Chapter 30 Summary: Kolis’s Hunger, Attes’s Secret, and the Weight of Command
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Still recovering from her stasis and her dangerous encounter with Kolis in the other realm, Poppy receives news from Kieran that twenty Ascended have been found drained of blood in the Luxe, their homes and even plants nearby dead and gray—a sign reminiscent of the Bone Temple. Kieran explains that Kolis created the first Ascended and Revenants and can feed on them to regain a physical body. Poppy worries for her sister Millicent, whose whereabouts are unknown. Kieran also reveals that the Primal Attes—who helped Poppy by drinking draken blood—is the original Primal God of War and Accord, having abdicated his throne to Theon. Poppy senses a strange connection between Attes and Casteel’s warhorse Setti. Later, Casteel joins them with food, and the three discuss military strategy: the remaining Blood Crown armies likely fled north to Masadonia and Pensdurth, a force of two thousand was encountered, and General Cyr needs support in Oak Ambler. Poppy agrees with the plan to keep fifty thousand troops in Padonia and send reinforcements, but a deep, instinctive unease persists—Kolis will not be reasonable like mortals or Ascended.
Key Events
- Kieran reports that twenty Ascended in the Luxe have been killed, completely drained of blood, with nearby plant life dead and gray.
- Poppy learns that Kolis created the first Ascended and Revenants and can feed on them to become corporeal again.
- Millicent has gone missing; Poppy fears for her safety if Kolis targets Revenants.
- Kieran identifies Attes as the original Primal God of War and Accord, who abdicated his Court to Theon and spent centuries in stasis.
- Poppy spontaneously recalls the name “Vathi” (Court of the Gods of War and Peace) and that Attes’s bloodsteed was called Setti—the same name as Casteel’s horse.
- Casteel and Kieran reveal that Valyn Da’Neer was sent to Pensdurth to deal with Duke Ashwood’s fealty to Kolis.
- A force of about two thousand Blood Crown soldiers was encountered between the Blood Forest and Pensdurth’s Rise; draken Thad was sent to assist.
- Casteel explains that many Crown Guard soldiers refused to disavow the Blood Crown out of oath and identity, not loyalty.
- The trio decides to send General Murin back to Whitebridge and General La’Sere to support Cyr in Oak Ambler, while keeping the remaining forces in the capital and the fifty thousand in Padonia.
- Poppy internally questions the strategy but cannot articulate her unease, sensing that Kolis will not be bound by the same rules as mortals.
Character Development
- Poppy: Begins to trust her vadentia more but still struggles with unexplained instincts. She shows compassion for the Ascended, especially Ian, and wants to avoid unnecessary slaughter. Her concern for Millicent reveals lingering family bonds.
- Kieran: Acts as a grounding, informative presence. He respectfully offers news and military opinions, and shows warmth when he checks on Poppy’s emotional state.
- Casteel: Demonstrates strategic foresight and empathy—he didn’t order the execution of Ascended stockpiled with blood, and he refused to let anyone see Poppy in her vulnerable stasis. His playful teasing with the chairs shows his lighter side.
- Attes (mentioned): Deepens the lore as an ancient Primal who gave up his throne and endured great pain to help Poppy, hinting at a complex past.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The Corruption of Power: Kolis’s ability to feed on his own creations (Ascended, Revenants) literalizes how a tyrant consumes those he made to sustain himself.
- Knowledge as Burden: Poppy’s vadentia gives her fragments of truth (Vathi, Setti, Attes) that unsettle her, highlighting the weight of forbidden or forgotten history.
- Identity and Oath: Casteel explains that many soldiers refused to renounce the Blood Crown not out of malice, but because their identity was tied to their oath—a motif that recurs in Poppy’s own struggle with her roles as Queen and Primal.
- The Unreasonable Enemy: The chapter ends with Poppy’s intuition that conventional strategy won’t work against Kolis, setting up a contrast between mortal reason and primal chaos.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter bridges the immediate aftermath of the Bone Temple battle and Poppy’s stasis with the escalating threat of Kolis. It reveals a critical weakness of the enemy—Kolis can regain physical form by feeding on Ascended—and introduces the ancient Primal Attes, whose connection to Casteel’s horse Setti hints at deeper alliances. The military discussions ground the epic conflict in real strategic stakes, while Poppy’s lingering doubt foreshadows that Kolis will not be defeated by conventional warfare alone.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Kieran believe Kolis can become corporeal again, and what evidence supports this?
Kieran explains that Kolis created the first Ascended and Revenants and can feed on their blood to regain a physical form. The evidence is the twenty drained Ascended in the Luxe, with dead plant life mirroring the gray decay at the Bone Temple, suggesting Kolis is actively feeding. -
What is the significance of Poppy blurting out the name “Vathi” and identifying Attes as the Primal of War and Accord?
It demonstrates both the power of her vadentia to access lost knowledge and the hidden history of the Primal gods. Attes abdicated his throne to Theon, meaning the current Gods of War are not the originals—a detail that could reshape alliances and explain why Attes endured draken blood for Poppy. -
Why does Poppy feel uneasy about the agreed-upon military strategy, even though it seems logical?
Her instinct warns her that Kolis will not behave like a mortal or even an Ascended commander—he is a primal force beyond reason. This unease suggests the conventional troop deployments may be futile against an enemy who can drain life itself, foreshadowing a need for a different approach.