Fire & Metal #1

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Disclaimer: I have read this book of my own volition.  Any and all opinions and interpretations contained herein are my own.

The Spoiler Report is a recounting of the major events of the novel mixed with my own interpretation of the meaning and symbolism of events, emotions, and actions. Reading this report is NOT a substitute for reading the actual novel and should not be taken as such. Not every single detail, feeling, and event is divulged within. It is essentially a lengthy outline of the story. Many details and all dialogue have not been included. This report is for those who appreciate knowing what happens or feels they may miss things when reading, or just want to have a detailed overview of a book before, or during, reading.

****THIS REPORT CONTAINS SPOILERS****  

This is not a book review, it is a plot summary. For a spoiler-free review, read THIS.

Brynn and her friends prepare to disembark onto the land of Kenta. The land of her enemy. Their people, the Alaha, are there to attend the annual market and nothing more. A privilege bestowed onto the Alaha after Kenta banished them to sea with nothing.

Brynn, being one of the only female soldiers, somewhat envies Kenta women and their flowing skirts and rich materials. Kai, the only heir to the leader of Alaha, asks Brynn to join in him in a dance in the market square. Giving him the opportunity to tell her that he intends to marry her at the next Matching Ceremony. He’s her best friend and ordained to privilege. She is an orphan with nothing. Brynn runs.

Alone and deeper in the market as she notices a guard she saw earlier and is convinced that he is following her – hunting her. Spotting her friends in the distance, Bryn waits for them to catch up to her next to a jewels vendor. Before she can turn away, the soldier accuses  her of thievery, clearly setting her up. The soldier is ready to dole out an Alaha style punishment – taking her hand.

Pressing her hand up against the wall that surrounds market, pain shoot through her. The same pain as if her hand had been sliced off, but it remains intact and unharmed. The soldier is in shock, telling Kai that she does not belong to them as the heir approaches. The soldier demands her be released to Kenta.

With Kai and Messer’s help, they and all Alaha make their way back to the ship as rheir welcome is runnign thin. Aurora helps by nonchalantly setting off a random explosion in the market.

Pulling away from the doc, Brynn realizes the extent of the damage and has no doubt Kenta will be coming for Alaha to retaliate.

Being the outcast, everyone blames Brynn, the scapegoat.

Later that night, everyone is woken up as Paul, Brynn’s main tormentor, is overcome by cockroaches. Knowing Messer did this to him as payback for his treatment of Brynn, she goes to look for him. She interrupts Messer as he’s hooking up with Gramble’s daughter. Physical contact before marriage is forbidden.

The boat approaches their home. A thick copse of trees that intertwines to form a ‘landless land’ mass. It’s bittersweet for Brynn now that she’s returning home from her first trip to Kenta. A very different experience from greeting soldiers on their return home.

Brynn, Kai, Meser, and Aurora all report straight to Kai’s family’s living quarters to answer for what happened at the market. Aurora is immediately detained and sent to the brig. Captain Wren, Kai’s father, waits patiently while the other three tell their version of events. Wren believes Aurora is part of the rebel uprising in Alaha.

The peace treaty with Kenta will be upheld as long as Alaha turns over Brynn and Aurora. Brynn will not be turned over since she is betrothed to Kai – which is news to her since she ran instead of giving him an answer. Aurora won’t be turned over either. Instead of an annual visit to Kenta for much needed supplies, they must wait two years. Wren does not seem worried – there’s his son’s wedding to plan.

Alone, back in her own home, Brynn contemplates the one thing that has truly occupied her mind since Kenta – the dark soldier that accused her. She attempts to draw him but is interrupted by Kai. He convinces her that they will find a solution to Kenta that doesn’t involve Brynn surrendering to herself. And that the only thing that changes their future plans is that they will be together. They share a kiss like no of the other stolen ones they’d shared before. One that has Brynn convinced marrying her best friend is right.

