Spark of the Everflame

Diem wakes up alone in the inn room, overcome by thoughts of Auralie, Luther, Teller, the wolf, and the flameroot. She goes downstairs and finds Henri and Brecke having an intense conversation. When she hears them mention a war, the strange inner voice once again tells her to fight. Suddenly, she is overcome by a vision in which she is bloodied and standing on a battlefield, holding the Fortosian blade. She dismisses the vision and notices that Brecke has the same tattoo as Henri. She pulls Henri aside and demands to know the tattoo’s real meaning. Henri explains that he got the tattoo after he saw a Descended run over a mortal boy in the street. Throughout the conversation, the voice tells Diem to fight Henri. Afraid of hurting him, she demands that Henri leave her alone.

The tension remains between Diem and Henri the next morning. While riding back home, Diem apologizes for her behavior, admitting that something must be wrong with her. Henri reassures her, telling her more about the tattoo and revealing that he is a member of the Guardians of the Everflame—a rebel group that is planning to rebel against the Descended. He invites Diem to join their cause, and she promises to think about it. Silently, she wonders if having a common purpose would make her feel better and help her and Henri bond. When the two pause for a moment, Henri professes his love for Diem. Afraid that he is about to propose, she quickly assures Henri that she cares about him too.

Over the following two weeks, Diem studies Auralie’s records to understand her work at the palace. She then convinces Maura to let her take on Auralie’s role of serving the Crown by administering healing. Maura accompanies Diem on her first day of reporting at the palace. Once there, they encounter a gryvern—a cross between an eagle and a dragon. Then, they approach the guards, who search them for weapons, and Diem impulsively fights back. Suddenly, Luther appears, interceding and letting them inside. Luther leads Diem through the palace and into a room of sick children. After she completes her healing duties, Luther again thanks her for healing Lily and apologizes for being unkind that day. He also repeats his suggestion that Diem might have magical powers, citing Lily’s quick recovery. He also alludes to Lily and Teller’s friendship. Diem snaps at him about the progeny rules, struggling to control herself. When Luther grabs her wrist, she feels an uncommon warmth flush her body. Then, Maura appears, ending the encounter.

Diem and her father, Andrei, spar for practice that night. As they spar, Andrei asks about the palace and warns Diem to be careful around the Descended, insisting that Auralie wouldn’t like what she is doing. Diem argues that she is tired of doing nothing and wants to help.

Later, Diem and Teller talk about Lily. Diem warns him to be careful but promises to support Teller if he and Lily start seeing each other romantically.

The next day, Diem reflects on her conversations with Andrei and Teller while she works at the center. Then, she is called to Paradise Row to help a sex worker who was injured by a client. The woman invites Diem to join their trade. Diem lies and says that her fiancé wouldn’t like it. In reality, she has not accepted Henri’s affections and is afraid of the violent clients that the sex workers must deal with. Suddenly, Diem hears a woman screaming in the street. She discovers that the woman’s son is half mortal; his biological father is a Descended. The father is now trying to kill the son, but the woman begs for mercy. Diem intercedes, desperate to save the woman and the child. The Descended kills the woman, and when Diem uses her steel blade to stab him, he fights back, stabbing Diem and killing the child. Diem wraps herself around the boy, saying the Rite of Endings over his body.

Diem is shocked to discover that her wound is gone. She threatens to kill the Descended if he doesn’t leave. A mortal man appears and discovers what happened, but he refuses to help Diem in the aftermath of the violence. Now alone, she digs a shallow grave and buries the boy, feeling a deep rage coursing through her body. Afterward, she finds Henri and tells him that she wants to become a Guardian.

Diem accompanies Henrie to Lumnos City to meet with the other Guardians. She is shocked by the capitol’s splendor, as she has never been here before. Memories of Auralie flood her mind until Henri interrupts her, explaining additional rules about the Realms and the Descended. He insists that Diem will be able to help many people as a healer and spy for the Guardians.

The Guardians are hesitant to accept Diem because she is Andrei’s daughter, and Andrei is a known military defender of the Descended. However, with Henri’s urging, they give Diem her first test.

For the test, Diem must report to a Descended’s home to save a sick girl. While there, she must acquire intel from the father’s office. At the house, the girl’s brother, Lorris, shows Diem to the room of his sister, Evanie. Diem discovers that Evanie came in contact with nightshade and has broken out in hives. Because Evanie didn’t eat the plant, she will survive. Diem tends Evanie’s rash and asks where the girl encountered the plant. Evanie reveals that a mortal brought it to her. In horror, Diem realizes that the Guardians gave Evanie the nightshade deliberately. After settling Evanie, Diem sneaks into the father’s office and grabs whatever documents she can.

Diem confronts Henri about the nightshade. He argues that this was all part of the plan and reminds her that no one was hurt. They then report to the Guardian leaders. The men are impressed that Diem completed her first mission, as no one has done so before. Despite their apprehension over her background, they let her into the group.

Diem meets the rest of the Guardians and is surprised by the group’s diversity. During their meeting, she reflects on her decision to join them and worries that she might cause harm to others. Then, the Guardians discuss their next mission. In this new plan, someone must enter the palace to find information about the king’s boat. Henri volunteers Diem for the mission, insisting that she can use her new palace position to access the necessary intel. Diem agrees, suddenly ready to live “a life worthy of a legacy” (226).