Red Queen

Whereas nightfall in the Stilts means it is time to shut down the power and sleep, Archeon becomes brighter at night as people celebrate the king’s return to the throne. Maven and Mare share a transport from the docks. Maven points out his favorite places and explains that the Bridge and East Archeon are for “common” Silvers, such as merchants and intellectuals, while West Archeon is for the aristocrats. Mare remembers Lucas telling her that “Not everyone is special.” She can’t believe his statement applies to Silvers.

Mare is struck by how much the organization of West Archeon seems to reflect the fact that it is the seat of the military. There are soldiers everywhere to defend Whitefire Palace. Because the king is giving a speech next to the barracks, the transport heads there. Cameras turn on Mare and Maven as they exit the transport. Mare realizes that she is being broadcast to millions of people. Maven tells her just to stand and look stern.

Mare and Maven joke about how Cal looks stern enough for everyone. Maven says that Cal does not like speeches because he prefers action. Mare privately agrees, but does not want to admit commonalities with Cal in front of Maven.

Mare tries not to think about whether the aristocrat shuffling her and Maven to the correct place knew any of the assassination victims. She notices that Evangeline, standing beside Cal, is shaking from nerves despite having what she has always wanted.

Everyone walks into a building and into a room with a plaque that says, “War Command.” Mare is handed a piece of paper. She then realizes how she will be useful to the crown and hears Elara’s voice in her head, whispering, “Earn your keep.” Maven holds Mare’s hand supportively and whispers to her, “You must.”

After a gap in time, Mare sits in her new bedroom, watching the recording of the broadcast that has just aired. She sees herself on the screen, telling the false story of Lady Mareena Titanos and laying out the king’s punishments for the terrorist act. There will be a curfew for all Reds, security in Red villages will be doubled, Reds will be more closely monitored, all Red crimes will be punishable by execution, and conscription age will be lowered to age fifteen. Conscription waivers and release will be available to those who give up members or plans of the Scarlet Guard. Mare watches her eyes try to convey her lie as she says on screen, “Long live the king.”

Knowing that her words will drive Reds to work against one another, Mare doubles down on her determination to fight until she is killed. Mare misses Lucas and Julian. She picks up Julian’s parting gift, a framed map, and something falls out. She hopes for a secret note, but instead finds a book. Julian, knowing that the cameras would be watching, has interspersed a note between lines of the book.

Mare assembles all the lines of the note. Julian has given her the names of 27 soldiers, including Shade, whose bodies have been neither buried nor cremated, but rather “misplaced” upon their execution. This misplacement is unheard of. Julian asks for Mare’s forgiveness for comparing her blood to the blood of the missing soldiers. He found the same genetic mutation in all of them. He tells her that there are others like her, who are Red and Silver, “stronger than both.” He writes, “I think you are the new dawn.” He includes a list of all the others he has found in the blood bank with the same mutation.

Mare tucks the book in her jacket to go show Maven, but Cal finds her first. He confronts her about the fact that she won’t look at him even though they kissed three days ago. They argue over whether the Scarlet Guard is a “terrorist” group or a “rebel” group. Cal insists that their methods are unacceptable, and Mare insists that the treatment of the Reds is unacceptable. She says the only reason he treats her well is because she has an unexplainable gift. She wants Cal to use his power to change things.

Mare watches as “Something breaks in Cal.” He tells her that he used to think he could change things, but it seems hopeless now. All he can hope to do is uphold his loyalty to his father’s legacy. Mare tells him that the blood the Scarlet Guard will spill is on his hands, privately thinking that it is also on Maven’s hands and hers.

As Mare walks away, Cal calls out to her, “Julian’s disappeared, hasn’t he?” He reveals to Mare that he knows Julian was involved in the prisoners’ escape. He gave his uncle time to slip away but will not be able to intervene in his execution when the queen finds him. Mare worries that Cal will allow her to be executed too. She must hide her relief when he tells her that, at Maven’s proposal, all records of Mare’s Red blood have been destroyed.