QUICK LINKS: Chapter Summary 1–12 | 13–25 | 26–35 // Review // Quotes
Chapter 38
As they prepare for the Ascended army’s arrival, Cas urges Poppy to keep her hood up and stay unnoticed.
Soon after, Duchess Teerman arrives and demands Poppy’s return, claiming that she belongs to the Queen. Ignoring Cas’s instructions to stay hidden, Poppy steps forward and asserts that she doesn’t belong to anyone. The Duchess claims Poppy’s mother was Queen Ileana’s daughter, which makes Poppy the Queen’s granddaughter. Poppy and Cas don’t believe her, as the Ascended cannot have children.
Realizing that she can’t persuade Poppy and Cas, the Duchess presents them with the severed heads of Elijah and Magda.
Chapter 39
Cas leaps from the Rise to engage the Ascended army, with the Guardians following. Poppy and Quentyn support from above with their bows and arrows. Seeing the defenders are outnumbered, Poppy joins the battle on the ground and kills a knight who is about to attack Cas.
As Poppy and Cas move to confront the Duchess, flaming arrows fly toward them. Cas shoves Poppy to the ground and shields her with his body. They find themselves surrounded by flames.
Chapter 40
As the larger Ascended army approaches, Cas vows to get Poppy to safety. They struggle through the battle, and Poppy becomes overwhelmed by the intense emotions around her. Desperate to stop the onslaught, Poppy holds her dagger to her throat and threatens to kill herself if the Ascended come any closer.
Just then, wolven reinforcements led by Jasper, Vonetta, and Delano arrive and turn the tide of the battle. Soon after, Atlantian soldiers on horseback join the fight, further strengthening their position.
Amid the chaos, Poppy spots Duchess Teerman’s carriage and confronts her. The Duchess reveals that Ian and Malik are alive. Enraged, Poppy kills her with a bloodstone dagger. Cas soon catches up, and they share an intense, intimate moment in the carriage.
Chapter 41
While Cas and Kieran escort the lone survivor of the Ascended’s army, who is tasked with delivering a message to the King and Queen of Solis, Poppy stays behind to tend to the injured.
After healing those who accepted her help, a wolven thanks Poppy for her bravery during the battle. He warns her about potential hostility from those who don’t understand her abilities and hints that King Valyn might have ulterior motives, possibly planning to use Poppy to send a message to the Ascended.
Cas returns to the room to find Poppy in the tub. He tells her that the wolven felt her calling for them during the battle when they were surrounded, which is why they came to their aid.
As they talk, Cas informs Poppy that they will depart for Atlantia the next day. Poppy voices her concerns about the lack of trust from many Atlantians and the King’s potential plans for her. Cas reassures her that he won’t let anyone harm her.
Poppy then reveals that the Duchess mentioned Tawny was going to Ascend. She also said the Queen would be pleased to know her granddaughter married the Prince of Atlantia, achieving her goal of taking Atlantia.
Chapter 42
The next day, Poppy, Cas, and their group leave Spessa’s End for Atlantia. As they enter the mist-shrouded Skotos Mountains, Cas uses playful, suggestive language to distract Poppy from her rising anxiety.
After passing through the mist, the group reaches the Trees of Aios. Cas suggests that they split up and travel in smaller groups.
Poppy, Cas, and Kieran reach a resting place in the mountains. Cas and Kieran explain that the enchanted mist serves as a protective barrier for the Pillars of Atlantia.
As night falls, Poppy realizes that she, Cas, and Kieran are supposed to sleep close together. This makes her feel awkward and stirs up mixed emotions. To manage her anxiety, she imagines a different, more comforting future. As she drifts off to sleep, she hears a soft whisper calling her name.
Chapter 43
Poppy dreams of the night her parents were killed. A familiar yet elusive man speaks to her, and she feels that she knows him. Driven by a need to see his face, she follows the cloaked figure.
Just as she nears the edge of a cliff, a golden mist appears, and a woman emerges, stopping Poppy from stepping off. The woman tells Poppy to “go home” and promises that she’ll find the truth there.
Without warning, Cas grabs Poppy’s waist and pulls her back to safety. Shaken, she tells Cas and Kieran about her dream and the woman who saved her. Suddenly, the ground trembles, and Kieran, though skeptical, explains that it’s a god returning to rest.
Poppy, Cas, and Kieran leave the Skotos Mountains to meet their group at Gold Rock. As the mist clears, Poppy and Cas discuss the possibility that the goddess Aios saved her. Cas notes that the gods seem to favor her, pointing out that even Nyktos approved of their marriage.
The group finally reunites at Gold Rock. After some time, they arrive at the Pillars of Atlantia, where Cas warmly welcomes Poppy home.
Chapter 44
When the group arrives at Saion’s Cove, Alastir is relieved to see everyone safe but is shocked to find Poppy and Cas already married. He suggests a private talk with Cas, but Cas insists on speaking in front of Poppy. Sensing the tension, Poppy asks to leave to avoid any arguments before the King and Queen arrive.
Beckett steps in and offers to give Poppy a tour of the Chambers of Nyktos. As they walk, he explains that the name comes from the tombs beneath the chambers. Distracted by the beautiful scenery, Poppy doesn’t notice when Beckett slips away.
Suddenly, Poppy is surrounded by a dozen Atlantians and mortals who recognize her as the Maiden and accuse her of being a Soul Eater. They hurl insults, call her a whore, and throw rocks at her. Overwhelmed by their emotions, Poppy’s skin starts to vibrate. Suddenly, without warning, the sky begins to rain blood.
Chapter 45
As the sky bleeds, the group sees it as a sign of fulfilling the gods’ decree. Just as they are about to kill her, Poppy’s eyes begin to glow. She absorbs their hatred and channels it back, killing them all.
In the aftermath, Poppy notices a Blood Forest tree growing where her blood fell. Suddenly, a hundred wolven, led by Jasper, arrive at the Chambers of Nyktos and surround her. Cas, his parents, and Alastir are also present.
Unexpectedly, Cas kneels before Poppy and draws his swords. Queen Eloana then renounces her crown and proclaims Poppy as the new Queen of Atlantia.
Quote It or It Didn’t Happen: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire Quotes
“He was the first thing I’d ever truly chosen for myself.”
“I don’t want to pretend,” I whispered. “I’m Poppy and you’re Casteel, and this is real.”
“But even so, sometimes, the heartbreak that comes with loving someone is worth it, even if loving that person means eventually saying goodbye to them.”