Gramble puts the trainees through the wringer to make up for time lost during their long journey. Captain Wren, Commander Dupre, and Kai watch training. After winning his match, Messer is named commander of his class. Kai hands him an elegantly carved snake-pommeled sword. Messer claims he can’t accept the sword or title until he beats the best, Brynn. The only one who has ever beaten him, and she’s done it twice. Kai lends Brynn his personal sword. Since no one knows they are betrothed or that they have spent the last two weeks secretly making out, it is very unprecedented.

Messer and Brynn spar. It is an even match but ultimately Messer wins. Still, Brynn’;sconsolation’s consolation prize is a kiss from Kai in front of everyone. For that stunt, both Kai and Brynn spend the night in the brig since there’s that strict no-contact rule until marriage.

Kai tells Messer and Brynn that because a third vessel and two Alaha have gone missing, his father might pull all fishing expeditions – seems something is taking the Alaha.

Later that night a Kenta ship approaches. But since Brynn is only a trainee, she’s told to go home. She hides in the paddocks and watches out of sight as a small dinghy containing one person rows to Alaha. It’s the guard Brynn had a run in with in Kenta. The one she stole the knife from. The one she continues to draw. As if drawn to her, the man’s gaze locks on Brynn where she is hidden. Even Kai and Wren cannot hold his attention. TUpon landing, they send hm to the brig in shackles.

Bynn meets up with Messer who has clearly been on the wrong side of his father’s temper. Neither of them have seen Kai since the Kenta arrived. Brynn comes clean about having the Kenta soldier’s blade.

In the middle of  training, Wren and Dupre call on Brynn to speak with the Kenta prisoner. She is the only one he will speak with and they have gotten no correspondence from the ship. They need information to be able to prepare themselves.

Brynn agrees and Kai enters the cell with her. The prisoner greets only Brynn. Turning to Kai only wanting to know why his cell smelled like her when he arrived. Even though he gets no answer he continues and offers her an apology for attacking her in the Market. She thinks he is trying to manipulate her. Conceding, he easily gives her the info they need. The whole thing unnerves her.

Brynn sneaks across the grove to the brig that night. Even through the stone walls of his cell, he knows she’s there. Arrogantly speaking with her as if he wasn’t chained and beaten. Acker, as he introduces himself, came her for her. But he doesn’t trust her enough yet to tell her more.

He asks after her childhood. Brynn was orphaned at a young age and doesn’t remember anything before the age of seen. He can’t reveal anything more because he made a blood oath. Something that Brynn thought was pure myth. Acker insists it never worked for her when she was younger because they need dirt to ccomplete the oath. Wren has Kenta soil stored in his office. Since the dirt is so old, the oath isn’t solid, he can feel it weakening.

Brynn just has to ask the right questions to loosen the oath’s bond. He helps Brynn as much as possible within the confines of the oath. Brynn already knows she’s not Alaha, but can’t piece together what else he is trying to convey.

On the way back to her home, she drops Acker’s blade into the water.

A blue flag warning of an impending storm has been raised for the ay. It’s Graduation Day and the Matching Ceremony is only three days away. But no one seems to worried over the storm. After the graduation, Messer lets Brynn know his parents have found him a match, Aurora.

The weather takes a turn for the worse. The Kenta boat is no longer moored within sight in preparation or the incoming storm. After the graduation ceremony ends, Wren orders everyone to hunker down until morning.

Brynn solemnly realizes they will leave Acker in the brig. One of the first places to be submerged during a storm. She can’t in good conscious let that happen. Reaching his cell that already has a foot of water in it, Acker tells her to use the dagger she took from him to break his chains. That is doesn’t matter that it is at the bottom of the ocean. The blade belongs to her, she can simply summon it. Acker walks her through the process. The waves are getting higher, their time grows short.

She must first use the blade to break the seal in the cell. They are forced underwater for longer periods with each wave. Using what little time he has left, Acker tells Brynn her real name is Jovie. She refuses to give up no matter how hard he insists she leave, She frees him and breaks his chains.

