits to herself that Kieran would track her and Casteel would come for her, and that her panic—compounded by Casteel’s bite—drove her rash attempt. She falls asleep, only to wake when Casteel returns to what she realizes is his room.

Startled, Poppy throws her knife at Casteel. He catches it, bleeds, then quickly heals, undercutting her threat and shifting the dynamic back to uneasy banter. Casteel bathes in the adjoining chamber, keeping close to prevent further recklessness. He reveals Atlantian conveniences—running hot water powered by broilers and electricity—and argues the Ascended hoard resources to divide mortals and maintain control.

As the storm forces a delay in their departure, Casteel fields Poppy’s challenges about Atlantia’s limited space and asserts he won’t allow further loss. He defers the marriage discussion, claiming they’re both too tired, and asks why she ran. The conversation turns unexpectedly personal.

Casteel explains why he chose the name Hawke: it derives from his secret Atlantian middle name, Hawkethrone, given for his uncle and used only by his mother and brother. By sharing that truth with Poppy, he signals trust and deepens their fraught, intimate connection, even as unresolved tensions over freedom and marriage remain.