Chapter 36 Summary – Awakening Jadis at Ironspire
⚠️ 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
Poppy, Casteel, and Seraphena shadowstep to Ironspire, leaving a reluctant Kieran behind. Reaver joins them, and the group heads toward the lower chamber where Jadis is entombed. Along the way, Poppy and Seraphena share personal histories: Seraphena reveals that Attes killed his twin brother Kyn for loyalty to Kolis, and that the Fates—including Aydun—are not to be fully trusted. Poppy admits she contemplated ending a Fate, and Seraphena does not dissuade her. The conversation turns to Poppy’s childhood loneliness, the truth about her Revenant caretaker Coralena, and the surprising revelation that her name was chosen by Ires (her father), not Isbeth. When they reach the chamber, Seraphena’s grief over Jadis’s emaciated, scarred form is palpable. Following Sera’s guidance, Poppy channels life essence into the draken. Jadis awakens, terrified and broken, screaming that she did not want to wake. Seraphena holds her and reassures her of love and safety, while Reaver stands in anguished shock. Eventually, Sera summons Aurelia to take Jadis home, and Reaver is asked to leave. Poppy and Casteel withdraw, feeling as though a part of them remains with Jadis’s pain.
Key Events
- Poppy, Casteel, and Seraphena shadowstep to Ironspire; Kieran stays behind due to his aversion to the travel method.
- Seraphena explains that Attes killed his twin brother Kyn, the Primal of Peace and Vengeance, because Kyn was loyal to Kolis.
- Discussion of the Fates: Seraphena confirms that no Fate can be fully trusted, as they prioritize balance above all else.
- Poppy reveals she met three Fates (Holland, Lirian, Thorne) and considers killing one; Seraphena does not dissuade her.
- Seraphena shares that Nyktos can sense and originally could influence emotions, a trait Poppy is developing.
- Poppy learns that her name was not chosen by Isbeth but by Ires, after the goddess Penellaphe.
- Poppy openly states she no longer struggles with who Isbeth was; her soul is in the Abyss.
- Following Sera’s guidance, Poppy uses her life-and-death essence to awaken Jadis.
- Jadis emerges from her stone entombment severely emaciated, with sheared horns and scars.
- Jadis cries out that she did not want to wake; Seraphena comforts her while Reaver’s anguish is visible.
- Sera summons Aurelia to take Jadis to safety; Reaver is asked to leave the chamber.
Character Development
Poppy reaches a new level of emotional closure regarding her biological mother Isbeth, accepting that she was a monster whose soul belongs in the Abyss. She also shows growing confidence in her primal abilities, successfully awakening Jadis after an earlier failure.
Seraphena demonstrates deep maternal warmth and psychological insight. She handles Jadis’s trauma with delicate patience and reaffirms the draken’s value and belonging. Her bluntness about Attes’s past and the Fates hints at a pragmatic, experienced ruler.
Reaver is profoundly shaken. His usual composure crumbles as he sees Jadis’s condition; he falls to his knees and later leaves the chamber in anguish. This chapter humanizes him beyond his draken pride.
Casteel remains protective and observant. He silently supports Poppy, catches a falling torch, offers his shirt to cover Jadis, and respects the emotional space needed by the others.
Jadis is introduced as a traumatized survivor. Her emaciated frame and terrified refusal to wake reveal the extent of Isbeth’s cruelty.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Family Bonds and Found Family – The chapter contrasts biological family (Isbeth, Coralena, Ires) with chosen bonds. Seraphena acts as a true mother to Jadis, and Poppy begins to hope for a genuine familial connection with Ires and Sera.
Trauma and the Struggle to Reawaken – Jadis’s entombment and her cry that she “didn’t want to wake” symbolize the pain of survival. The act of waking her requires not just power but emotional coaxing and reassurance.
Truth vs. Lies – Multiple deceptions are uncovered: Poppy’s name was chosen by her father, not by Isbeth; Coralena’s identity as a Revenant is questioned; the Fates are unreliable narrators who serve balance, not individuals.
Power and Its Costs – Seraphena notes that every major event (stealing embers, entombing Kolis) causes a catastrophic shockwave. Primal abilities come with susceptibility to mental manipulation by Death’s essence.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 36 is pivotal for several reasons. It rescues Jadis from her nightmare, a plot point that has been building for chapters. It deepens the worldbuilding around the Fates, the draken, and the Primal family tree. The revelation that Ires named Poppy after Penellaphe recontextualizes her identity and opens the door for a future relationship with her birth father. Moreover, Jadis’s trauma and Reaver’s emotional breakdown add a heavy emotional layer to the story, reminding readers that even in a world of gods and monsters, the scars of abuse run deep.
Study Questions and Answers
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What new information about Attes’s past does Seraphena reveal, and why does Casteel react with distrust?
Seraphena reveals that Attes killed his twin brother Kyn because Kyn was loyal to Kolis. Casteel questions how they can trust someone who killed his own brother, even if he later helped break Kolis’s influence over Penellaphe. Seraphena counters that the two acts are oddly connected. -
How does Poppy’s understanding of her own name change in this chapter?
Poppy learns that her name was not chosen by Isbeth but by Ires, her birth father, who named her after the goddess Penellaphe. This contradicts earlier lies and deepens Poppy’s sense of identity separate from Isbeth’s manipulation. -
Why does Jadis scream that she didn’t want to wake, and how do Seraphena and Reaver respond?
Jadis is so traumatized by her captivity—emaciated, scarred, with sheared horns—that she actively rejects being brought back. Seraphena holds her and repeatedly tells her she is loved and wanted. Reaver is devastated, appearing to have taken a “dagger to the chest,” and later leaves the chamber when Sera asks him to.