Plot Summary
Safe Mornings, Heavy Crowns
Ash, now king, wakes beside Lonan, savoring the rare peace after years of danger. Yet, the weight of the crown is heavy. The palace is safe, but Ash's nerves are raw as he faces his first open court. Lonan's presence is a comfort, but the looming responsibilities and the scars of the past—both his and Lonan's—linger. The day's sunlight cannot quite dispel the shadows of old wounds or the anxiety of ruling a kingdom still haunted by its former queen.
Open Court, Old Wounds
The open court is a trial by fire. Ash is confronted by Abar, a noble fae whose disdain for Lonan and resistance to change stirs Ash's anger. The session is a parade of grievances, both petty and profound, and Ash is forced to confront the legacy of the Brid's cruelty. The court's skepticism and the echoes of violence test Ash's resolve, while Lonan's loyalty is both a shield and a source of tension among the seelie.
Homecomings and Farewells
The urge to revisit his old home grows irresistible for Ash. He confides in Nua, planning a journey to the mortal world to say goodbye to his parents and his former life. The trip is fraught with risk, especially for Lonan, who cannot safely leave seelie land. The prospect of separation stirs conflict and longing, as Ash and Lonan struggle to balance love, duty, and the scars of their respective pasts.
Lovers' Rift, Lovers' Bargain
Ash and Lonan's argument over the journey reveals their insecurities and the strain of their new roles. Lonan's need for agency clashes with Ash's protective instincts. Their fight is raw, culminating in a physical and emotional struggle that blurs the line between anger and desire. In the aftermath, apologies are exchanged, but the rift leaves both men shaken, their vulnerabilities laid bare.
Lonan's Isolation Grows
Left behind, Lonan is adrift in a palace that feels alien. He seeks solace in routine, training with guards and trying to find purpose. The seelie staff's wariness and his own sense of uselessness gnaw at him. Even small acts of kindness feel transactional. Lonan's loneliness is profound, and his identity as both consort and exile becomes a source of pain and resentment.
Drunken Confessions, Hidden Pain
A night of drinking with Gillie brings Lonan's struggles to the surface. The sweet food and drink of seelie land are a poor substitute for home. In a vulnerable moment, Lonan confesses his discomfort, his fear of shifting with his new leg, and his sense of being trapped. Gillie's empathy is a balm, but the conversation leaves Lonan more aware than ever of his own alienation.
Night Walks and Old Fears
Restless, Lonan wanders the palace and the edge of the forest, shadowed by Sanya, a guard who offers unexpected camaraderie. The night air is a brief respite, but the wrongness of seelie land is inescapable. Lonan's longing for unseelie and his old life is sharpened by the sense that he is being watched, and by the memories of violence and survival that haunt him.
Balor's Tempting Darkness
At the forest's edge, Lonan is confronted by his brother Balor, who tempts him with promises of power and belonging. Balor's cruelty and manipulation are a mirror of the Carlin's, and his offer to join forces against their mother is both seductive and repellent. Lonan's conditioning and trauma are laid bare, and the encounter leaves him shaken, his sense of self further eroded.
Mortal Roots, Fae Truths
Ash's journey to the mortal world is a pilgrimage of grief and memory. The house is abandoned, a relic of a life lost. With Nua's help and a chance encounter with a mortal who can See, Ash retrieves mementos of his parents. The experience is bittersweet, a necessary farewell that deepens his understanding of what he has lost—and what he must now become.
Ghosts of the Past
The return from the mortal world is haunted by guilt and longing. Ash's connection to Lonan is reaffirmed, but the weight of the past—his parents, the Brid, the violence he has committed—presses in. The gifts he brings back are both comfort and reminder of the cost of his new life. The specter of the Carlin and the threat to Lonan remain ever-present.
Grief, Gifts, and Goodbyes
The reunion is tender but fraught. Ash and Lonan exchange tokens of their pasts, sharing stories and grief. The pain of separation and the fear of loss are palpable. The threat of Balor and the looming need to confront the Carlin cast a shadow over their fragile peace. The chapter is a meditation on love, regret, and the hope of healing.
The Forest's Withering Heart
The forest begins to wither, a sign that the balance between seelie and unseelie is broken. Ash's power is spreading, threatening the natural order. The Higher Spirits and Morrin warn that only the crowning of a new unseelie king can restore harmony. The pressure mounts, and Ash's reluctance to let Lonan go becomes a threat to the world itself.
The Weight of Power
The burdens of kingship grow heavier. Ash is overwhelmed by endless decisions, the expectations of the Folk, and the fear of becoming like the Brid. His relationship with Lonan suffers as he withdraws, clinging to routine and sex as a substitute for true connection. The isolation and pressure threaten to break him.
