Chapter 71: HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE
Spoiler Notice: This page reveals plot details from Chapter 71 of A Soul of Ash and Blood. Read after finishing the chapter.
Summary
After their intimate encounter, Hawke returns with mulled wine and a damp cloth. He coaxes a shy Poppy to let him clean her, then teases her about staring at his “unmentionables,” calling the situation and his offers “highly inappropriate.” They settle under a fur blanket, and Poppy traces the scars on his chest and stomach, asking how he got them. Hawke shares a mix of half-truths: training accidents, overconfidence, a Craven attack, and a boar hunt dared by his brother. Poppy mentions her brother Ian’s hatred of violence, using the present tense, which reminds Hawke that Ian is now an Ascended creature. As Poppy falls asleep, Hawke’s internal turmoil crashes over him. He knows he must soon tell her the truth—that the Ascended are monsters and he intends to exchange her for his brother Malik. The weight of that betrayal sickens him. He desperately searches for an alternative, even considering a violent retrieval that might spark a war, but no clean path appears.
Key Events
- Hawke brings wine and a cloth, then gently cleans the evidence of their intimacy from Poppy’s thighs.
- He teases her about staring at his body, calling her attention “inappropriate” and offering a standing invitation for her to taste him—or for him to “eat” her.
- Poppy asks about his many scars; he credits youthful recklessness, a Craven, a training mishap, and a boar hunt prompted by his brother.
- She speaks of Ian in the present tense, underscoring that she still believes her brother is alive as she knew him.
- Poppy falls asleep; Hawke lies awake, battling the reality that he must hand her over to the Blood Crown to free Malik.
- He weighs the possibility of a rescue attack right after the exchange, acknowledging it could ignite war, and finds no clean solution before the chapter ends.
Character Development
- Hawke (Casteel): The chapter exposes the deep schism between the playful, tender lover and the strategist preparing to betray Poppy. Even as he cleans her and murmurs teasing endearments, his inner monologue reveals despair, guilt, and a frantic search for a way out. The scars he describes are a mix of lighthearted tales and hidden truth—some came during captivity, a fact he keeps from her.
- Poppy: She shows bashful trust, obeying his request to open her legs and tracing his scars with curiosity. Her reference to Ian as if he were still her brother highlights her innocence about the Ascended’s true nature. Her laughter and gentle touches show she is wholly unaware of the coming fracture.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Intimacy and Secrets: The aftercare scene is intimately tender but poisoned by the secret Hawke harbors. The cloth washing away the “inappropriate show of affections” mirrors his futile wish to wipe away the impending pain of his betrayal.
- Scars as Evidence of a Hidden Past: Poppy’s questions about his scars give Hawke a chance to offer partial truths. For readers, the scars symbolize his suffering as a captive, not just a reckless youth. The Atlantian difficulty to scar hints that his marks carry heavier history.
- “Inappropriate” as a Mask: The chapter title and Hawke’s repeated use of the word turn a playful jab into a grim irony—everything about his plan is profoundly inappropriate, but that truth remains unspoken inside the banter.
- The Weight of Inevitability: Hawke’s racing mind circles the same dilemma: free Malik, protect Poppy, prevent war. The impossibility of doing all three traps him in a boulder-like pressure, underscoring the novel’s theme of impossible choices.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 71 serves as the calm after physical intimacy and the storm before emotional devastation. By placing Hawke’s tender caretaking side by side with his internal confession, the chapter humanizes him even as it foreshadows the betrayal that will shatter their fragile peace. It plants the crucial knowledge that he is already seeking an alternative to the exchange, raising stakes for the climax and complicating reader sympathy. The scar conversation deepens worldbuilding around Atlantian healing and hints at Hawke’s concealed trauma, while Poppy’s innocent mention of Ian reinforces why she will struggle to believe the truth about the Ascended.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Hawke insist on cleaning Poppy, and what does the act reveal about his state of mind?
He wants to remove the physical traces of her brief pain—the faint blood—as if erasing that small hurt can lessen the larger one he plans to inflict. The gesture shows his genuine care, but it also underscores his desperate, contradictory hope that he can somehow spare her suffering even as he prepares to betray her. -
What is the significance of Poppy using the present tense for Ian, and how does Hawke react internally?
Poppy says “He is” a good brother, not “was,” which tells Hawke she still believes Ian is the same person who abhorred violence. Hawke knows Ian has been Ascended and is no longer that man, but he says nothing. This moment deepens his internal torment because it highlights the innocence he is about to destroy when he tells Poppy the truth. -
How does the chapter build tension for the upcoming revelation?
Hawke’s thoughts become a racing inventory of obstacles: the need to free Malik, the danger to Poppy, the risk of a kingdom-wide war. The chapter ends without a solution, leaving the unresolved crisis hanging as Poppy sleeps blissfully. The contrast between her peace and his mental chaos creates dramatic irony, pulling the reader toward the inevitable breaking point.