Ava’s Reviews > The Cruel Prince > Status Update

Jude&Cardan arrive@HollowHall&go straight to Balekin&Madoc Jude pours wine forMadoc&goes to the hall She opens the windows for the spies Madoc follows her They duel but he is poisoned by the wine Jude returns&TheBomb’s explosion goes off&fake assasin attempt on Cardan distracts Balekin for Ghost to snatch the crown He mistakenly gives it to Taryn They get the crown to Oak&Jude tricks Cardan into becoming the king

Jude goes to the camps to speak w the rulers of the courts She talks to Séverin who will support her if someone else does She talks to Roiben who agrees to supports the new king for an unknown favor in the future She tells the CourtofShadows the plan&theyre on board The last person she speaks to is Vivi who needs to take Oak to the mortal world&protect him until he can come back Vivi reluctantly agrees

Jude returns to theCourtofShadow&finds Cardan untied hanging out w the spies She brings him to the back&asks himQs she realizes he despises her bc he wants her&kisses him&she likes it She goes for a walk to theLakeofMasks&sees her mom&madoc She forms a plan thatCardan will crownOak as king butOak will grow up in the mortal world away from Madoc’s influence Cardan pledges himself into Jude’s service for 1 yr&1 day

“You really do want me,” I say, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath as it hitches. “And you hate it.” I change the angle of the knife, turning it so it’s against his neck. He doesn’t look nearly as alarmed as that as I might expect.
Not nearly as alarmed as when I bring my mouth to his.” (Pg 307)

Jude goes to Orianna’s room looking for Taryn Inside she sees Lirope’s golden acorn Jude realizes that Lirope was Orianna’s friend&she saved Oak from her dead womb This means Oak is royalty bc he’s Dain’s son Madoc knows this Jude wonders if Madoc plans to get Cardan/Balekin to crown Oak so Madoc can act as regent Jude has a massive power with this knowledge & 2 princes in her grasp She just needs the crown

“I wanted so badly to believe that being in Dain’s service was an honor, that he was someone worth following. That’s what comes of hungering for something: You forget to check if it’s rotten before you gobble down.” (Pg 294)

“Or what?” He asks, still not opening his eyes. “You’re not really going to stab me.”
“When was the last time you saw your dear friend Valerian?” I whisper. “Not today, despite the insult implied by his absence. Did you wonder at that?”
His eyes open. He looks as though I slapped him awake. “I did. Where is he?”
“Rotting near Madoc’s stables. I killed him then I buried him.” (Pg 258)

Back@the strongholdJude finds outLocke was 2timing her&Taryn 2test their love for him Taryn won Jude challengesTaryn 2a duel bc everyone knew abt the deception butJude Vivi glamours them2stop b4they kill Jude stops herself Dain’s geas is still intact Madoc talks w them He tellsTaryn he doesn’t approve ofLocke but won’t stop her He tellsJude she’s kinda a monster Vivi offers a plan 2leaveElfhame Jude considers

The revel goes on Jude hides under the table wCardan She has power bc he’s the onlyGreenbrair who can crownBalekin She shocksCardan that she’s a spy TheRoach&Ghost arrive They dont trust her at first bc being Madoc’s daughter but she reasons w them LearnsDain poisoned Lirope Jude will go to the house&figure out if the spies can make a deal to give Cardan over or not

Ghost&Jude killBalekin’s messenger who is a decoy/Madoc’s spy Jude’s getting sus They ready for the coronation Madoc gives Jude Nightfell which her dad made At the palace during the dancingLocke dances with her&asks her cryptic things abt loving him&giving him up She seesTaryn w him&connects the dots Dain is almost crowned butBalekin&Madoc interrupt kill all siblings except Cardan&crowns Balekin King unjustly