Bloodmarked

After Arthur awoke within Bree, signaling the ancient war known as Camlann, her boyfriend, Nick, was kidnapped by his father, Lord Davis. The Order’s Regents command the Legendborn to wait in silence while they investigate.

For her safety, Bree is kept inside when the Legendborn patrol. She sneaks out and is caught by William Sitterson, the Legendborn’s healer and Scion of Gawain. They discuss the need to keep Bree safe: If an Awakened Scion of Arthur dies by a Shadowborn demon’s hand, the Legendborn lines end forever.

William begins teaching Bree how to call aether. Bree can’t craft her aether weapon with her Legendborn lineage’s power, and her root is meant to be defensive.

They’re interrupted by Selwyn “Sel” Kane. He is a Kingsmage Merlin, Oathed—magically bonded—to Nick when everyone believed he was the Scion of Arthur. Sel hears Shadowborn approaching.

Bree and William try to run, but Bree is seized by a figure in black clothes. He brings her high into a tree; thinking she’s being kidnapped, she fights back, her root flaring to protect her. When Sel and William find them, the figure reveals himself to be Larkin Douglas, a Merlin. The Order’s Mage Seneschal, Erebus Varelian, emerges with his elite, tactical Mageguard.

The Regents and Mageguard are in town for the memorial services of Fitz, Whitty, Evan, and Russ—four Scions and Squires who died in the prior book, Legendborn. On the walk back to the Southern Chapter’s lodge, Bree feels guilty about sneaking out and getting Sel in trouble with Erebus. William leaves to heal the Legendborn who were on patrol, and Erebus distributes the Kingsmage to guard the Lodge. Alone with Sel, Bree, and Lark, Erebus reveals that Lark will be bonded to Bree as her Kingsmage.

Bree wants to find Nick while Erebus wants to bond her to a Kingsmage and Squire. Erebus says she’ll take the Rite of Kings the next day: Though Bree pulled Excalibur from its stone in Legendborn, she must again pull the sword ceremonially for the Regents.

The original Merlin created Oaths as a way for his part-demon “cambion” descendants to avoid “succumbing to the blood,” or letting their demon nature overtake them (50). It’s widely believed Sel’s mother, Natasia, succumbed to her blood. Only Sel and Bree know that Natasia is living free after being framed by Nick’s father, Lord Davis. Without Nick around, Sel can’t fulfill his Oaths, and he fears he’ll succumb to his blood.

Sel warns Lark that someone, perhaps from the Line of Morgaine—Merlins who have gone rogue and are reportedly working with Shadowborn—may have told the Shadowborn Bree’s location. Sel tells Bree she was reckless with William’s life, giving him no choice but to accompany her into the forest. She must hide the fact she had a romance with Nick from the Regents, as relationships and potential pregnancies between Scions are forbidden. She must also hide her root so that she doesn’t endanger the Rootcrafting community on campus.

Bree’s best friend, Alice Chen, arrives the next morning to help braid Bree’s hair. After the events of Legendborn, Alice became a Vassal to William’s family line, Gawain, to lower people’s suspicion about why she spends so much time at the Lodge.

Bree takes a video call with two friends from the Rootcrafting community: a student and Medium named Mariah, and a therapist and memory walker, Dr. Patricia Hartwood. Bree checks to see whether her root flare last night affected the Rootcrafting community. She’s trying to use “the throne of white dude magic” (61) to help the Black Rootcrafting community, who the Order would destroy.

At the memorial, the Regents’ emissary, Theresa, comments that Bree’s cornrows won’t give a “clean” first impression to the Regents. Bree calls out her microaggression. Since most people don’t know Bree’s real heritage, she sits next to Lark among the Pages. Bree is surprised that Sel isn’t at the memorial.

The Regents arrive. The Regent of Shadows, Cestra, is in charge of the Merlins and intelligence operations. The Regent of Light, Gabriel, is in charge of Onceborn, or regular human, operations. The High Council of Regents, Lord Regent Aldrich, keeps records and is “commander of the Table” (77). Aldrich offers mesmer to those who wish: Merlins can erase memories and make people forget their grief. Bree thinks she hears Arthur inside her, calling people who would choose such an option weak.

Evan’s mother demands answers about Nick’s location. Aldrich announces that Nick and his father are sequestered as a safety measure, shocking Bree and Lark. Cestra says someone from within the Order has been opening Shadowborn Gates. Though Bree and the Southern Chapter know Lord Davis the traitor, Cestra says the traitor is Sel, who has escaped.

The Southern Chapter is shocked. Sarah, the Squire to Tor, her girlfriend and Scion of Tristan, protests, but Tor holds her back. The Regents maintain the ruse that Bree is only a Page speaking out of turn. However, Arthur, in mourning for his fallen knights, begins to speak through Bree, admonishing the Regents. Lark hauls her away before people catch on.

Bree accidentally breaks Lark’s hand using Arthur’s strength. She discovers Lark knew about the plot against Sel. He leaves when William and the other Legendborn join. Only Tor agrees with Aldrich; outnumbered, she leaves. The rest consider why the Regents would accuse Sel. Bree’s friend, Greer, Squire to Pete, Scion of Owain, tells Bree that if they see Sel while patrolling, they’ll bring him to her, not the Regents.

William and Bree agree that the accusation against Sel is a cover-up. William guesses it’s to control the narrative about Camlann. The Order’s membership is made up of two factions: Traditionalists who want to maintain authoritarian, patriarchal traditions and modernists who don’t put stock in tradition. William thinks Aldrich lied because discovering that Lord Davis, a traditionalist, started Camlann would give the modern faction too much incentive to challenge their power. William gently scolds Bree for breaking Lark’s hand, warning her not to use her inheritance “recklessly.” After he leaves, Bree prepares for the upcoming Rite.

At sunset, Bree meets Lark and apologizes for breaking his hand. He apologizes for not telling her what Aldrich revealed about Sel; the previous night, Sel sensed what would happen and told Lark, instructing him not to tell Bree. He gives Bree leather gauntlets made by his father. Bree is unexpectedly touched: Lark is kind about the fact that Bree can’t form aether into weapons and armor.

Something attacks their car, breaking the bulletproof windshield. Hellfoxes drain the aether shield Lark casts while an “enormous demon made of boulders and green flame” recognizes Bree as Scion of Arthur (108). Her root flares to protect her. Sel appears between Bree and the demon.

Mageguard cars arrive and take care of the demons. Sel asks Erebus who knew that Bree was driving that road with Lark and if he trusts every Mageguard and Regent. Goruchel demons like Rhaz can mimic Oaths, so they can pass in any part of Legendborn society.

The Mageguard arrest Sel for negligence and attempted murder. Sel is led away, and Erebus escorts Bree to the Rite. In the car, Erebus tells her that “succumbing to the blood” (50) means losing emotions like empathy and kindness. He reveals that he knew Natasia, Sel’s mother, in the academy. They were close before she was framed the first time Lord Davis began opening gates 30 years prior. Bree doesn’t tell Erebus that she knows Natasia is no longer imprisoned in the Shadowhold, a special prison for Merlins.

Bree and the Regents enter the cave of the dragon, where Excalibur rests in the stone, and begin the Rite. As Bree seals her Oaths with her blood, a vision overtakes her. In the vision, she and Arthur are one. They sit at the Round Table with the 12 original knights and announce the beginning of Camlann.

She sees Lancelot, Nick’s true ancestor, by her side. When she touches him, Lancelot’s features morph into Nick’s.