Cursed (Gilded #2) – Complete Book Guide

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

Quick Facts

Short Summary

Serilda, now a ghostly queen and pregnant with Gild’s child, is forced to marry the Erlking to protect the souls of five murdered children. The Erlking plans to resurrect his lost love Perchta and destroy the veil between worlds, using Serilda’s unborn baby as a vessel. With the help of the cursed prince Gild, the god of stories Wyrdith, and a rebellion of moss maidens and monsters, Serilda must break ancient curses, free captured gods, and choose between sacrifice and freedom. The novel builds to a climactic battle on the Endless Moon where truth, true names, and love finally triumph over darkness.

Full Summary

Cursed opens at Adalheid Castle on the eve of the summer solstice. Serilda, a ghostly storyteller, tends to five orphaned ghosts—Nickel, Gerdrut, Hans, Fricz, and Anna—whose hearts were stolen by the Erlking’s ravens. She is betrothed to the Erlking, but the secret she carries is far heavier: she is already pregnant with Gild’s child, not the king’s. The Erlking has forced her to lie, threatening to keep the children’s souls trapped forever if she reveals the truth. Gild, the Gilded Ghost cursed with a golden arrow through his wrist, remains unaware of his fatherhood and grows jealous of the wedding.

The forced wedding ceremony involves a crossbow hunt. Serilda offers sarcastic vows and deliberately misses her targets, but the Erlking binds her with poetic cruelty. Afterward, Gild attempts a bride-kidnapping prank to humiliate the king, but Serilda insists on returning to protect the children. The king introduces a mortal pawn, Leyna, to control her. Serilda discovers a hidden corridor in the castle guarded by drudes—nightmare creatures. There, she and Gild find a hidden room containing a tapestry of Gild’s royal family and a chimeric chicken-snake creature. They learn more about Gild’s lost past and the curse that erased everyone’s memory of the Adalheid royal line.

Months pass. Under the Thunder Moon, Serilda and Gild explore a sealed throne room and uncover a mass grave of Gild’s family, along with two perfectly preserved cursed bodies: the prince and princess. Gild refuses to break his curse and leave Serilda. Their ally Agathe, a ghostly weapons master, reveals that god-spun gold tied around a ghost under a full moon can free trapped souls. But Serilda cannot spin gold herself.

The Erlking soon relocates the entire court to his ancient fortress, Gravenstone, hidden beneath an ash tree in the Aschen Wood. The journey reveals the Erlking’s ultimate plan: to capture all seven old gods using black arrows and golden chains, and on the Endless Moon, wish for Perchta’s resurrection—giving her Serilda’s body and child. Serilda accidentally reveals the hidden village Asyltal, causing its destruction and the capture of the unicorn goddess Eostrig (Pusch-Grohla). At Gravenstone, Agathe betrays Serilda, believing the Erlking will free all ghosts on the Mourning Moon. The Erlking forces Gild to spin gold and reveals Serilda’s pregnancy to the court.

During the Mourning Moon, the Erlking bargains with Velos, the death god, trading his entire dark court for Perchta’s release. Serilda sacrifices her body willingly to become Perchta’s vessel in exchange for freeing the five children. Perchta takes over Serilda’s pregnant body, and Gild learns the terrible truth. Velos is captured with golden chains. A massive battle erupts at Gravenstone, during which Serilda, Gild, and the freed princess of Adalheid (who calls herself Erlen) escape. Perchta stabs Serilda’s spirit with a black arrow, seemingly killing her.

Serilda and Gild survive and learn that Perchta is Gild’s lost sister. They regroup with Erlen and the war god Tyrr. Serilda discovers that Wyrdith, the god of stories, is her mother. Wyrdith explains that wishes only work during the Endless Moon. The Erlking captures all seven gods. Serilda, with help from moss maidens, plans a final strike using golden arrows. Perchta gives birth to Serilda and Gild’s daughter under the Endless Moon. Gild invokes his claim to the firstborn child but is stabbed in the back by Perchta. Perchta sacrifices the baby to lower the veil between worlds.

In the climax, Serilda stabs the Erlking and Perchta with broken gold-tipped arrows, cursing their souls to be trapped in the castle forever. The castle collapses into Verloren. Serilda regains her own body, weak and sore. She finds Gild and their daughter dead on the shore. Using the story “Hardworking Stiltskin and the Northern Prince,” she deduces Gild’s true name—Ermengild Rumpelstiltskin—and speaks it, allowing Velos to resurrect him. The family reunites, the curse is broken, and the story ends with hope for the future.

