Here’s the next summary in the Throne of Glass Re-readathon! Okay, maybe I should have written this right after I finished the book, because I may have accidentally finished the series…oops. Hopefully I don’t forget anything important.

Note: this is meant as a refresher, not to replace reading the book. I highly recommend using this only if you’ve already read ALL of the Throne of Glass series.

See my other summaries.

WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!

Summary

(Note: SUMMARY. Which means SPOILERS).

This book picks up where Throne of Glass leaves off, with Celaena as the King’s Champion. We learn that she has gone on five or so missions, all in which she fakes the target’s death and gives fake bodies to the king. Her next target is Archer Finn, who she knows from her past. She doesn’t want to kill him, so she tells the king that he will take a while to kill.

Meanwhile, the rebel movement is growing. The slaves in Calculla are all murdered, as well as the orchestra who plays a song to honor them.

Nehemia reveals that she knows more than she lets on about Elena and everything Wyrd-related. She agrees to teach Celaena how to read Wyrdmarks. Celaena hears/sees some sketchy stuff in the library. She is also learning new things from the tomb in the secret passageway. There’s an enigmatic riddle and a talking skull knocker named Mort.

Chaol and Celaena’s relationship deepens into something more romantic. A lot of cute ship stuff goes down. Celaena takes him on a rooftop-garden date for his birthday. Unfortunately, all Dorian-lovers are crying in the background because he’s all sad and jealous. Plus, he has ice magic, which he consults Baba Yellowlegs about. She’s at the castle in a caravan for Hollin’s birthday.

Here’s where the pain begins. Chaol is kidnapped by the rebels, and while Celaena goes to rescue him, Nehemia is brutally murdered in her bed. It is too late by the time Celaena reaches the castle, and she blames Chaol, who knew the king was going to question the Eyllwe princess (this is basically their break-up point). Dorian barely stops her from killing Chaol with his ice magic. Celaena knows deep down that the king had nothing to do with the murder. An administrator on his council is blamed instead.

Celaena is despondent and depressed for several days. She’s devastated because she and her friend had left their relationship on a bad note. She mourns for Nehemia with a strange song, and this is when Chaol begins to question her true heritage.  Then she gets angry, and tracks down Nehemia’s assassin, Grave (one of the competitors in Throne of Glass). She leaves his mutilated body in an alleyway.

Celaena goes to visit Baba Yellowlegs. She learns all about Wyrd: Wyrdkeys, which are slivers of black stone made from Wyrdgates, which are portals into other dimensions. With all three Wyrdkeys, one would be able to access the other dimensions. This is what the king is doing. He has two Wyrdkeys, so his power is limited, but still very strong. He is able to pull Valg demons from another dimension and force them into human bodies. He then controls the demons with rings with a black Wyrdstone on them, or collars made from the same material. Celaena ends up killing Yellowlegs with an ax (no surprise there).

Celaena begins to realize that Nehemia, the rebels, and the strange happenings the castle may be entangled, so she plans to summon Nehemia using Wyrdmarks in the secret passage.When she is summoned, she berates Celaena for her stupidity, then tells her to close the gate. She also softens and tells Celaena how much she means to her, and to “not let that light go out”. Then she disappears.

Celaena is then greeted by Archer Finn, who turned out to be the leader of the rebels. It is revealed that he was behind Nehemia’s killing. Celaena stabs him just as a creature comes out of the portal she used for Nehemia.

Dorian and Chaol come running because King Gavin warned Dorian in a dream. Archer flees, and Chaol faces the creature as Celaena drags Dorian to safety. Fleetfoot runs by, and the creatures takes it into the portal. Chaol follows, and Celaena arrives. Inside the portal realm, magic was still active, and Celaena shifts into her Fae form. She uses Damaris, Gavin’s sword, to create a fracture between the portal and the oncoming horde of creatures.

They are able to close the portal and return to safety, where Sorscha sees to their healing.

Chaol makes an agreement with his father that leads to Celaena being sent to Wendlyn to kill the royal family in exchange for Chaol returning to Anielle.

Just before Celaena leaves for Wendlyn, she tells Chaol a date. He researches its significance, and realizes that Celaena is actually Aelin Galathynius, lost Queen and rightful heir of Terrasen.

Thank you for reading! Until next time, my friends.