By morning the storm has passed. On her way to bring a too-thin Acker food in her home where he stayed the night, soldiers begin searching everyone’s home. There’s just enough time for Acker to hide and Brynn to prepare before Kai and two soldiers search her room. As the soldiers levae, Kai remains behind, telling Brynn he loves her. Bryn doesn’t verbally return the sentiment. She has no recollection of anyone saying those words to her ever. She kisses him deeper than ever before. Kai leaves so he doesn’t take things any further, they are already breaking the rules.

Acker comes back in once he’s gone. Clearly angry at Kai for some reason. Exhausted, Brynn falls asleep. Acker is still bitter about Kai, the fact that Brynn knows she is not Alaha and it changes nothing. Acker tests her knowledge over Alaha’s exile. Her knowledge is sorely lacking.

There are more territories other than Kenta. Each territory is ruled by a family naturally gifted by magic given to them by Mother Nature. The Alaha had the gift of influence designed to keep peace. But the leader used his git for greed and to conquer lands. So the Alaha were exiled because of Wren’s self-serving actions. And he’s 317 years old. Also, his heir, Kai, has the same affinity for influence. Stronger if he were to ever get in land long enough. It’s weak but he has been using his magic on Brynn for years.

The Matching Ceremony is in two days, the perfect time to escape. Acker will be leaving with Brynn whether he agrees or not. To avoid being stuck alone with Acker, she joins Messer and a few others in a card game. He is talking about ruining the Matching Ceremony. She wonders if part of Messer’s charm is due to influence. Brynn experiments. Tapping  into the feeling she used to call to retrieve the blade, attempting her own influence. Nothing.

Before going home, Brynn stops at the dressmaker’s to try on her dress for the Matching Ceremony. Kai interrupts, gushing over her, kissing her. Brynn now understands what Kai has been doing to her. Tears falling by the time she gets home, worrying Acker. He confirms what she suspects. Looking back, Brynn can pinpoint the moment Kai began using his influence on her.

In the morning Brynn takes the opportunity to learn what she can from Acker. She went missing when her family was visiting Kenta. Her mother is still alive. Acker recognized her in the Market because they had been childhood friends. The blade is one she made with her father, that is why she was able to summon it.

Uncomfortable with some of his admissions, Brynn asks about her family’s station. Surely Alaha wouldn’t kidnap any random child. She is Princess Jovie of Maile. Her disappearance sparked a war. Acker believes her kidnapping was more complicated than just to pit territories against each other. When Kai and her marry he can claim half of her land. Acker emphasizes how powerful Kai’s influence will be once they are on land.

Their discussion is interrupted by Faline, Kai’s mother. She’s come to deliver Brynn’s dress and have a trip down memory lane. Once she is gone, Brynn confirms their escape plans.

Reaching their escape vessel, the two are caught by Dupre. Kai shows up, using his power, revealing what kind of person he really is to Brynn. And he can’t have her leave and ruin his plans. Kai orders Acker killed. That is when the Kenta soldier goes into action, killing all but Kai at Brynn’s request.

Alaha sends an armada after them in their small boat so they have to drift off course. Acker is injured and Brynn is lagging as they hope to run into the Kenta ship that has moored somewhere out of sight of Alaha.

Stuck on the boat, Acker and Brynn who is now being referred to as Jovie, fall into a routine.  Jovie tends to Acker’s wound, they navigate the weather and sea, learn to trust one another. Acker confesses he forced Jovie to touch the wall in Kenta to begin her awakening and bring her into her  magic.

Blue, the bird Jovie befriended in Alaha, finds them drifting.  Acker thinks he’s an eyun, a mythical bird of prey capable of devouring a man whole.

Taking some time to swim, Acker becomes playful. Brynn appreciates it until her body begins to respond to him as it did with Kai under his influence. It scares her.

They head into a mounting storm, overjoyed with the rain and wind. But the storm is growing too strong for them. Even Blue flies away. Acker holds Brynn through it all, not wanting to lose her as the storm rages around them. Not once letting her go.

Brynn has a dream she’s a before, a memory. One when her, Acker, and their friend Hallis were young kids.