The Breaking Point
The tension between Ash and Lonan erupts in a devastating argument. Accusations and old wounds are laid bare. Ash's need for control and Lonan's desperation for agency collide. The fight is a crucible, burning away illusions and leaving both men raw and alone. Lonan's departure is a wound that neither knows how to heal.
The Balance Demands Blood
The forest's decay accelerates, and the Higher Spirits intervene. Ash is trapped on seelie land, forced to confront the consequences of his choices. The need for a new unseelie king is undeniable. The pain of loss and the fear of what is to come drive Ash to the brink of despair.
The King's Departure
Lonan's journey to unseelie is a passage through grief, memory, and revelation. He learns the truth of his father's fate and the depth of the Carlin's cruelty. With the help of Sloga and Idony, Lonan finds the strength to claim his birthright. The Carlin's death is brutal and cathartic, a final severing of the old order.
Unseelie's New Dawn
Lonan's coronation is a quiet revolution. He surrounds himself with chosen family—Idony, Sloga, and eventually Ash. The unseelie Folk are wary but hopeful. The last of the Carlin's sons are dealt with, each in their own way. The world begins to heal, the balance restored. Ash and Lonan are reunited, their love tempered by all they have endured.
Reunion and Reckoning
The lovers are reunited in the unseelie palace, exchanging tokens of survival and forgiveness. The ghosts of the past are laid to rest. Together, they confront the last remnants of the old order, burning away the evidence of violence and reclaiming their shared future. Their love is a sanctuary, a promise of better days.
The Last Brothers Fall
The remaining brothers, Bres and Cethlen, are dealt with—one exiled to solitude, the other consigned to Ogma's eternal company. The cycle of violence is broken. The unseelie Folk begin to trust their new king, and the world breathes easier. Ash and Lonan's partnership is a model of healing and hope.
The End of Old Lines
The courts are in harmony, the forest flourishes, and the last debts of the past are paid. Ash and Lonan find solace in each other and in the chosen family they have built. The cottage becomes a symbol of peace, a place where love and memory coexist. The future is uncertain, but it is theirs to shape.
The Bargain's Final Price
Seven years after his bargain, Ash is compelled to return to Hybra and face Gadleg's judgement. The journey is harrowing, filled with regret and fear. Gadleg forces Ash to confront every mistake, every cruelty, every moment of weakness. The pain is excruciating, but it is also a crucible—burning away shame and leaving only truth.
The Judgement of Gadleg
Gadleg's judgement is merciless but fair. Ash is forced to reckon with the totality of his life—the good and the bad. In the end, his willingness to change, to strive for goodness, and to love deeply saves him. He is allowed to live, the bargain fulfilled. The world is set right, and Ash is free to return to those he loves.
The World Set Right
Ash and Lonan are reunited, their bond stronger for all they have endured. The courts are at peace, the forest thrives, and the wounds of the past are healed. Together, they build a life of meaning and joy, surrounded by chosen family and the promise of many years to come.
Epilogue: Years of Peace
Decades later, Ash and Lonan are still together, their love undiminished. The world they have shaped is one of harmony and hope. The scars of the past remain, but they are reminders of how far they have come. In the quiet of a sunlit field, they play and laugh, content in the knowledge that they have finally found home—in each other, and in the world they have remade.
Characters
Ash
Ash is the half-mortal, half-fae protagonist whose journey from orphaned outsider to seelie king is marked by trauma, guilt, and a desperate yearning for belonging. His love for Lonan is both his greatest strength and his deepest vulnerability. Ash is fiercely protective, quick-tempered, and driven by a need to do right by those he loves, but he is also haunted by the violence he has committed and the fear of becoming like the Brid. His arc is one of acceptance—of his power, his past, and his capacity for both good and harm. Through love, grief, and the crucible of kingship, Ash learns to forgive himself and to build a future rooted in hope rather than fear.
Lonan
Lonan is the unseelie prince forged in the crucible of the Carlin's abuse. Conditioned to obey, he is both assassin and victim, haunted by the violence he has committed and the love he has been denied. His relationship with Ash is a lifeline, offering the possibility of redemption and belonging. Lonan's journey is one of reclaiming agency, learning to trust, and ultimately embracing his destiny as king. His trauma is deep, but so is his capacity for love and loyalty. Through pain, loss, and the forging of new bonds, Lonan becomes not just a survivor, but a leader and a healer.
Nua
Nua is Ash's older brother, a figure of calm wisdom and quiet strength. Trans and proud, Nua sacrificed his own claim to the throne to protect Ash, and his love is unwavering. He is a mediator, a teacher, and a source of comfort, guiding Ash through the complexities of fae politics and the burdens of kingship. Nua's relationship with Gillie is a model of enduring love, and his eventual fatherhood is a testament to the healing power of chosen family.
