Spark of the Everflame

Diem apologizes to Maura on the way home. Maura blames herself for betraying Auralie’s trust and letting Diem into the palace. She warns Diem that if she keeps misbehaving among the Descended, she will endanger Teller. Diem argues that she is protecting her brother and helping Auralie by taking her mother’s place. Their argument intensifies until Maura warns Diem against getting involved with Luther. She also scolds Diem for disregarding her healer’s duties. Diem denies Maura’s accusations that she is not invested in the trade and insists that she is content to be a healer.

Diem reports to the Guardians, informing them of what happened at the palace. Although she didn’t get to the boat, they are impressed by her boldness and ask to see the wound that the guard gave her. However, when she reaches for her neck, there is no scab, and the Guardians get into an argument about Diem’s trustworthiness. Finally, Diem blurts out that she saw a secret entryway that they can use for their next intel mission or rebel attack. Impressed, the Guardians commend Diem’s helpfulness.

Diem updates Henri on what happened at the palace. He congratulates her contributions to the cause and then confronts her for withholding what happened at Paradise Row. He found out about the incident and is hurt that she didn’t confide in him. He then professes his love and proposes again. As she imagines her future as Henri’s wife, the inner voice tells Diem to fight. She doesn’t want to marry Henri, but she promises to “think about it” (267).

Maura takes over Diem’s palace duties over the next weeks. Diem feels frustrated to be limited to working alone at the center. As she treats her patients, her mind wanders to the Descended, to the attack that the Guardians are planning, and to Henri.

Then, one day, Lily seeks Diem out in the village. She thanks Diem again for saving her life and reveals that Luther likes her. Diem tries to hide her surprise. When the conversation turns to Teller, Lily invites Diem and Teller to dinner at the palace. Realizing that Lily wants to spend time with her brother, Diem invites Lily to visit their home.

Over dinner, Diem tells Teller about seeing Lily. Teller is horrified to discover that she invited Lily over. Curious, Andrei insists that it is a great idea to have Teller’s girlfriend over; he is unaware that Lily is the princess. Furious with his sister, Teller reveals that Henri proposed to her and that Diem hasn’t accepted. Andrei insists that this match is perfect and encourages Diem to accept. Overwhelmed, Diem asks Andrei how he knew that he wanted to be with Auralie. Andrei tells the story of how he and Auralie first met, revealing that he was terrified of asking Auralie to court him. He finally got up the courage to do so after Auralie revealed that she had gotten pregnant with Diem while away on a mission. Andrei soon fell in love with Diem and realized that he would rather make sacrifices to be with Auralie than live without her. Andrei concludes that he simply knew he loved Auralie. Softening, he assures Diem that it is acceptable to think about Henri’s proposal before she makes her decision.

A sudden explosion interrupts the family’s conversation. Convinced that the disturbance came from the palace, Diem insists on going there to help the injured children. She blames herself for giving the Guardians the intel and is afraid that they have blown up the palace. Despite Andrei’s insistence that she stay home, Diem races out.

Diem runs through the streets, desperate to understand what happened. Because she has also stolen the Benette armory blueprints for the Guardians, she wonders if that is where the explosion might have happened. A storm picks up as Diem races through the city. Suddenly, she runs into Henri and their fellow Guardians. They demand that Diem stay home because they are in the middle of a mission and the attack was a crucial part of the plan. Diem protests, but Henri grabs her, insisting that she leave the rest of the plan to them. Finally, Diem acquiesces verbally, but she then races off. As she pulls away from the Guardians, they seize her bag of supplies, breaking the strap. She continues fleeing.

Diem discovers that the explosion did occur at the armory, so she heads in that direction, determined to help even though she doesn’t have her healing supplies. When she arrives, she begs Luther and the guards to let her in so that that she can help. When Luther does not respond, Diem admits that she wants to make up for a mistake she made. He gives in, explaining that there are men caught in part of the collapsed building. Diem offers to climb into the rubble to rescue them. Once Luther lets her in, she discovers several people trapped under the rubble. She goes from person to person, comforting them because she doesn’t have her supplies and cannot help them directly. Meanwhile, she tells herself that the entire debacle is all her fault. A crowd of voices interrupts her thoughts. There are more undetonated bombs further inside the armory, where more men are trapped. Diem demands that Luther let her go in and help them, and he reluctantly agrees.

The armory is filled with smoke and is flaming hot. Diem makes her way through the smoke and is shocked to discover several murdered guards. She realizes that if this is what the Guardians are doing, she doesn’t want any part of it. Overcome by anguish, she collapses, telling herself that it would be better if she dies.