Safely out of the storm, she shares her small memories with Acker. Stirring old feelings and awakening some new ones. Brynn admonishes his behaviour as unfaithful if he is truly mated a he claims. Acker’s mate has yet to claim him – he’s still rife with bachelorhood as is she. There’s melancholy to his demeanor as he speaks of his mate.

Nausea and dizziness plague Jovie as lands comes into view on the horizon. It’s Roison territory. A land riddled with rebels and bandits. But Acker‘s wound isn’t healing and Jovie’s body is feeling the effects of her awakening.

She is in agony while being on land, but it has rejuvenated Acker. Jovie has spent four days in absolute misery. The length of time worries Acker. It’s longer than avergae for someone going through their awakening.

A group of rebels have picked up their trail. Acker carries her everywhere while trying to lose their rebel tail. Once Jovie is through the process, there’s no time to celebrate. Ten men surround them. Including Vad, an oracle that has history with Acker. Vad wastes no time racking trough her mind. He doesn’t need to use his skill to read Acker when he confirms Jovie is dying. Her body is too weak to withstand the awakening without the assistance of a healer.

Vad is ready to make a deal when an arrow pierces Jovie’s ribs. After killing half Vad’s men, Acker agrees to Vad’s parameters and allows him to peruse his mind for 30 seconds. In return, Acker will not harm any more of his men and he will be able to get Jovie to a healer nearby. But the deal never stated Blue, the mythical man-eating bird, couldn’t touch any of the men.

The healer can no nothing for Jovie until she has completed her awakening. She is in and out of consciousness. Tapping into one of Acker’s memories; the moment before he departed to Alaha.

She awakes feeling as close to normal as she has in a long time. Tapping into her magic, Jovie tries to call a dagger to her and fails. She’s not an elemental. Acker doesn’t know quite what she is yet.

Jovie begins to eat while Acker bathes. All at once Jovie is thrown into Acker’s mind, seeing through his eyes as he prepares to bathe – a voyeur. Panicking as he goes to undo his pants, she somehow throws hersel back into her body. It happens once more while Acker is eating.

Preparing to leave and head to the Kenta border, Jovie must ride a horse. She is terrified of the beast. In her panicked state, she begins to glow. Fia, the healer, believes she’s a light wielder. Acker talks her through gaining control of her magic. His words and his touch guide and soothe Jovie. When she opens her eyes, Fia and her family are down on one knee, genuflecting. Fia and Acker both believe that Jovie is an Heir to one of Mother Nature’s gifts.

Sharing a horse, Jovie can’t get over how much of Acker’s body is flush against hers. Blue joins them on their journey. Jovie hasn’t seen him since he took out Vad’s men.

As the day wears on and Jovie realizes she hasn’t fully recovered from her awakening, she gives in to exhaustion and leans against Acker.

Setting up camp for the night, Jovie questions Acker about Vad and their history. Acker questions Jovie about what she suspects of her future, wondering if he is in it. Jovie is lost when it comes to anything other than the present. Acker assumed at least one thing would be clear to her once she went through her awakening. Instead of answering, he shows her. Forcing her in and out of his perspective. Wondering how long she has had the ability. He’s not angry, nor does he believe she’s like Vad.

Closing the distance between them, he goes in for a kiss. Before they can connect, Acker pulls them behind a tree. A huge panther stalks by, heading toward their camp. Standing on its hind legs, the panther shifts into Sven, Fia’s son. He thinks Acker should answer for all the blood on his hands. Sven spots them as Jovie begins to glow.

Before he can shift back into a panther, Blue dives at him. Shifting into a human before hitting the ground – Messer. He urges Jovie and Acker to run before he shifts into a leopard. Panther and leopard fight.

The two humans run, stopping at the edge of the Dark Forest, following along its border. Sven is hot on their heels. Messer’s leopard pounces onto panther Sven, sending them both tumbling into the forest.

Jovie won’t leave Messer behind, pleading with Acker. He agrees to venture in with her. Bone white trees and nothingness. They are both attacked and overwhelmed by winged creatures with talons and teeth. It’s the last straw for Jovie. Frustration manifests through her magic, burning the flying creatures. Acker warns her about allowing the magic to take over. Jovie is getting lost in the feeling. She knows she can destroy this dark place of death. Acker tackles her, breaking her spiraling thoughts. But the forest has been destroyed.