Main Characters

• Serilda: The ghostly storyteller and Alder Queen, pregnant with Gild’s child. She uses her wits and lies to survive and ultimately sacrifices her body to save the children, then reclaims everything through bravery and love.
• Gild: The Gilded Ghost, a cursed prince who can spin gold. He struggles with lost memories but grows into a determined leader, willing to sacrifice himself for Serilda and their daughter.
• The Erlking: The dark ruler of the Wild Hunt. His obsession with resurrecting Perchta drives him to betray his own court and capture gods. He is ultimately bound to his crumbling castle.
• Perchta: The resurrected Alder Queen, a huntress who takes over Serilda’s body. She seeks to claim Serilda’s child and wreak vengeance, but is trapped at the end.
• Velos: The god of death and gatekeeper of Verloren. He helps Serilda by protecting her and later resurrects Gild.
• Wyrdith: The god of stories and fate, revealed as Serilda’s mother. They grant wishes and guide Serilda’s journey.

Themes

• Sacrifice and Redemption: Serilda repeatedly gives up her freedom and body to save others, while Agathe seeks redemption for past sins. Gild offers his life for his family.
• Fate vs Free Will: Prophetic tapestries show possible futures, but Serilda and Gild challenge them with their choices. Erlen’s tapestry of Gild’s death is avoided through love and determination.
• Storytelling and Identity: Stories shape reality—Serilda’s lies become weapons and her mother Wyrdith embodies narrative power. True names hold the key to resurrection.
• Love and Loyalty: The bond between Serilda and Gild drives the plot, along with the loyalty of the ghost children, moss maidens, and Erlen’s monsters.
• Captivity and Freedom: Characters are trapped in castles, curses, and bodies. Liberation comes through sacrifice, bargains, and the destruction of the veil.

Symbols

• Golden Thread / Spun Gold: Gild’s magic gold can bind spirits, create weapons, and represent both creation and constraint. It is used to capture gods and later to forge freedom.
• Black Arrows: Forbidden arrows used to curse victims and capture gods, symbolizing violence and the perversion of natural magic.
• The Veil: The barrier between mortal and dark-one worlds. The Erlking’s wish to destroy it would unleash chaos, but its preservation maintains order.
• The Endless Moon: A rare lunar event that allows wishes to be granted, representing hope, cosmic stakes, and the final battleground.

Ending Explained

In the final chapters, Serilda tricks the Erlking and Perchta into letting her curse them with broken gold-tipped arrows, binding their spirits to Gravenstone forever. The castle collapses into Verloren, and Serilda regains her mortal body—sore but alive. She finds Gild and their newborn daughter dead on the shore. Using the true name “Ermengild Rumpelstiltskin” (revealed through the story of Stiltskin and the ring with an R), Velos summons Gild’s spirit back. The baby also revives. The family reunites, the curse on Adalheid is lifted, and the townsfolk celebrate. Serilda vows to find Erlen’s true name next. The novel ends with hope, love, and the power of stories to change fate.

For a deeper dive, see our ending explained page.

Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Common Questions and Answers

1. Is Cursed a direct sequel to Gilded? Yes, it continues Serilda’s story immediately after the events of Gilded. It is the second book in the Gilded duology.

2. Who is the father of Serilda’s baby? The father is Gild, the Gilded Ghost. Serilda became pregnant after their one night of intimacy, which is kept secret until Chapter 42.

3. What is the Erlking’s ultimate goal? He wants to destroy the veil between worlds and resurrect Perchta, giving her Serilda’s body and child. He also seeks to capture all seven old gods to use their power.

4. How does Serilda free the ghost children? She willingly gives her body to Perchta as a vessel during the Mourning Moon bargain, in exchange for the Erlking releasing the souls of Hans, Nickel, Fricz, Anna, and Gerdrut to Velos.

5. Who is Wyrdith? Wyrdith is the god of stories and fate, and it is revealed in Chapter 48 that they are Serilda’s mother. Wyrdith granted the wish that gave Serilda’s father a child but also placed a curse on her.

6. What is Gild’s true name? Ermengild Rumpelstiltskin. Serilda deduces it from the fairy tale and her ring with an R, allowing Velos to resurrect him.

7. Does the Erlking die at the end? He is not killed but is cursed along with Perchta: their souls are bound to Gravenstone forever, and the castle collapses into Verloren.

8. What happens to Perchta? She is trapped with the Erlking inside the sinking castle. Her spirit cannot cross the veil and is bound to the ruins.

Explore More

• Complete List of Chapter Summaries – Start with Chapter 1 or jump to any chapter.
• Characters – Deep dives on Serilda, Gild, the Erlking, Perchta, Velos, and Wyrdith.
• Themes – Analyses of sacrifice, fate, storytelling, love, and captivity.
• Symbols – The meaning of golden thread, black arrows, the veil, and the Endless Moon.
• Ending Explained – A closer look at the final twists.
• Questions and Answers – More reader questions answered.
• Quiz – Test your knowledge of the book.
• Essay Prompts – Writing ideas for classroom or personal reflection.