After venturing to the outskirts of the kingdom, Lucia learns that she has been living in complete ignorance: Fairies are being tortured, mutilated, and killed as a consequence of the war. And the elves that she has seen humans taking as servants and laborers are just fairies who have had their wings forcibly removed. Lucia is ridden with immense guilt and emotional turmoil that she has survived for so long in secrecy as one of the last of the monarch fairies with her wings still intact. Bearing the weight of this newfound knowledge, amid the arrival of King Reimund's terrifying uncle Lord Ricon, Lucia fears for her safety both within and beyond the castle. Modeus continues to serve as a pillar of comfort and safety for her, but he begins to develop his own complicated emotions while wrestling with his innately evil inclinations. Lucia's relationship with Lady Kirsi is strained as the future queen begins to assert herself and the power of her status, leaving Lucia feeling utterly alone.
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