Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
After Poppy’s attack at the Chambers, Emil is there to witness the wolven surrounding her and the Queen relinquishing her crown and looks on in fear. As the wolven yip and howl and cry, he remarks that they’re likely summoning the entire city. Eloana explains that the Atlantian-wolven bonds have been broken and the wolven are responding to Poppy. Emil backs up even farther in trepidation, causing one of the wolven to stalk him. As they poise to attack, Poppy commands them to stop, and they stand down. Emil thanks her for her timely interference.
Casteel asks Emil to get clothes for Delano and Kieran, and he does as his Prince asks. When they conclude that Beckett was the one who brought Poppy to the Chambers and is therefore responsible, Emil sets off with Naill and Delano to find him. What they don’t yet know is that it wasn’t Beckett; it was the changeling, Jansen, masquerading as Beckett. The poor young wolven had already been killed.
After Alastir takes Poppy, Emil is part of the group that rescues her from Irelone. He and others then escort Valyn back to Atlantia.
When Cas and Poppy reach the Temple of Saion, Emil is relieved to see them and tells Poppy as much, addressing her as Your Highness again.
He fills them in on the group who tried to free Alastir and says it got a bit bloody when they were dealt with. Emil then returns Poppy’s dagger to her, explaining that he found it under a blood tree when he and some others went to look for evidence.
After Cas retrieves Alastir, Emil goes to get Kieran and Poppy, telling them that Alastir thinks Poppy is dead and sharing that they didn’t correct his assumption.
On their way to wait for Cas to call for them, Emil notices Poppy acting strangely and asks her if she’s okay. She tells him that she is. We later learn that this was when she heard Kieran’s voice in her head for the first time.
Emil, Naill, and Quentyn leave the Temple of Saion early before the rest of the group does. Later that night, Emil shares dinner with the group at the Contou residence as they talk about Iliseeum.
On the way to the capital, Emil and Naill bicker about everything from whiskey to weapons. They are always picking at each other, but it’s clear it’s all done in love. The two of them are incredibly close, and it’s evident for anyone to see.
When Poppy mentions that she would like her own horse, Emil sets off to get her one and says that he’ll find one that’s worthy of her beauty and strength, flirting with her as he always does and raising Casteel’s ire. Emil soon returns with Storm.
The Unseen and Gyrms attack and Emil throws a dagger. Once they’re able to take a breath, Emil wonders what the Unseen thought to accomplish. He then postulates who tipped them off as to where they would be and suggests it was probably an individual from the inn at Tadous or someone who saw Arden on his way to Evaemon.
When the group gets closer to the palace, Emil rides ahead to announce the group’s arrival and then waits for them just inside the Temple entryway with at least ten guards. When Cas and Poppy approach Queen Eloana, Emil bows like everyone else. He witnesses the transfer of crowns and then accompanies the couple through the palace until it’s time for the Council meeting. I don’t actually remember Emil being there when we all were, but I suppose that’s a sign of a good guard.
Emil joins Poppy, Casteel, Kieran, Vonetta, and Delano for their trip through the tunnels to Iliseeum. He comments that he didn’t even know there were tunnels under Evaemon and goes on to say that they’re only going to Iliseeum because none of them has any sense. He adds that he’d love to avoid being suffocated to death by the mist if at all possible.
In the tunnels, the floor crumbles beneath Vonetta, and Emil catches her as she falls. On his stomach, barely holding her, he tells everyone that he sort of has her and urges her to try to grab Kieran’s hand. She can’t reach. Then, Emil being Emil, he tells her that he’ll throw himself in after her if she falls, and they can find out what’s really under the tunnels. When she points out that they’d both be dead, he tells her it’s just semantics. The tunnel under Emil starts to crack, and Poppy finally uses her eather to save them.
Once again on the move, the path ahead narrows, and they can’t tell what’s on the other side of the mist. Emil voices his hope that it’s not a draken ready to flame-broil them. Once in Iliseeum, geysers of dirt start erupting all around them, and Emil remarks that it’s rude before he peers into one of the holes. He swears but doesn’t say anything more. When they see the skeletal hands and bodies emerging, Vonetta chastises him for not warning them, and he apologizes. As they fight the Consort’s soldiers, Emil remarks that cutting off their heads doesn’t work—something already obvious to most. Vonetta remarks that he’s a mess, and he tells her that she’s beautiful—a flirt, even in the midst of battle. Hundreds more skeletons appear, and Emil fights back-to-back with Vonetta. When the smoke snakes billow from the soldiers’ mouths, he voices his regret for coming on the trip.