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66 pages 2 hours read

Jennifer L. Armentrout

The ​Crown of Gilded Bones

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021

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Chapters 11-20Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 11 Summary

Kieran and Cas both intrinsically sense that Poppy is no longer a mortal. If she is a deity, she will be the only one of her kind. Poppy asserts that Alastir’s actions are really a self-serving grab for power. Cas and Kieran are enraged upon learning of Alastir’s betrayal of Poppy’s family. They have kept him alive to extract all possible information from him, but Cas tells Poppy that she is entitled to kill him herself. Poppy tries not to think about being Queen of Atlantia or being a deity, two roles that she feels very uncomfortable assuming. Cas reassures Poppy that he doesn’t care about her potential familial relationship to his mother’s betrayer. Still, Poppy worries about how her lineage will affect the dynamic with her in-laws. Cas believes that Poppy is her own strong entity and that her bloodline is unimportant because she controls her destiny.

Cas and Kieran observe Poppy’s newfound strength and agility as she mounts her horse without using the stirrup. Poppy notices the trees bent at a strange angle, but Cas doesn’t know what happened to them; he assumes they have been damaged by a storm. The group reaches the mist, a protective barrier that guards Atlantia. Poppy moves faster through the mist than she did on her last crossing. She anticipates seeing the same beautiful golden trees as they enter Atlantia. Instead, the leaves have turned blood-red.

Chapter 12 Summary

Poppy intuits that the leaves’ drastic color change is connected to her near-death experience. Poppy dreams about various goddesses, transitioning into a nightmare, and she sees the skeletons of deities from the crypt. The skeletons speak, telling Poppy that she is a monster just like them. Cas wakes Poppy from her dream; the wolven are alarmed at Poppy’s distress.

The group arrives at the “Cliffs of Ione” (160), where Cas’s guards are holding Valyn and Alastir. Before killing Alastir, they plan to prove to Valyn that Poppy didn’t ascend. Cas enjoys knowing that Poppy wants to kill Alastir herself. The wolven form a protective circle around Poppy and Cas as the group enters the temple. Emil, an Atlantian, greets Cas and Poppy and presents Poppy with Poppy’s weapon, a bloodstone dagger that Vikter, her guardian and mentor, gifted to her in Solis.

Chapter 13 Summary

Though relieved to learn that Poppy isn’t a vampry, Valyn lectures Cas for his actions, explaining that if Poppy had ascended, Atlantia would likely be forced into a civil war. Cas clarifies that he will do whatever is necessary to protect Poppy. Valyn cannot provide any answers to Poppy’s questions about her heritage.

Cas allows Alastir to believe that Poppy is dead. He also attempts to interrogate Alastir for the names of other traitors. Cas toys with Alastir, allowing him to think that he might live. Then he reveals Poppy, who slashes Alastir’s throat, killing him slowly and painfully. Cas calls Poppy a “vicious little creature” (179) as Kieran howls, summoning hundreds of wolven who eat Alastir’s body.

Chapter 14 Summary

Poppy realizes that Atlantia feels like home despite the trauma she experienced during her last visit. Poppy apologizes to Cas, acknowledging that he has been away from Atlantia for decades and that the past few weeks' events have marred his homecoming. Cas discourages Poppy from apologizing for things she cannot control.

Poppy admires the beautiful architecture in Saion’s Cove, a medium-sized city in Atlantia. Poppy compares the city to places in Solis. She enjoys the smells of the vegetation and nearby sea, noticing the absence of “misery and desperation” (186) that she sensed in her former home. Although the city struggles with overpopulation, Poppy trusts that Cas will negotiate for more land from Solis. Poppy hopes that with her influence, she and Cas can restructure Solis, taking away power from the tyrannical Ascended and avoiding a war in the process.

A crowd of thousands assembles, cheering Cas’s homecoming. Poppy marvels, recognizing that the people of Solis never cared for or admired the royal family; they only ever obeyed commands out of fear. Cas informs Poppy that Saion’s Cove is one of the least populated cities on their travels to the capital. A young child reaches for Poppy’s horse, yelling “Liessa," an ancient term for “my queen” in Atlantian. Soon, dozens of people chant the term.

Chapter 15 Summary

Cas and Poppy reach the estate of Jasper, Kieran’s father. Hundreds of wolven shift into their mortal, naked forms and kneel to Poppy. Cas remarks that the wolven have never displayed this gesture for him. Poppy learns more about Cas’s private estates as he compares them to Jasper’s dwelling, and she realizes that she and Cas still have much to learn about each other. He teaches her how to turn on the hot water to draw a bath. Poppy thinks of her friend Tawny from Solis, knowing that she would have loved this feature.