Continuing their way through what is left , they come across Sven in his panther form, unconscious but he won’t recover. They find Messer in bad shape. Acker, carrrying Messer, leads them out of the forest and heads straight to Kenta.

Acker give Messer to the first soldier he sees. In turn, the soldiers answers him with a ‘Yes, your highness.’ Jovie is confused, paralyzed, and unable to see.

Jovie wakes in a tent. Beau, Acker’s sister brings her water to help her recover from the burnout. She also tells Jovie that Messer is going to be transferred to the dungeons. Running from the tent, Jovie runs into Hallis and recognizes her old friend immediately. He takes her to where Acker is discussing strategy with Rango, one of the lead commanders. At first he is pleased to see her but quickly becomes irritated by her disrespect of their situation. Jovie has broken the curse of the Dark Forest. Something no Heir in a millenia has been able to accomplish. And now she is acting irrational after bringing an Alaha into Kenta.

Messer is chained in a tent set apart from the others. Kneeling before him, Jovie notices his eyes are no longer gray but blue.  Just as Jovie’s are. A side effect of being away from land for so long, their drained eyes are now recovering being on land.

Hallis brings in Beau to asses the captive. She is able to get a very accurate read on his personality. Messer confesses Kai was the one to expose him to magic. Messer’s father, Wren’s third, knows nothing about his gift. He also knew what Kai was doing to Jovie since the beginning. Once Acker sees Messer only acted out of loyalty to Jovie, he gives her the choice of what to do with him. Acker makes the choice for her. Scarring him to bind him to Kenta or face a torturous death. Also inadvertently giving Messer a place with them.

Messer hugs Jovie for the first time ever. She can see how unhappy the gesture makes Acker. Beau also notices as she glances between her brother and Jovie. Whatever she picks up on, Acker silently warns her to drop it with the shake of his head. The whole thing doesn’t sit right with Jovie.

Acker interrupts Jovie’s perusal of the map, she has so many questions. She settles on discussing sleeping arrangements. She assumed they would be sharing a tent. Of course it would not be appropriate for an unmatched prince and princess to do so. The flaps have even been left open when they are together in a tent. Jovie feels rejected but not surprised.  It’s as she suspected, Acker really has no ties to her and the pull she’s felt toward him is one-sided. Acker is quick to dispel that thought, making her a future promise. Jovie is brought into Acker’s mind and his fantasy of kissing her.

Something falls into place. Jovie uses a dagger as a mirror to look at her eyes. They have changed color again. A color Acker described once before while describing his match. Jovie is his match. Acker knew the entire time. He didn’t tell her because of what Kai had done to her. He wanted her to feel their bond on her own once she went through her awakening. The tether Acker refers to is exactly what she has felt since waking in Fia’s home. She needs time to process.

Jovie wakes the next day and purposefully avoids following the tether to Acker. Finding food, she also finds she’s as much as an outcast here as she was in Alaha. Beau claims it’s due to fear. She should know, she can read auras. The first of her kind. She explains what she saw between her and Acker, their auras melding, that their matching bond is only a bond and not a controlling force. Jovie still has complete control over how she feels and acts.

A commotion leads Beau and Jovie to Acker just as two men with a white flag head into Rioson. Sven’s father came looking for his son. Acker is having his remains returned, it’s the least he feels he can do. Jorgen, Sven’s father, also reports rumors that are growing. Most believe Kenta destroyed the Dark Forest as a power play. Messer volunteers to go into Rioson, baiting Acker with his familiarity with Jovie. Beau approves.

They must break camp and move. Beau rides with Hallis and Jovie with Acker. She wants to be angry with Acker but begrudgingly feels too much for him. With Beau and Hallis arguing, Jovie and Acker have a certain amount of privacy for her to work through her emotions. Stopping to rest in a field of wild flowers, Jovie allows herself to relax with Acker, falling into her affections for him.

