Fearless

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness, death, child abuse, and substance use.

After training his men, Kai sneaks into Paedyn’s room. She scolds him for being careless, as someone could have seen him. She’s worried that Kitt suspects something between them and is pushing her away because of it. Kai begs her not to push him away, too. He gives Paedyn Adam’s old dagger, and they hug. Kai wants to tell Paedyn that he loves her but holds back.

The next day, Kitt tells the court about Paedyn’s first Trial. Paedyn’s heart races. She’s unsure if she’ll survive and tries to summon a stronger version of herself.

Paedyn braves the Scorches, or caves, where she’s meant to find the crown. The further she goes, the darker it gets. She tries to dispel her memories and fears to focus on her mission. Finally, she reaches the darkest cave. Bats fly out of the dark and attack her. Once she escapes them, she fumbles through the dark until she finds Queen Mareena’s coffin. She feels around inside and is horrified when she touches Mareena’s remains. Finally, she grasps and extracts the crown.