Red Queen

Mare tries to refuse, which Maven agrees is a good idea. However, everyone pushes Mare into the arena, arguing that there are healers nearby to help should her minimal training prove no match for Evangeline. Mare, wondering if she was always supposed to die in a staged accident during Training, resolves not to die here. As they fight, she summons extraordinary power and seems to be fighting Evangeline off. However, Evangeline gets the upper hand and has metal spiders she has summoned out of the earth slice Mare’s face open. Cal and Maven rush to Mare’s aid, helping to hide her red blood from everyone, including the healer who tries to help her.

Mare convinces Maven to take her to Julian. When they meet, Mare learns that there is animosity between Julian and Maven. Julian says he cannot do much of anything for Mare’s wound and sends Maven to find Sara Skonos, a skin healer and “a discreet friend.” Maven returns with her shortly. Unlike a blood healer, Sara has not artificially concealed her age. Silently, she heals Mare. Mare can tell that Julian used to be in love with Sara. Julian makes no comment but urges Maven and Mare to leave so as not to be missed.

In the hall, Mare and Maven run into Elara, and Mare witnesses the queen read her son’s mind. When Elara turns to Mare and says to be careful not to give herself away with her blood again, Mare challenges her for killing Shade. Elara takes control of Mare, throwing her back against the wall. She tells Mare never to speak to her that way again. Mare wonders why Elara doesn’t just kill her. Maven breaks up the confrontation, telling Mare to get back to her schedule and staring his mother down like “two pieces squaring off in a game I don’t understand.”

Mare must dress for the send-off of a legion of soldiers. Mare is disgusted that Silvers have chosen to go to the war front on what appears to her as a vacation. When she tells this to Cal, he says that choosing to go does not reduce the soldiers’ bravery. In fact, they are to go dressed as Reds to fight alongside Reds already at the front. Cal tells Mare she gave him this idea by causing such disorientation when she fell at Queesntrial. He hopes that the enemy will feel the same about Silvers dressed as Reds.

One new soldier praises Cal for leading the legion as the youngest general in history. Mare finds out that Cal will depart for the war front when she departs for the capital. Mare worries that unlike Kilorn, Cal is not equipped with the basic survival skills to make it home alive.

That evening, Cal stops by Mare’s room to give her dance lessons. Mare knows she should refuse because of her engagement to Maven, but the thought that Cal might die on the war front convinces Mare to go with him.