Hallis and Beau are the complete opposite. Making Hallis even grumpier than usual.

Joive eavesdrops on a conversation between him and Akcer with an out of body experience that is new to her. She learns Acker is betrothed to the Princess of Strou. Snapping back into herself, Acker confronts her. Accusing her of double crossing him on Wren’s behalf. One small admission from Jovie has guilt changing Acker’s whole attitude. He openly explains the situation. How he was betrothed to her until she disappeared. It was always about alliances. Even the minuscule courtship he’s had with the princess of Strou. As a last ditch effort to reel her back in from her anger, Acker kisses Jovie. Their magic intertwines. When Jovie finally pushes him away, her hands have burned his chest. She is glowing. Acker is furious.

Jovie rides with Hallis as the continue their journey to the palace. An arrangement Acker is not pleased with but gives Hallis and Jovie time to talk. He tries to put things into perspective.

Reaching the first town, all the lamps have been extinguished. They decide to split up, Jovie goes with Hallis. They unknowingly book rooms for the night in a brothel. The girls room together. To Jovie’s annoyance, the same out of body experience happens again as she finds herself in Acker and Hallis’s room. Acker is asleep so Jovie decides to have herself a little experiment and runs a hand over Acker’s shoulder. Like the trained soldier he is, Acker reacts, pinning apparition Jovie to the bed.

Hallis leaves as soon as she admits that Beau has been drinking. Jovie is snapped back into her body as she is woken up by Hallis entering their room. He’ll spend the night taking care of a magically overwhelmed Beau. Acker leads Jovie back to his room.

Once again, Joice is at odds with her feelings versus her head. Realizing the bond is stronger than her will, she relents slightly, becoming playful as they lie in bed. Skirting dangerously close to playing with fire.

Jovie is back to sharing a horse with Acker as she contemplates the tether between them. Thinking back to last night and what could have happened between them. Acker can feel her desire through the bond. Calming her nerves with a kiss to her neck.

After they pass through and by several towns, they meet General Samasu from Maile. He has come to escort Princess Jovie home whether she agrees or not. Questioning Acker’s motives for not freely handing her over.

The general is not convinced when they tell him they are matched. To prove his commitment, Acker swears a blood oath using his and Jovie’s blood, confirming they are a match and that he loves her. Jovie doesn’t hesitate to kiss him. Hallis and Beau are upsest over Acker’s actions. The general is convinced and turns back toward Maile with a plan set forth by the princess.

Arriving at the capital, the prince is met with soldiers and a carriage to escort the princess. Acker insists Jovie ride with him and not in the carriage his father provided. Everything is in celebration until thy reach the town center. Jovie is chastise and ostracized as being cursed. Making their way to the palace, all the gas lamps are extinguished just like that first town. It is done purposefully in protest of Jovie, a light Heir.

As they reach the palace gates, a rotten tomato is thrown at Jovie. The crowd panics as she begins to glow. Ushering her into the palace, Jovie meets Acher’s father. Railroading the entire room, he insists Jovie be taken to her room to rest.

There, Beau brings her a change of clothes and the news that Jovie’s presence has scared the maidservants so badly that they all refuse to serve her. Beau will be her escort to dinner but Jovie refuses to attend just to face more ridicule.

Falling asleep, Jovie projects herself into the dining hall wearing only the towel she has dozed off in. Stepping away so she can air her grievances to Acker, the only one that can see and hear her. He urges her to wake up before turning toward an approaching man.

Back in her room, Jovie dons a nightgown and slips into bed. It isn’t long before Acker joins her, gossipers be damned. He only cares about Jovie. Allowing each other to fall into the other’s presence. A comfort between them that hasn’t been there before.

Beau takes Jovie on a tour of the palace. Encouraging her to remain strong. The fear of others is their problem, not hers. Jovie meets Beau’s mother, Greta, the librarian and the king’s consort. After a tour of the main library, Greta gives Jovie a book on Matching bonds and one on the history of light wielders from the archives.

