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At one point, Valyn slips and calls Poppy Maiden. Cas threatens him and says to never call her that again.
After Poppy saves Marji, the young child who was run over by the carriage, they discuss Poppy’s abilities. Valyn knows of no other Ascended mortal with Atlantian blood who went through the Culling and didn’t become a vampry. Nor does he know of any living half-Atlantian descended from the gods. He then tells Poppy that it’s impossible for Cora and Leo to be her parents.
When they discuss Alastir’s part in all of what’s happened and what Valyn and Eloana knew and didn’t, Valyn says he knew that Alastir had found someone he believed to be Malec’s descendant but didn’t know anything about them.
It’s known that Valyn and Eloana have killed to protect the secret of Iliseeum. So, when pushed about what happened to Poppy and those they killed while protecting the realm of the gods, Valyn tells Cas that if he is to become King, he needs to learn to handle doing things that will turn his stomach and haunt his dreams.
They discuss Poppy’s heritage some more, and Valyn tells Poppy that no other deities could be her parents because Malec killed them all. Then he adds that, to him, her powers are too strong to be several generations removed. He goes on to say that the changes in the trees of Aios signify that a deity is in line to take the throne. He adds that Poppy’s mother would have to be nearly as old as Malec and either an Elemental Atlantian or of another important bloodline—possibly one they believe died out.
Talk turns to the prophecy, and Valyn admits his curiosity.
Poppy says she wants to destroy the Ascended, and Valyn believes he has a supporter in his war efforts. However, he tries to convince them not to rush to Spessa’s End to meet with the Ascended convoy and says that Cas is speaking like a man in love, not a King.
Valyn and Eloana return to the capital and relinquish their crowns. During discussions, Valyn knows Cas and Poppy want to talk about more than just what happened during their meeting with those in Solis. He refers to Ian as an Ascended and irritates Poppy. When he suggests that her claim to the throne might be contested, he is quickly put in his place.
During the meeting with the Council, Eloana tells him it’s time, making him allude to the fact that they don’t take the traditional route with anything. He sternly corrects Lord Gregori about Poppy’s heritage and is pleased by her show-of-force response.
Once Poppy and Cas are officially crowned, Valyn advises them that they will need to choose an Advisor. When Cas mentions he already knows who he will ask to be the Advisor to the Crown, Valyn agrees that Kieran is a good choice.
After the group decides to go to Iliseeum, Valyn remarks how waking Nyktos could be an unnecessary risk but says that he and Eloana will stay at the palace to serve as Crown surrogates while they are away.
After Casteel gives himself up to the Blood Crown, Valyn briefly sees Poppy after she returns to Evaemon without her husband and immediately leaves for the north.
With the army, he greets Poppy at the northernmost point of the kingdom and tells her that he knows she’ll get his son back. He adds that Cas is a very lucky man to have found her and made himself hers. Then he says that he and Eloana are even more fortunate to have her as their daughter-in-law.
With sadness, Valyn asks Poppy a favor. He requests that she make Malik’s death as quick and painless as possible if she should see him. She agrees to his request.
Valyn arrives in Massene, and Vonetta tells him what happened with the draken in Vessa’s storm. He gives Reaver his condolences for the loss of his brethren and sistren and vows to make the Blood Crown pay tenfold.
During discussions with the generals and others about Oak Ambler, Valyn challenges Gayla La’Sere when she says their methods before may have been brutal, but they were effective. He argues that given where they are now, they weren’t effective at all. They retreated. They didn’t win.
Poppy decides to warn the mortals about the impending city seizures, and Valyn isn’t sure that’s wise. As he hears more of the plan, he struggles to agree. He’s not worried about leadership; he’s concerned about his daughter-in-law. Her. He reminds Poppy that none of his family members have entered the capital and returned as they were before they left—if they came back at all. Poppy refuses when Valyn offers to go with her and reminds him what Isbeth would do to him if he were captured.
After Poppy dresses in her white outfit, Valyn goes to see her and makes a remark about how many weapons she has. He tells her that she’s the most powerful one and without outright saying it, asks her to remember that. She replies that she doesn’t want to be a weapon, she wants to be a healer, and he comments on how honest she is. Taking her in, he remarks that she looks like his favorite painting in the palace, the one of the goddess Lailah in her white armor.
Poppy mentions what she saw while asleep, and Valyn corrects her when she tells him about her shared dreams with Casteel. He calls it dream walking and tells her it’s actually soul walking because they’re heartmates.
With some shame, Valyn reveals that Alastir knew who Ileana really was before he did; he didn’t know until Cas was taken the first time, and only because Eloana told him. He then says that he would never have retreated before had he known.
As the discussion turns to Malec, Valyn says that Eloana never talked about him. He knew that part of her still loved him and always would—even though he didn’t deserve it and she loves Valyn. Poppy scolds him again for not telling the truth sooner, insinuates that they wouldn’t have had to negotiate with Isbeth if he had, and says that Atlantia is built on lies as much as Solis is.
Valyn asserts that they truly believed she was a deity, a descendant of one of the mortals Malec had an affair with. They didn’t know that Malec was a god until Poppy revealed that to them. He also says that Eloana told him about Malec and Isbeth’s son, but he still believes she didn’t know the full truth until Alastir told her.
When the group takes Castle Redrock, he searches the keep with some other soldiers. They find and fight the Craven and the dozens of bodies—veiled women with their bodies mauled. He wishes Poppy didn’t have to see it.
After Lin tells Valyn about the tunnels under the Temple, Valyn sends all the generals to secure them.
As more secrets come to light, Valyn wonders how a Priest of Solis knows a prophecy spoken by the gods eons ago. He’s also disgusted that they think the True King is Malec.
When Poppy asks Valyn where and how Malec was entombed, he tells Poppy that Eloana used old magic and bone chains to secure him. He adds that Malec wouldn’t be conscious and likely wouldn’t remember himself, let alone seek retribution. However, he agrees they need confirmation and says he’ll send word to Eloana.
After discovering the Ascended Priests and Priestesses, Valyn is shocked that Poppy didn’t know the vamprys served in the Temples, too. When she and the others go to find the children, Valyn stays with the Priests and Priestesses. Later, he asks Poppy what she wants to do about the Priests and Priestesses and reminds her that she doesn’t have to be the one to do everything.
Valyn wonders if the conspirator in the prophecy refers to Isbeth—the remaking of the realms could just mean taking Atlantia.
Poppy addresses the townsfolk, and Valyn and she talk about her need to delegate. She insists she should be the one to talk to the families, and he tells her that Cas is lucky to have found her. She tells him that they’re both lucky.
They make a plan for their route and how they will accomplish their goals, and Valyn promises Poppy that Vonetta will have no issues with the generals in her absence, that they will take down no Rises, no innocents will be killed, and Poppy’s wishes will be carried out.
