The War of Two Queens Recap

The War of Two Queens at a glance

Casteel is imprisoned

The book opens with Casteel chained in an underground cell by the Blood Queen. Shadowstone bands lock his throat, wrists, and ankles.

For nearly two weeks, Isbeth's Handmaidens have been drawing his blood. His cell is larger than his old captivity but still windowless, damp, and crawling with Craven drawn by the scent of blood.

Casteel is weakened, but not broken. He kills several Craven in the cell, even using his chains as weapons.

Isbeth visits with Callum, a golden Revenant. She shows Casteel that Poppy has sent King Jalara's severed head and threats about Malec's life. Casteel stays loyal to Poppy even as Isbeth tries to manipulate him.

Poppy tries to hold herself together

Twenty-eight days after Casteel's capture, Poppy is drowning in grief and rage while trying to keep control of her divine power.

She leads the forces that have taken Massene and works to repair the city before the next campaign. She also finds records suggesting that the Rite existed before the Ascended, raising new questions about its origin.

An old woman named Vessa attacks Poppy and calls her the Harbinger of Death and Destruction. Soon after, a box arrives from Isbeth. It opens only with Poppy's blood.

Inside is Casteel's severed finger with his wedding ring. Poppy nearly loses control, but Kieran talks her back from marching directly on Carsodonia and risking countless innocents.

Kolis enters the story

Poppy and Kieran agree that he will go with her to Carsodonia, with Reaver accompanying them in draken form.

That night, Poppy experiences a vivid connection with Casteel that feels more real than a dream. Their heartmate bond seems to reach across the distance.

The moment is broken by a catastrophic attack. Vessa is revealed to be working for Isbeth, and the attack kills sixteen draken.

The attack also reveals that Isbeth has learned to harness the essence of Kolis, the original Primal of Death, whose existence had been erased from known history.

Oak Ambler falls

Poppy prepares to take Oak Ambler while minimizing civilian deaths. Some Atlantian generals doubt her, but she insists that they must win people through trust rather than fear.

Poppy leads the siege dressed in white, deliberately echoing her former role as the Maiden. Her forces evacuate thousands of citizens before battle begins.

The draken help breach the city, and the army reaches Castle Redrock. The Ascended have fled, leaving Craven and traps behind. Arden, a wolven, is killed, and Poppy cannot bring him back.

In the underground chambers, they find murdered young women and a message written in blood: "All you will liberate is death."

The prophecy sharpens

Poppy discovers a Temple of Theon hiding tunnels filled with the remains of sacrificed children. The Priests and Priestesses claim to serve the "True King" and speak of prophecy.

Poppy executes them and orders the temple burned.

Later, Tawny arrives from Atlantia, awake but changed, with white hair and pale eyes. She says Vikter was actually a viktor, a special guardian chosen by the Fates to protect someone destined for greatness.

Tawny also shares more of the prophecy, including two daughters born of the same misdeeds: one with blood full of fire for the once-promised King, and one with blood full of ash and ice for the future King.

Poppy is captured in Carsodonia

Casteel remains imprisoned, and Isbeth reveals she is a demis, a false god created by being Ascended by another god.

She taunts Casteel with truths about Primals and the spark of Primal life that can ignite only in the female line of the Primal of Life.

On the road to Carsodonia, Poppy, Kieran, and Reaver are confronted by soldiers. Poppy is struck by a shadowstone arrow but destroys it with her power.

A Handmaiden warns that if Poppy continues the rescue, Isbeth will kill Casteel. Poppy is captured and wakes in her old chambers in Wayfair Castle.

Poppy and Casteel reunite

Isbeth presents Poppy publicly as the Harbinger of Death and Destruction and performs a false Royal Blessing with Atlantian blood.

Poppy is finally allowed to see Casteel. He is chained with shadowstone and deity bone, starved, weakened, and close to bloodlust.

Poppy's healing helps bring him back to himself, but he refuses to feed from her because he is afraid of hurting her. Their reunion is cut short by Isbeth.

The escape from Carsodonia

Isbeth later reveals that she does not only want to rule Atlantia. She wants to destroy it as revenge against Nyktos for denying Malec's heartmate trials.

Poppy summons a strange mist to create panic in the city, then escapes with Kieran and Reaver. Malik appears and reveals that he stayed with Isbeth because of his heartmate bond with Millicent, a Handmaiden.

Malik leads them to Casteel, who is in full bloodlust after being stabbed by Callum. They subdue him and escape through tunnels to the home of Descenters named Blaz and Clariza.

There, Poppy's blood and healing bring Casteel back. He later reveals what he learned in captivity: Millicent is Poppy's sister, the daughter of Isbeth and Ires.

Isbeth curses Kieran

The group learns Poppy is not only a god. She is a Primal born of mortal flesh, the first since the Primal of Life.

Before they can escape fully, Isbeth arrives with Callum and other Revenants. She demands that Poppy find and bring Malec to her within two weeks.

To force obedience, Callum curses Kieran. If Poppy fails, Kieran will die. Isbeth gives Poppy Malec's ring to help with the search.

Before Poppy leaves Carsodonia, Isbeth kills Blaz and Clariza, turning them to dust. Poppy nearly destroys several buildings in rage before Casteel helps her regain control.

The Joining

Back with the Atlantian forces, Poppy, Casteel, and Kieran discuss the Joining. The ritual could bind their lifespans and help protect Kieran from the curse.

After confirming they all want it, the three perform the ancient ritual under moonlight near the River of Rhain.

The Joining involves blood and essence shared among the three of them. It binds their lives, powers, and connection more deeply than before.

Malec's tomb and Isbeth's final move

Poppy, Casteel, Kieran, and their allies enter the Blood Forest to find Malec. They fight Sentries, undead guardians sent by Nyktos to protect his son.

They find Malec's tomb and retrieve his casket. On the return journey, Poppy shows signs of developing fangs, another sign that her Culling is nearly complete.

At the Bone Temple, Isbeth unexpectedly kills Malec with a shadowstone dagger. His death was part of her plan to awaken Kolis, the true Primal of Death.

The act unleashes dakkais from below the ground and triggers a devastating battle.

Poppy becomes the Primal of Blood and Bone

Many of Poppy's allies, including Delano, Naill, and Emil, are killed in the battle. In grief and rage, Poppy speaks the true name of the Primal of Life: Seraphena.

Poppy transforms, manifesting wings and wielding both shadow and light. With Seraphena's essence and Nyktos's aid, she brings the fallen back to life.

Nektas arrives, and Poppy defeats Isbeth, erasing her completely.

After the battle, they learn that Kolis has already awakened and is corrupting the land.

The ending

Nektas explains that Poppy is destined to become the Primal of Blood and Bone, the first being to possess both Life and Death essences.

The war is no longer only between mortals, Atlantians, and the Blood Crown. Kolis is awake, and gods from the Courts of Iliseeum are stirring.

Seraphena and Nyktos have also risen from sleep, which means the next stage of the story belongs to gods, Primals, and a much larger conflict.

Where everyone ends up

What matters for A Soul of Ash and Blood

• Poppy is the Primal of Blood and Bone, with both Life and Death essences.
• Kolis is awake and becomes the next major threat.
• Poppy, Casteel, and Kieran are bound through the Joining.
• Millicent is Poppy's sister and Malik's heartmate.
• Seraphena and Nyktos have awakened.
• Nektas is searching for his daughter Jadis, who may still be alive in the mortal realm.

Next in the series

Continue with A Soul of Ash and Blood, book 5 in the Blood and Ash series. For earlier context, use the From Blood and Ash recap, the A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire recap, or the The Crown of Gilded Bones recap.