"Love does not perish with death."
I loved this book so much. I loved Vayl and how she loved her family and how she would stop at nothing to get revenge or justice, depending on how you look at it, for her father and brother. I did feel bad for her and her brother and father for losing their mother in a fire and that their father was injured a while ago and couldn't move easily. I loved how at the beginning of the book, Vayl is talking to her mother about how if she had been born a boy she would have been named Valor but that Valor was still in her. It was really an interesting storyline with the elves and how Zaire saw and heard things he wasn't supposed to where they were held in the dungeon. I hated Lord Favian from the get-go, since he was the one who not only hurt Vayl's father but also Zaire. And lead to their deaths. It was cool how Zaire wrote the message on Vayl's back for the Dragon and it stayed. And he also gave her his dagger. I loved the blind man Vayl met and how kind he was. I loved the matchmaker and her assistant. And the seamstress. I loved how Zaire trusted the matchmaker with what happened to their mother, which surprised Vayl. It was really cool how the matchmaker was a Heart Reader which is why she seemed to understand things so well. I loved that the Dragon, as he was called, knew her brother Zaire well and they were close. It was interesting how Zaire had been helping him find his sister. I was so pissed when it was revealed that Favian was cutting off the tops of elves' ears, such an ass. The point was to shame them since elves are very proud of them and all are a little different from each other. It angered me, even more, to learn he did worse to gifted elves, thinking them abominations. It was interesting to learn that the Dragon's sister Kirsi who was to be their people's queen was with Cassius, since she loved him. But it wasn't good for the elves since they are similar to bees in the way that they all contribute to the queen's vision for the kingdom and they had no leader with her gone and couldn't get through the barrier she created. It was nice to learn the Dragon's name, Estin but Vayl could only call him that when they were alone. I loved how Estin and his brother Asra were teaching Vayl how to fight and kill while the Matchmaker was teaching her to be a concubine, grace, and etiquette. And it was nuts how she had to learn all of it in less than two weeks. I loved when Vayl met Grady, and Indri. I loved the training with Vayl and Grady, since he was so much bigger than her and made it a good challenge for her. I loved the running scene with the group, I loved the forming bonds during that time. I was already shipping Estin and Vayl so hard at this point, they were just so cute. I liked that Estin offered her a way out, to go to the elves to escape but she didn’t want to run. I loved that the elves didn't have matchmakers but formed their own bonds, bonds that weren't unbound, even when one died. It's thought it was so cute that Asra and Indri were a thing, they were very cute together. I also loved how kind Indri was and how badass she was. I thought it was cool how the stone called intervallim, which transported people, was made by the God Urit and the stone glacieris was created by Zairitus and it was used by Zaire to write the message on Vayl's back for Estin at the beginning. I loved how Estin had a piece of intervallim put into a necklace for Vayl. It was wild how vivid Vayl's dream of the fire that killed her mother was, and with Rata being there and Vayl dreaming she was on fire. But I was shocked that Estin was there and ended up taking her to the camp to help her. I loved that he was a Dream Walker, which was how Estin knew what was happening and was there. It was interesting how Kirsti seemed to be losing her power and it was suspected to be because she was in love with Cassius who had many concubines and Kirsti was probably heartbroken over it and she was just letting her power drain. I kind of liked that they snuck to the wall and Vayl met Estin and Asra’s mother and I liked her. I was absolutely shocked when we learn that in the last few weeks, maybe months at most, about one hundred of the concubines had been killed. Like what the hell. I really hated Cassius, he not only had the elves' points cut off he had them nailed behind his throne for them to see and he and a few of his concubines made a party of sorts when they were cut off. The more I read about him the more I hated him. And also Favian who was a complete creep, not just a murderer. I hated him so much too. Both brothers were horrible. I loved that Estin, Asra, Grady, and Indri followed Vayl and Favian to the palace and Vayl also discovered Asra's gift, camouflage. I was really disturbed that Favian had his men cut out their own tongues so that they could never tell his secrets, to prove their loyalty to him. I was hoping so badly that at that moment he would die. It was interesting how the concubines also guarded the Emperor. I found it totally plausible that the twins were doing the killings, they kind of creeped me out. Plus they also got really jealous of any who took Cassius' attention from them. I loved that Vayl prayed to Rata to help the poor woman who was helping her get ready and couldn't get the fire going and was nervous and I was glad Rata helped her. I was shocked that when Vayl met not only Cassius but also the twins, the twins were elves, like what? I liked how Estin helped Vayl figure out what caused the fire while she was dreaming of it, though it was sad, since it was an accident, her father knocked over a candle and everything caught on fire. And Vayl suspected that the reason he never spoke of it or her mother was because he blamed himself. It was also interesting to find out that Rata saved both Vayl and Zaire from a fallen beam. I was so happy when Estin and Vayl finally kissed, like it took you long enough! Though it was in her dream. I was so shocked that some of the other women were elves, since there was a war going on between them but also given what they were there for, maybe some had no choice. I was so pissed at Cassius when he killed a servant for stealing food, the man just wanted to see his daughter smile on her birthday. I really was hoping Cassius died, like I was rooting for it so much more then. I was even more pissed when it was revealed that the matchmaker and her assistant were there and that their tongues had been cut out. For being suspected traitors. I was glad Vayl lied to Cassius though, trying to protect them. I was stunned when Estin took over Cassius' body and I was so worried about Indri and Asra while they were searching for Kirsi. I almost cheered when Vayl finally killed Favian, so glad. I loved that she freed the matchmaker and her assistant. I was really worried when Estin and Vayl had been caught by Cassius and the horrible twins but they were taken to the throne room but when Vayl tried to fight she got hurt. I was surprised when it was discovered that Kirsi was pretending to be different woman because of her jealousy. I was blown away by her power when she just exploded the windows. And then she turned her eyes like a snake with fangs and bit the king, poisoning him and killing him. I was both shocked and really pissed to learn Kirsi was the one who tortured Indri, and made her see Asra getting flayed, over and over. I loved how Indri and Asra were reunited though. I loved how Vayl went home and got her animals back and took Lilly, her maid while in the palace, with her. And how Indri and Grady joined her and later Asra, so he could be with Indri. I liked that there was a new government in place that would benefit all. I was so glad when Estin came back to Vayl. I was actually happy to learn that Kirsi was stripped of her powers by the gods and that they were given to a new queen. I was rolling my eyes that Estin's mother was hoping there would be between Estin and the new queen but his heart already belonged to Vayl. I was glad that Kirsi had been locked in a prison cell but I was stunned to learn she was next to her father who was imprisoned for trying to find a way to siphon their mother's powers, no wonder Kirsi was messed up. I was so damn happy when Estin found Vayl's mother's grave, I was so glad he could do that for her. I loved how Estin gave the fabric Zaire had given to Vayl, to the matchmaker, and Sylvie to make into a beautiful dress with dragons, cherry blossom trees, peacocks, and dragonflies on it. I loved this book and the characters and story so freaking much. Casey has done it yet again.
Edit: 2024:
Favorite quote(s): "Sometimes, when what you needed to say might hurt someone, you put it off to give yourself time to build the strength and courage to inflict the wound."