Fearless

Paedyn races into Kitt’s chambers and tells him everything she’s learned about herself, Iris, Calum, and Edric. In horror, the two realize that they are half-siblings and have just gotten married.

Suddenly, Calum bursts in. Kitt steps between him and Paedyn, thrusts his dagger into him, and kills him. Then, Kai appears, demanding to know what’s going on. Kitt and Paedyn relay what they’ve learned. Kai insists that they can’t go through with the second wedding now that they know they’re related, but Kitt says that they have to or else they risk inciting alarm throughout Ilya.

Kai is tense on the coach ride to Loot Alley with Kitt and Paedyn. He still can’t believe that Iris and Calum are Paedyn’s parents. In Loot, the couple goes through with the second wedding. Kai is upset but feels proud at seeing Paedyn claim her role as queen.

Paedyn spends the rest of the day alone in her chambers, mulling over everything she’s learned. Kai visits, interrupting her thoughts. He insists that they visit Iris’s chamber.

Kai and Kitt hang out in the kitchen with the cook, Gail, who makes them sticky buns. Gail mentions that Myla loved sticky buns after she married Edric. Kitt guesses that it was a “pregnancy craving,” but Kai realizes otherwise. Myla couldn’t have gotten pregnant after marrying Edric because Paedyn is a year younger than him. He confronts Gail for lying to them but then realizes that Edric must not be his father. He tells Kitt that they’re going to find the truth immediately.

Kai and Kitt join Paedyn in her room to discuss what’s going on. Kai notices that Kitt still looks sick, but he appears unfazed after killing Calum, the first murder he’s committed. Kitt insists that he’s fine and then reveals that he already knew about Calum and suspected that he was manipulating him. He then accuses Kai of always choosing Paedyn over him. He blames Paedyn for coming between them, killing his mother, and murdering their father. Kai announces that Edric isn’t his father.

Paedyn and Kai visit Iris’s chambers. Calum mentioned that the truth was recorded and that the records were sealed; they think the records might be in Iris’s room. They find some documents but no record of Kai’s birth. They race to the infirmary to see Myla and demand an explanation. She admits that Kai’s father was a former lover. She regrets that Edric treated him so poorly but insists that she had no choice but to go along with his and Calum’s lies. She also could do nothing to save Paedyn.

Edric tried to kill Paedyn in the Trials, but she survived. He confronted her and carved the “O” into her chest to punish her for killing Iris and being an Ordinary. Paedyn fought back and killed him, and he never learned the truth of her paternity.

Paedyn and Kai tell Kitt that Edric wasn’t Kai’s father, but Kitt doesn’t want to believe it. He’s still furious with Paedyn and blames her for ruining his and Kai’s relationship. He explains that he’s been working on a plan since coming to power. He discovered a way to recreate the Plague and is slowly unleashing it on the other cities. (The roses that Paedyn gave Zaliah were laced with the disease.) He knows that the Ordinaries would die of the disease, but the Elites would grow stronger. He’s already taken a dose himself so that he can grow stronger.

Kai and Paedyn insist that he can’t want this fate for Ilya. Kitt insists that all he’s ever wanted was to prove his power to Edric, who was always disappointed in him because he wasn’t as strong as Kai. The brothers start arguing and draw their swords. They spar like they’re in the training ring, but Kitt fails to dodge one of Kai’s strokes and is stabbed through the chest.

Kai begs Kitt not to die. Kitt begs for forgiveness. He’s only ever wanted to be good and be loved. Kai cradles Kitt, insisting that he’ll be okay, but Kitt passes away. Kai sobs over Kitt’s body.

Edric tutored Kitt in his plans for the kingdom. He noticed that Kitt had grown close with the Healer Adam’s daughter and reminded him never to trust an Ordinary. He also used Kitt to bait Paedyn, telling him about his plan to lure all the Ordinaries into the Bowl and slaughter them. Kitt obeyed because he wanted to please Edric.

Paedyn stays by Kai’s side over the following week as he grieves Kitt. She bathes him, sleeps next to him, and comforts him. Finally, one day, they find Kitt’s journals and read them together. The journals reveal how much Kitt loved and wanted to be close to Kai. He initially liked Paedyn but resented her when he noticed her and Kai falling in love.

He also wrote about Edric and his desire to please him. Kitt thought that Edric hated him because he’d allegedly killed Iris in childbirth. Kitt devised the plan to unleash the Plague in the hope that he and Kai could rule Ilya together. However, when he took a dose, the Plague had physical and mental side effects. He became angrier and more emotionally unbalanced. He told himself that he would grow stronger soon and prove himself to Edric’s memory.

Paedyn and Kai discuss the journals after reading them. They continue comforting each other as they grieve Kitt. Then, one day, Paedyn receives a letter from Zaliah, who says that she forgives her for sending the laced flowers; she knows it wasn’t Paedyn’s idea and still wants to work with her.

Kai digs Kitt’s grave under the willow tree. Paedyn joins and offers to help.

Paedyn and Kai spend the next two days under the willow and in the garden together. They continue remembering Kitt and discussing everything that happened.

Kai prepares to assume the throne. He makes plans to continue Kitt’s original plans as the court understood them—to make peace with the other kingdoms and unite the Ordinaries and Elites. (He reveals nothing of Kitt’s secret plans.)

Afterward, Kai and Paedyn profess their love and decide to get married.

Paedyn wakes up on her wedding day feeling happy. She and Kai have a simple ceremony with family and friends under the willow. While walking down the aisle to Kai, she’s overcome with joy.

Kai cries as Paedyn walks down the aisle. He’s finally getting everything he’s wanted. They say their vows and kiss, professing their love again.

Five years later, Paedyn, Kai, and their daughter, Kit, spend a peaceful day in Tando together. Paedyn basks in the “sight of milling bodies” (582). Studying her family, she feels perfectly content.

Kitt is in the afterlife, alone in a dark abyss. Death visits and explains that although Kitt thought he was alone in life, he wasn’t. Now, however, he’ll be alone forever. Then, Myla appears and offers to stay with him until he’s reunited with Kai in the afterlife.