Chapter 25: Alliances, Vows, and the First Strike of Winged Terror

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Chapter 25 Summary

The chapter opens with Prisca observing a dinner between Sabium and the Gromalian king Eryndan, along with his son Rekja. Sabium skillfully deflects Eryndan’s accusations about a leaked hybrid camp attack, claiming hybrid spies are to blame. Sabium reveals he has already negotiated with the fae island leader, securing his neutrality with a promise to destroy the island later. Eryndan humiliates Rekja for his affair with a commoner bodyguard who has since disappeared. Prisca later uses a mirror to meet Pelysian, who urges her to flee, but she insists on retrieving the last amulet before leaving.

The narrative shifts to Cavis’s funeral. Sybella, holding Piperia, asks to join the hybrid kingdom after the war, and Prisca warmly agrees. As the group sails toward the barrier, Asinia’s perspective takes over. She is at a rebel camp where Demos is recovering from injuries inflicted by winged creatures—Regner’s new weapons. Asinia confronts camp leader Herne, threatening to leave unless he cooperates.

Back with Prisca, she meets pirate queen Daharak Rostamir to fulfill a blood vow. Daharak reveals she needs to retrieve a weapon from the Frosthaven Isles, with Regner’s fleet closing in. Prisca agrees to freeze time to allow Daharak’s ships to escape, but negotiates a second blood vow: Daharak’s fleet in exchange for bringing down the barrier within three weeks. Prisca keeps secret that Regner himself wants the barrier down and that his son Jamic is already in their hands.

Asinia receives news of the winged creatures and warns Daharak. The chapter ends with Daharak offering Asinia a place on her ship after the war, purely for amusement.

Key Events

Sabium finalizes his alliance with the Gromalians at a tense dinner.
Prisca uses a mirror to consult Pelysian, deciding to retrieve the last amulet.
Cavis is cremated; Sybella asks to move to the hybrid kingdom post-war.
Prisca secures Daharak’s fleet with a blood vow, promising to bring down the barrier.
Asinia threatens rebel leader Herne and learns of Regner’s winged creatures.
Daharak’s mother’s prophecy about drifting shadows is quoted.
Prisca hides Jamic’s identity from Daharak to maintain leverage.

Character Development

Prisca – Grief over Cavis strengthens her resolve; she bargains shrewdly with Daharak, hiding her knowledge of Jamic. Her refusal to leave before retrieving the last amulet shows emotional attachment to justice.

Asinia – Transforms from a captured prisoner to a forceful negotiator, threatening Herne with withdrawal of support. Her desire for anonymity after the war reveals a longing for peace.

Sabium – Displays cold control, deflecting accusations and revealing his pre-war diplomacy. His dismissive treatment of Rekja shows his ruthless pragmatism.

Daharak – Sharp and charismatic, she respects cleverness but is vulnerable to being outmaneuvered. Her willingness to take Asinia after the war hints at hidden loneliness.

Demos – Injured but stubborn; his vulnerability deepens his bond with Asinia, though tension remains.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Time as leverage – Prisca’s hourglass power is central to the plan; time itself becomes a commodity in the blood vow.

Alliances under duress – Every alliance in this chapter (Sabium with Gromalians, Prisca with Daharak, Asinia with Herne) is built on threat or necessity, not trust.

The cost of war – Cavis’s funeral and the news of winged creatures underscore the mounting human and fae toll. The “warrior” identity Asinia claims carries grief.

Prophecy and uncertainty – The seer’s words about a “drifting shadow” hang over the chapter, creating dread about Lorian’s fate.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter locks in major alliances (Sabium-Gromalian and Prisca-Daharak) and reveals Regner’s aerial weapons, raising the stakes for the final confrontation. Prisca’s strategic gamble with the second blood vow sets the stage for the barrier’s destruction. Asinia’s actions establish her as a key agent in the rebel camp, while the prophecy foreshadows personal loss.

Study Questions

Why does Prisca refuse to leave Sabium’s castle immediately, and what does this reveal about her character?
She cannot abandon the mission to retrieve the last amulet because she needs the closure of striking back at Sabium. This shows that her trauma has become a driver, not a weakness.
How does Asinia’s threat to Herne advance the rebellion’s goals?
By forcing Herne to realize the hybrid queen will abandon him, Asinia pressures him to cooperate with the larger war effort, preventing further isolation.
What are the risks of Prisca’s secret about Jamic during the blood vow with Daharak?
If Daharak learns that Prisca already has Regner’s son and plans to bring down the barrier regardless, she will feel tricked, potentially breaking their fragile alliance.