Gillie
Gillie is Nua's partner, a solitary fae with a penchant for drink, mischief, and unexpected wisdom. He is a source of levity and support, both for Nua and for Ash and Lonan. Gillie's foraging skills and deep knowledge of the forest are invaluable, and his easy camaraderie helps bridge the gap between seelie and unseelie. His love for Nua is steadfast, and his role as a father brings new depth to his character.
Sloga
Sloga is the Higher Spirit of unseelie, a deer-headed fae whose wisdom and grief shape much of Lonan's journey. As Faulis's lover, Sloga is a living link to Lonan's lost father and a source of comfort and guidance. His knowledge of fate, deathcraft, and the old ways is crucial in helping Lonan claim his destiny and heal the wounds of the past.
Idony
Idony is a solitary fae whose sharp wit and loyalty make her an invaluable adviser to Lonan. She is unafraid to speak truth to power, challenging both kings to be better. Her friendship with Sloga and Belial, and her eventual partnership with Sanya, exemplify the power of chosen family and the importance of community in a world scarred by violence.
Sanya
Sanya is a seelie guard whose friendship with Lonan is a lifeline during his exile. Her empathy, courage, and willingness to challenge authority make her a vital ally. As Ash's emissary, she helps maintain peace between the courts and embodies the possibility of reconciliation and trust across old divides.
Belial
Belial is the unseelie apothecary whose calm detachment masks a deep well of feeling. His history with the Carlin and the gancanagh is fraught, but his loyalty to Lonan and Idony is unwavering. Belial's knowledge of potions and deathcraft is essential in healing old wounds and forging new bonds.
The Carlin
The Carlin is the unseelie monarch whose cruelty and ambition shape the lives of all around her. She is a master manipulator, using her children as tools and weapons. Her death is both an ending and a beginning, freeing Lonan and the unseelie Folk from generations of abuse. Even in death, her legacy lingers, a cautionary tale of power corrupted by fear and greed.
Balor
Balor is Lonan's brother and nemesis, a figure of obsession, cruelty, and manipulation. His pursuit of power and his fixation on Lonan are both a mirror and a warning. Balor's death is a necessary act of justice, closing the door on an era of violence and opening the way for healing and renewal.
Plot Devices
Dual Kingship and the Balance of Power
The narrative is structured around the need for balance between seelie and unseelie, embodied in the dual kingship of Ash and Lonan. Their personal struggles mirror the larger struggle for harmony in the world. The withering of the forest is both a literal and symbolic manifestation of imbalance, driving the plot toward the necessary crowning of a new unseelie king. The story uses parallel arcs—Ash's journey from mortal to king, Lonan's from victim to ruler—to explore themes of agency, destiny, and the cost of power.
Trauma, Memory, and Healing
The novel employs flashbacks, confessions, and the retrieval of lost memories to deepen character development and drive emotional stakes. The legacy of abuse, both personal and systemic, is a constant undercurrent. Healing is depicted as a nonlinear process, requiring both confrontation and acceptance. The motif of returning home—both to the mortal world and to the cottage—serves as a touchstone for identity and belonging.
Bargains, Oaths, and the Power of Words
Fae bargains, oaths, and the careful use of language are central plot devices. The consequences of bargains—both those made in desperation and those made in love—ripple through the narrative, shaping fate and forcing characters to confront the limits of their agency. The final judgement by Gadleg is the ultimate test of the power of words, memory, and self-forgiveness.
Chosen Family and Found Community
The formation of chosen family—through blood, friendship, and love—is a key device. The supporting cast (Nua, Gillie, Sloga, Idony, Sanya, Belial) are not just side characters but essential to the healing and growth of the protagonists. Their presence challenges the isolation and trauma of the past, offering models of support, accountability, and joy.
Cycles of Violence and Renewal
The story is structured around cycles—of violence, of seasons, of kingship. The breaking of these cycles (the deaths of the Carlin and Balor, the exile of the last brothers, the healing of the forest) is both plot and theme. The narrative uses foreshadowing (the withering forest, the warnings of the Higher Spirits) and echoes (the repetition of old patterns, the return to the cottage) to underscore the possibility of renewal.
Analysis
King of Death is a powerful meditation on trauma, agency, and the possibility of healing in the aftermath of violence. Through the intertwined journeys of Ash and Lonan, the novel explores the cost of survival and the challenge of forging a new self in the shadow of old wounds. The dual kingship is both a literal and metaphorical device, representing the need for balance—not just between seelie and unseelie, but within the self. The story refuses easy answers, insisting that love is both a balm and a crucible, and that forgiveness—of self and others—is a hard-won victory. The use of fae bargains and oaths as plot devices highlights the power of words to bind, wound, and ultimately free. The novel's greatest strength lies in its refusal to shy away from pain, while still insisting on the possibility of joy. In the end, King of Death is a story about the courage to choose life, to build family, and to believe that even the most broken among us can find peace.
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