Quick recap
The book opens right after the last one. Poppy, now a Primal, is still adjusting to her new body and powers, and Kolis, the true Primal of Death, tries to get inside her mind. With help from Attes and Sera, Poppy learns why Kolis is obsessed with her and decides to face him. The confrontation goes wrong and costs a lot: Kolis is stronger than anyone thought, and Casteel and Kieran go through changes no one saw coming. Major characters die. At the end, Kieran finally understands the prophecy of the Ancients, and Casteel, consumed by grief, shuts himself in the throne room. The book ends on a cliffhanger that sets up The Throne of Bone and Ash.