Poppy notices her reflection in the mirror, recognizing that the scars on her face appear less noticeable. Cas theorizes this is due to his Atlantian blood in her system. She also sees the silver in her eyes for the first time, which Cas believes to be eather. Seeing these changes alarms Poppy. She believes that the changes in her physical appearance tie her more closely to Malec. Cas reassures Poppy that she will assume whatever identity she pleases.

Chapter 16 Summary

Cas fusses over Poppy, helping her strip out of her clothes. Poppy feels aroused as Cas touches her body, but Cas insists that they talk about their marriage. Proclaiming that he never wants anything to come between them, Cas shows Poppy the Atlantian inscription on their wedding rings that reads “always and forever” (204). He promises never to hide anything from Poppy and asks that she do the same. Cas promises to protect and support her, and she empathically senses his overwhelming love.

Cas washes Poppy in the shower. This is a new experience for Poppy, who has only experienced baths. She also delights in seeing Cas’s naked body. Cas performs oral sex while feeding on Poppy’s blood. Poppy experiences intense, simultaneous pain and pleasure. Cas carries Poppy to his massive bed. He leaves her armed but reassures her that she is safe, as the wolven are patrolling the grounds. Poppy confesses to hearing the wolven, Kieran and Delano, in her head while she sleeps. She wonders if she can communicate with the wolven via telepathically. Cas could never speak telepathically with Kieran while bonded with him.

Chapter 17 Summary

Poppy falls into a deep sleep for a full day and wakes to see Cas snuggled next to her, reading a journal chronicling the sexual encounters of Willa, a resident of Solis. Poppy stole the book when she was The Maiden. Cas reads a sexually explicit passage aloud and hypothesizes that Willa is Atlantian. Poppy and Cas remain in bed, knowingly avoiding their responsibilities. Cas recounts his childhood memories of hiding in Atlantia’s caverns with Malik and Kieran.

Summoned by his father, Cas leaves Poppy in Kieran’s protection. Poppy speaks to Kieran and learns that the wolven feel honored to protect her. Kieran explains that the wolven race exists because of the deities, not the Atlantians and states that as a shapeshifter, the Primal god Nyktos could transform into a white wolf. Kieran also discusses wolven history, explaining that while the wolven respect the leadership of the Atlantian king and queen, they believe themselves to be equals, not constituents. However, unrest between the Atlantians and the wolven has recently developed. Without explanation, homes and crops have been destroyed. Poppy suspects that Alastir’s followers scare people into submission and realizes that these tactics are similar to how the Ascended rule.

Poppy and Kieran practice communicating with each other telepathically. Both are amazed by the unexplainable connection, and Kieran believes that this new ability proves that Poppy is descended from Nyktos, who is known to have spoken to the wolven with his mind.

Chapter 18 Summary

Poppy needs clarification about her power. If she is Malec’s descendent, she would be several generations separated from him and shouldn’t have as much eather. Suddenly alert, Kieran hears a distant noise. He unsheathes his dagger, noticing that another wolven on guard is missing. Much to Kieran's chagrin, Poppy insists on following him to investigate. A group of bloodless, lifeless men appears, and Poppy cannot sense any emotion from them. Their leader commands Poppy’s death, stating that she should never have survived the Craven attack in Lockswood, the town where her parents were killed. When Poppy stabs the creatures, they explode into black and purple goo that smells of decaying lilacs. Kieran unmasks one and believes that the creatures are Gyrm, violent, undead creatures similar to vamprys.

Valyn and Cas appear and finish off the attackers. Embarrassed, Cas passionately kisses Poppy. The group inspects one of the masks from the Gyrm, and Valyn declares that the “Unseen” executed the attack.

Chapter 19 Summary

Valyn explains that the Unseen are an ancient network of guards that the deities have trained in espionage. When the deities became violent and uncontrollable, the Unseen turned against them. Atlantians believed that the deities killed off the Unseen because of this betrayal, but this is clearly false information. Hearing Valyn describe the group as a “brotherhood” triggers Poppy’s memories of talking with Alastir in the crypt. She theorizes that Alastair believed the Unseen to be the “true guardians” of Atlantia. Valyn clarifies that the foundation of this group is built on misogyny, as the Guardians of Atlantia are all women. Poppy shares her beliefs that the Unseen are responsible for the recent chaos and destruction in Atlantia that have been designed to incite unrest and destabilize the king and queen.

