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As they ride past the tree hangings, Naill is the first to spot the Dead Bones Clan, shouting to the group that they’re in the trees to the left. He takes an arrow to the leg in the skirmish and is nearly shot again until Poppy takes out his attacker with a crossbow. After the attack, Naill rides ahead to scout and ensure they don’t run into any more clansmen. As they continue on, and Poppy asks questions about the Dead Bones Clan, Naill explains that they aren’t just anti-Craven in protecting their territory. They’re anti-everyone.
When they reach Pompay, Casteel relays the story of its tragic history, and Poppy wonders why she’s shocked after everything she’s already heard. Naill replies that it’s not something anyone ever gets used to and he wouldn’t want to. He says he needs to be shocked so the line between him and the vamprys doesn’t thin.
Poppy comes upon Naill and Delano sitting on the wall facing the bay in Spessa’s End. Delano says she looks like she could use a drink and offers her the bottle. Naill warns her that it tastes like horse piss. He’s likely not wrong. I have had my fair share of rot-gut whiskey and other assorted steel-tub liquor throughout the years. And while it does the job, it’s not always palate-pleasing.
Emil calls Poppy Your Highness, and she seems bothered by it. Naill informs her that even before her crowning, it’s customary and would be a great dishonor if they didn’t address her as such.
On the way through the Skotos Mountains, Naill splits off with Beckett and Delano to head through the mist, and their group is the last to reconvene at Gold Rock.
Despite always being calm and collected, witnessing Poppy’s display of power at the Chambers of Nyktos is shocking and scary to him. Like several others there, Naill is tracked by a wolven, even as he softly tries to reason with it. Once things calm, Casteel orders him to join Emil and Delano in finding and bringing Beckett to him. Unfortunately, poor Beckett is already dead.
Naill is part of the group that rescues Poppy in Irelone and happily vents his anger by tearing through the Ascended. As they make their way back through the Skotos, he feeds Cas in a hunting cabin in the foothills. Once Poppy wakes, even her earliest transformations—namely her strength and agility—awe him.
When Cas teases Poppy about finding her perched outside a window with a certain book in her hand—my diary, if you couldn’t guess—Naill is super intrigued by the story and even more so by the book. I hope they shared it with him later.
Poppy thanks him for helping Casteel after Irelone, and by extension, her. She then tells him to call her Poppy instead of Penellaphe, which makes him smile. After Kieran shifts, Naill retrieves his clothes but gives the wolven grief and says he should have let him return to the kingdom buck-ass naked.
Naill wonders about the storm that could have twisted and bent the trees and is even more shocked when they ride past the trees of Aios, and he sees that the leaves are no longer golden but blood-red. At the Temple of Saion, Naill leads Alastir from the crypts and forces him to his knees in front of Cas and Poppy. After the traitors are dealt with, Naill leaves with Emil and Quentyn before dawn.
Once they arrive at the Contou residence, Naill dines with everybody, and they talk about Iliseeum. He then joins the group headed to the capital, engaging in his usual banter and bickering with Emil and mentioning that he hasn’t had a green bean casserole in years when talk of food arises. As Emil continually flirts with Poppy, Naill wonders aloud if the Atlantian has a death wish—I wonder the same!
The Unseen attack, and Naill is hit in the arm with an arrow yet still fights with everyone to battle back the Unseen and the Gyrms. Later, Poppy inquires about some buildings and is told they house machinery that converts water to electricity. Naill says that it’s all incredibly boring and complicated but that he could probably recite each piece and state its purpose since his father oversees the mills.
During the transfer of the Crown from Eloana and Valyn to Poppy and Cas, he stands guard and then walks with the group through the palace. He’s also present for the Council meeting and my announcement of the new rulers to the people of Atlantia.
Instead of joining the group that heads to Iliseeum, Naill chooses to stay in the capital to spend some time with his father. He is, however, present for the dinner meeting afterward where they make a plan for Oak Ambler. He’s put in the group with the King and Queen decoys and is eventually captured by the Ascended.
