Chapter Eighteen

In the pantry, Poppy and Casteel escalate a “pretend” kiss into a consuming, near-uncontrollable encounter that briefly erases trauma and doubt. They stop before it goes further, acknowledging how dangerous their desire is. Casteel then promises a gift: retribution.

He leads Poppy to the dungeon where Lord Chaney, mutilated and chained, awaits. Casteel returns her wolven dagger and offers Poppy the choice to end Chaney or let him do it. Kieran reveals he tore out Chaney’s tongue. Confronting Chaney’s victims in her mind and her own changing self, Poppy chooses to act and drives the bloodstone dagger into Chaney’s heart, watching him disintegrate to ash.

Afterward, while Casteel meets with families of the dead, Kieran watches over Poppy in the library. She questions the wolven bond and learns he and Casteel share emotions, energy can be passed when one is weakened, and that during Casteel’s five-decade captivity Kieran grew gravely ill. Kieran also shares that Malik’s bonded wolven died attempting a rescue.

Their discussion turns to history: the gods created wolven to protect deities, later bonding to elementals; many wolven and bonds were lost in the war. Kieran and Poppy agree war should be a last resort. The blood tree’s omen, they conclude, likely signals great change triggered by Poppy’s impending marriage.

Seeking closure, Poppy visits the underground chamber of names and carves Mrs. Tulis, Tobias Tulis, and Mr. Tulis into the wall, honoring their lives and recognizing that, directly or indirectly, the Ascended’s actions—and the conflict surrounding Poppy—led to their deaths.