The Cruel Prince

On the day of the coronation, everyone in Madoc’s household travels together to the High King’s palace. Everyone is in a good mood, including Madoc, who has his red cap with him, which Jude assumes he must bring along for important events. At the palace, Madoc leaves his family alone to go and tend to his duties. He tells his daughters to have fun until the ceremony.

The palace is filled with a variety of faeries and royals from all around. As Jude navigates through the crowd, she is shocked to see Sophie acting as a servant. Sophie’s skin is grey, and her lips are blue. In the past, Jude has heard about merfolk using people lost at sea as servants. However, looking at Sophie, it is hard for Jude to believe she is real. While walking through the party, Jude also runs into the Roach, who compliments her on her mission with the Ghost.

Vivi brings Jude to the dancefloor. Soon, Locke approaches Jude to be his dancing partner. He tells her she looks very beautiful but begins asking strange questions. In particular, Locke asks Jude if she would still like him if he did something to hurt her. Jude responds that she would probably stop liking him and retaliate. Before Jude can learn more, Cardan interrupts their dance and takes her as his next dancing partner. Jude asks Cardan what he wants, but Cardan does not give a direct answer. Instead, he makes note of just how much Jude hates him. Jude responds that Cardan hates her even more than she hates him.

Later, bells ring out throughout the hall to signal the start of the coronation. Jude looks around the room and sees Taryn and Locke standing together and laughing. For a moment, she wonders if Locke could be Taryn’s mysterious suitor. However, before she can think on it for too long, her gaze is drawn to High King Eldred. Eldred gives a speech about his time spent on the throne. He says that, for some time, he has felt the Land of Promise calling out to him. Now, he feels he must finally heed its call.

Val Moren, a human, but also the Court Poet, says a few brief and kind words about the end of Eldred’s reign. Then, he asks Eldred to crown his successor and Eldred chooses Dain. Dain stands up in front of the crowd, naked, and accepts the crown, which Eldred places on his head. Then, various faeries come forth to say that they will submit to Dain’s rule. Surrounding Dain is the entire royal family, with the notable exception of Cardan, who is standing in the crowd, drunk. It gives Jude some satisfaction that Cardan will likely be punished for his unbecoming behavior.

The coronation goes as planned until Balekin stands up and says he will not accept Dain as the new king. He asks his brother to duel him for the crown. Both Dain and Eldred tell Balekin that the crown is not something they can duel over. In response, Balekin swiftly draws a blade and slashes the throat of his sister, Elowyn. Dain calls for guards to help him, but no one moves. Jude is stunned. She knows the guards are under Madoc’s command, and she refuses to believe that Madoc would side with Balekin in this situation.

Once again, Balekin orders Eldred and Dain to make him king. Both refuse to do so. Jude begins making her way to the stage where all of this is happening, feeling it is her duty to protect Dain. However, Madoc gets to Dain first and runs him through with his sword. Madoc’s sudden act of violence stops Jude in her tracks. Once again, Balekin insists that Eldred make him the king and, once again, Eldred refuses. Balekin begins killing his other sisters one by one. Each time he kills one, Eldred once again refuses to give him the crown. Seeing that Eldred will continue to let his daughters die without changing his mind, Balekin kills him.

Then, Balekin turns to his remaining sisters and asks them to crown him. One of his sisters, Caelia, says she will do it. However, before she can, someone shoots her from the rafters, and she falls dead. Jude looks up and sees the Ghost fleeing. Then, Rhyia, Balekin’s last remaining sister, picks up a knife and slits her own throat. With no other siblings left, Balekin begins calling out for Cardan to crown him. However, Cardan is nowhere to be found.

With no one left to turn to, Balekin orders Val Moren to crown him. Val Moren insists that he does not have the power to make the crown accept Balekin. Then, Balekin turns to the crowd and orders them to bend the knee. However, no one does. One of the powerful members of the crowd, Lord Roiben, tells Balekin that he has three days to make himself into the rightful king. Otherwise, he and many other powerful people will leave without swearing their loyalty to him. Jude senses an eagerness for violence all around her and wonders how much more bloodshed will occur if no new king is crowned.