When Poppy wakes in the woods outside of Oak Ambler after Cas sacrifices himself, Naill bows over a prone Tawny. When they return to speak with Eloana, he stands guard at the door with Hisa and is happy to be part of the group to accompany Poppy back to Oak Ambler to meet with King Jalara.
As they ride to Massene, Naill speaks with Poppy when she feels Arden’s anxiety. He rides ahead with Kieran to investigate and is horrified by what they find on the Rise—all the murdered mortals. Because of that and more, he happily joins in on the fight with the guards. Once some surrender, Poppy orders him to take Arden and stay with the prisoners in the barracks.
Naill leaves with Vonetta and Wren to deliver the ultimatum to Duke and Duchess Ravarel, look for Descenters, and warn the mortals about what will happen if their demands are refused. Once done, they all return to camp.
Poppy sends Naill to secure Vessa in a bedchamber that locks from the outside so she can’t hurt herself or anyone else after the crone attacks her. He does as instructed. Sadly, it doesn’t stop Vessa from using Primal magic and killing many of the draken later.
After the Blood Queen sends her horrific message—Casteel’s ring finger—Naill joins Emil and Vonetta in respectfully dealing with the box’s contents.
Naill rushes to check on Poppy when the storm appears and remarks that it’s the same type of tempest that happened when she Ascended to her godhood. When they go out and witness what is happening with the draken, Naill steadies Poppy and then eventually trails her as she goes to take care of the widow.
When Reaver is talking about Nyktos, Naill remarks that he’s never heard the name Kolis before. Talk shifts to the Rite, and Naill asks if the Chosen had a choice in being Ascended, and Reaver tells him they did—Eythos always let them choose.
Naill makes Poppy something to wear—a white outfit to send a message—and vigilance ramps up as Naill helps to keep an eye on the generals, aware that the Unseen are very much still a threat.
In the Temple, Naill finds another pair of holy people and is the first to reveal that the Priests and Priestesses had Ascended among them, something they hadn’t known before. When Vonetta brings in another Priestess, Naill joins the group that follows her. They come upon a chamber with blood stalactites and bones. After having a ridiculous argument with Emil about the word stalactite, he points out that the hole in the floor is actually a deep well.
Sage is injured, and Naill helps Poppy heal her. When Reaver shifts, it takes Naill by surprise, but not as much as when Sage replies with a “yum” in response to what she sees. Naill reminds her that the draken can breathe fire, but it doesn’t seem to faze her. I get it. I had an absolutely incredible experience with a draken myself, and they are quite delicious.
When Cas returns, Naill waits until all the wolven greet the King before stepping in for a hug. He tells Cas that it hasn’t been right without him and not to leave again. His elation soon turns to shock when he sees Malik.
Everybody fills Poppy and Cas in on what’s been happening with the seizure of the cities, and Naill informs them that the Ascended left a graveyard in Whitebridge and Padonia, just like they did in Pompay. They discuss the Duke of Three Rivers, and Malik mentions knowing him. Naill can’t hold back his ire and sneers at him, asking him how complicated things have gotten and using his princely title. Later, Cas asks him and Emil to keep an eye on Malik, and Naill happily agrees.
In the Blood Forest, while looking for Malec, Naill battles a large group of Craven with the others. When Reaver arrives, he alerts the group to the draken’s appearance. That dealt with, Poppy casts the spell to find Malec, and Naill is surprised by the reaction.
Later, despite being tasked with guarding him, Naill doesn’t realize that Malik isn’t in his chambers but rather speaking with Poppy in the stables.
When they finally get to the Bone Temple, Naill remarks that the Blood Queen brought along some friends. He helps Emil unload Malec and then carries the casket with the other two, commenting on how heavy the god is.
Callum lifts the curse from Kieran with a white blade of some sort, and Naill’s shocked to see the inky mist seeping from the wolven’s wound. I imagine anything having to do with Primal magic is shocking, especially when it’s all so new to them.