Hours into her research, a beautiful woman also visiting the library catches Jovie’s eye. She saw Acker talking to her in the dining hall last night when she projected herself. It’s Irina, the Princess of Strou, Acker’s betrothed. He had failed to mention she was at the palace. Angry with him, Jovie asks Beau to take her back to her room.

She finds a sketchbook and pencils on her bed, a present from Acker. By the time he shows up that night, her anger has found new purchase over Irina’s presence catching her off guard. She throws her magic at him. Using his magic, he restrains her, proving he was holding back while kissing her last night.

Leaving her room together, Jovie takes Beau’s advice and tells Acker about the derision of one of her guards standing at her door. Without question or hesitation, Acker dismisses him. Since the soldier can’t hold his tongue, Acker uses his magic to pull a metal- crowned tooth from his mouth before telling him to turn in his uniform and weapons.

Acker takes her to Wells, the blacksmith, a friend, and his wife, Olivia. She is a ball of excited energy. They enjoy the lavish meal Olivia prepared. Wells and Acker have known each other for  a long time. Olivia comes from a noble family and knew Jovie before she was taken.

Jovie is surprised to discover Olivia and Wells are matched. They keep that fact to themselves because they have been taught a matching bond only form between two Heirs. Olivia and Wells give some insight into the matching bond. On the ride back to the palace, Acker confronts Jovie. He believes she doesn’t want the bond and will never accept it. It’s not that Acker has not been forth coming with so many things, Jovie takes that as his doubts toward her. He alleviates her fear and promises to be more open with her. She’s end game for him.

Jovie trains with the soldiers, pushing herself hard even though she knows she is not where she was when she left Alaha. Still, she keeps up. When it’s time to spar, the commander bypasses her, making sure there is no one to partner with her.  Furious, Jovie grabs Acker’s sword, stubbornly looking for a partner. With equally hardened will, Acker grabs Hallis’s sword. Prince versus Princess. Jovie draws first blood.

Beau joins Jovie in her room, catching her up. The commander was impressed with Brynn no matter his dismissal during training and her father has returned. Where he went for those few days? No one knows, he does that ever so often.

Jovie is reminded that she made that plan with the general from Maile and needs to call her dagger back to her. Retrieving it, she sees her mother. It’s overwhelming.

Diving in to the book about matching bonds, Jovie comes across different types of bonds. Including a certain blood bond, the one that Acker performed with her blood to convince the general of their match. If a lie is told while making that oath, both parties will be killed. The truth slams into Jovie. Acker’s declaration while performing the oath – he loves her.

While bathing, Jovie projects herself, against her will, to wherever Acker is. He is in the middle of a meeting and she is naked and dripping wet. Trying to remain engaged in the conversation with his men, Acker calls Jovie to sit on his lap so he can talk to her while not looking insane. Taking advantage of the fact no one can see or hear her, Jovie begins to tease Acker. In turn, he uses his drink glass and fingers to bring her to climax just as his father enters the room.

A maid serevant also enters the room, informing Acker that there is a possible problem with the princess. Despite his father’s protests, Acker rushes to Jovie’s room. Worried about what Wells and Olivia had told them about the bond – Jovie can get stuck in this state. Beau is holding Jovie’s body. Her eyes are wide open but she is unresponsive. Beau can’t see projected Jovie but she can see her aura.

While Acker tries to wake her, Jovie grabs a towel and wraps it around her projected self. That Beau can see. Dawning reaches Jovie, as long as Acker is near and she feels as satisfied as she does, there’s no reason for the bond to put her back into her body. Reluctantly, Acker and Beau leave. It takes a few hours, but Jovie makes it back into her body.

She asks Beau to take her to Acker’s room. She confronts his anger. But his anger is not directed at her. He’s upset he got robbed of experiencing their first real intimate time together. He got to touch her but needed to stay in the moment of the meeting. He thinks he and the bond pushed her further than she wanted. Reassuring him, confessing her own love, all barriers crumble between them.

Acker is her first. All the love and passion causes the bond to snap into place.

