Mare and Maven head out, and none of the guards stop them because Maven is part of the duo and apparently he gets to do whatever he wants. Hey, remember last chapter when he was all “look, I know oppreshun and all, but I NEVER GET TO DO THE THINGS I WANT”? Also, what do…

Mare’s next instructor has an office full of old and priceless books and maps in the room, which are all “fascinating” and which she feels a “pull towards.” Want to play a game of “guess the gender of the room’s occupant based on description?” If you said this one is a dude, then grab yourself…

The next morning, Queen Elara sends Mare a note with her daily schedule and a comment that it’s non-negotiable and Lucas will escort her everywhere. Mare decides to call this rude. I…am not sure why, other than Mare’s general insistence that everything that woman does is Bad News. Okay, so maybe it could be rude…

And now we’re on the third chapter of the same ceremony/feast. I feel like nothing is happening. I mean, okay, Evangeline was chosen as the new princess, but…that doesn’t really feel like we’re moving forward, since “who is gonna marry Cal” was never really part of the plot. It was more incidental to the whole…

I used to think there was only the divide, Silver and Red, rich and poor, kings and slaves. But there’s much more in between, things I don’t understand, and I’m right in the middle of it. I grew up wondering if I’d have food for supper; now I’m standing in a palace about to be…