Cas and Poppy retreat to their bedroom to clean themselves, Kieran in tow. Poppy scolds Kieran for pressuring her to retreat from battle, and Cas supports Poppy’s stance that she is a fierce warrior. Poppy asserts that she will never be a queen who shies away from fights. She theorizes about her parents, sharing her recent dreams about the night of their deaths. Poppy distrusts her memories, realizing that the Ascended could have made suggestions over the years to manipulate them.

Chapter 20 Summary

The trio continues to theorize about Poppy’s parents, realizing they have more questions than answers. Kieran leaves, and Cas washes Poppy while pleasuring her. He sucks her blood from her breast. Afterward, they dress and meet Kieran and Jasper in the sitting room. Jasper expresses irritation with Valyn for not informing him about the Unseen.

Similar to the Craven, Gyrm are nonliving creatures. However, they are created from the soil of the gods’ realm and eather. Unlike the Craven, who operate on their independent, uncontrollable hunger, Gyrm follow direct orders from whoever creates them. Atlantian law forbids this kind of magic. Cas and Kieran explain the different realms to Poppy, explaining that Iliseeum is the “Lands of the Gods” (268) and that Nyktos rules over the living and the dead. However, the group deduces that Jansen fabricated other details about Nyktos to make himself sound more knowledgeable—a trait common among the Unseen. Cas explains that Nyktos has an official female consort, which is how he creates his children. Jasper corrects Cas’s assertion that Iliseeum is inaccessible, clarifying that one can enter the realm on the other side of the Mountains of Nyktos, a barren land.

Chapters 11-20 Analysis

Cas and Poppy’s relationship mirrors several tropes within the romance genre. Because Cas is significantly older than Poppy, it is clear that their marriage conforms to the cliché of the teacher/student relationship, and this dynamic is showcased as Cas teaches Poppy about luxuries such as showers and cafes and introduces her to intense sexual activities. This trope can often be problematic as the inherent power imbalance leads to vulnerability; however, Poppy evens out the disparity because she occupies the role of a deity and therefore holds a position that transcends Cas’s status, even when he becomes king. It is also important to note that Cas and Poppy’s relationship can be classified as a dark romance, as is established in the earlier installments of the Blood and Ash series. For example, Cas fulfills the “bad boy” role by demonstrating extreme violence and overprotectiveness of Poppy: characteristics common to the male lead in dark romance novels. The intensity of the romance is revealed when Cas rescues Poppy, for in this moment, he has intense “rage in the sharp set of his features and his eyes” (85), and he lashes out at Poppy’s captors with a new level of brutality. Thus, Cas’s relentless ferocity while protecting his lover renders him a morally grey character, especially when he takes pleasure in the pain of others.

Amid the pursuit of these new plotlines, the author makes a point to refer back to the previous books in the series. For example, having lived in Solis for her entire life, Poppy finds that her impression of the Atlantian setting in A Crown of Gilded Bones is colored by her memories of the more toxic settings from the first two novels in the Blood and Ash series. As Poppy observes the Atlantian city, she muses, “There were no gates, no inner walls or buildings heavily stacked upon one another” (186), and she recognizes the freedom that the Atlantians have to move about the city at will, unlike the mortals in Solis. Although the city is overcrowded, Poppy notices that it does not have the taint of “misery and desperation” that the cities of Masadonia or Carsodonia exhibit in the previous novels (186). Despite their economic hardships, the Atlantians find a way to be content with their minimal assets. The absence of a dictatorship, the Craven, and systematic religious abuse affords Atlantians the ability to thrive, even though they are living in less-than-desirable conditions. The Atlantians celebrate their resources, pouring their energy into a bustling economy instead of providing for an oppressive government while living in constant fear.

The changes in Poppy’s physical appearance symbolize an internal shift: Her disappearing scars imply that she can now rewrite her past life in Solis by taking charge of her future life in Atlantia. Poppy’s self-consciousness and shame about her scars prove difficult to shake, even when she is secure in the knowledge that Cas loves her appearance. As Poppy’s power grows and her scars fade, she can more clearly see her other facial features, and this new clarity represents her reclaimed identity. As she studies her reflection, she sees “beyond the scars and the smattering of freckles across [her] nose to [her] eyes. They were green, just like [she] remembered [her] father’s” (200). In this scene, she focuses on the significance of her eye color, enjoying a rare moment of clarity as she considers her memories. Ultimately, it is only by discovering herself and embracing her identity that Poppy will be able to assume the mantle of the powerful positions for which she is destined.

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