Perusing the archive section of the library, Jovie is surprised as Acker projects himself to her. Now that the bond has solidified between them and they’ve broken the physical barrier, they can’t keep their hands off each other.

Needing a break from studying, Jovie sketches for the firsts time since she left Alaha. She hates it. Acker loves it and says as much as his projection appears. Taunting her to come find him before disappearing.

She finds Acker and Hallis training in the courtyard. Strapping a chest plate to her so Hallis can ‘see’ Jovie’s ghostly state. Acker tries to spar with her but the oath he took prevents him from harming her. The one-handed Hallis has taken no such oath and takes the prince’s place. Even though he can’t see her whole body, Hallis is still the superior swordsman. Frustrated, Jovie’s magic finally flares to life, blasting Hallis across the courtyard and engulfing her sword in flames. Startled and worried for Hallis, Jovie douses her magic.

Snapping back into her body she is out of breath and sore.

Beau takes Jovie to see Greta, she has found a weighty text that holds records of Heirs and their gifts. Jovie’s mother is an air elemental. Her father wasn’t an Heir, he was her mother’s guard. Going through the book, Joive, finds a picture of Acker’s father, King Edmond, and his mother. Jovie is convinced the portrait is a perfect rendition of a younger Grenadine. Brynn’s grumpy neighbor form Alaha.

Projecting herself, eager to tell Acker, she finds him in his room with his father. The king is adamant that Acker marry Irina of Strou. Either keeping Jovie as a consort or send her back to Maile. Her parents agree, they only want their Heir back. Enraged, the king threatens Acker if he chooses not to comply.

Back in her body, Jovie’s heart is breaking and is on the verge of a panic attack. Beau can read it on her aura.

Reading herself for a royal dinner, Hallis brings her a present since Acker has been commandeered by his father. It’s a pearl necklace that used to belong to Cadence, Acker’s mother. Hallis escorts her to dinner. Defying his father, Acker intercepts and escorts Jovie to sit on his right, a place that had been reserved for Irina. Her parents leave the dinner angry and humiliated.

Back to the morning after the storm in Alaha.

Brynn is conspiring with Kai. Making plans to manipulate Acker to get close to the king. With Kai the one leading the rebellion and Brynn knowing everything about Acker and magic, they set the stage for betrayal. They decide not to tell Messer how far Brynn is willing to go with her deception, afraid how he will react.

Back in the present, Jovie soaks in the last moments with Acker as he professes his love and formally asks her to marry him. She thanks him for all that he has done for her, she will always love him.

As if on cue, the first noble keels over from being poisoned. Jovie collars Acker’s magic. Beau appears, using her whip to bound his ankles and hands to his chair. The king is unconscious. The 12 guards that surround he hall approach the dais, Acker tells them to back down. Jovie calls to one of the soldiers. Messer. Disguised as a Kenta soldier, he kills the other eleven.

Jovie offers Acker a deal, take the crown from his father and they’ll leave his council alone. Taunting him that he was so blind by revenge and assigning blame, he never considered she was the real manipulator. That King Edmond who is really the one provoking war. Still hellbent on ruling all the territories, not Wren.

Beau even throws in her two cents. Contrary to what Acker believes, none of what the rebellion wants to accomplish can happen while Edmond sits on the thrown.

Jovie refuses to be cast aside as his consort and have her magic collared.

An off-handed comment by Messer has Jovie and Beau stumbling upon a new revelation – Edmond, like Wren has the power of influence. Acker believes his father’s power is the same as his. The old records have him down as a fire elemental, not metal.

When Acker doesn’t agree to seize the throne, Maile soldiers appear and kill all fifteen council members.

Before she can kill the king, Acker stops Jovie, calling in his life debt for sparing Kai’s life in Alaha. Instead, she takes away the king’s magic.

Telling Messer and Beau to leave her with Acker since he can’t hurt her. Releasing him, she runs. Acker easily catches up. Instead of immediately hurting her, he kisses her – a final goodbye. Pulling back, he slaps her. The oath he took acting as the Mark of Cain. In pain, screaming for her to leave before he causes both their deaths.

Jovie walks away.