I knew little else, but I always knew you.
The Queen of Nothing
Holly Black
Folk of the Air, book three
Hardcover, 308 pages
Published November 19, 2019
ISBN 9780316310420
'HE WILL BE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CROWN AND THE RUINATION OF THE THRONE.'
Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold on to. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked King Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.
Now, as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is left reeling from Cardan's betrayal. She bides her time, determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose life is in peril. Jude must return to the treacherous Faerie Court and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan.
But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing, and she becomes ensnared in the conflict's bloody politics. When a terrible curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing Jude to choose between her ambition and her humanity...
Well. It finally happened. Someone finally bested Jude.
This book, as with the last two, is divided into two parts. The first here was a tad dull and drawn out. Jude remains exiled from Faerie, living with her sister, Vivi, and foster brother (and Cardan's nephew), Oak, in the mortal world. Until eventually, her twin sister, Taryn, arrives needing help.
And my, were we robbed! Turns out, Taryn has slain her husband. Yep. Locke has died off page and we were robbed of it.
There's to be an inquest and Taryn needs Jude to take her place so that Jude, immune to being compelled by fey magic thanks to Dain's bargan, can lie.
So, Jude returns to Elfhame, despite her exile, fulfills the task, and faces Cardan.
Cardan, who wants to know why she hasn't responded to any of his letters. Why she's pretending to be her sister. Why she expected him not to know the difference. And why... oh why.... has she not pardoned herself and come home.
But before all that, Jude is "rescued" by Madoc and his army while under the pretense of being Taryn.
She thus needs a re-rescue and in sweeps the team to do it. Roach. Vivi. Taryn. Grima Mog. All led by, of all people, Cardan. The man actually did some work!
I tell you, the evolution of Prince Cardan to High King Cardan of Elfhame is something to behold.
After two hundred pages, we are no longer in YA territory.
I slide to my knees in front of him. “Is this what you imagined I’d be like, back in your rooms at Hollow Hall, when you thought of me and hated it? Is this how you pictured my eventual surrender?”
He looks absolutely mortified, but there’s no disguising the flush of his cheeks, the shine of his eyes. “Yes,” he says, sounding like the word was dragged out of him, his voice rough with desire.
“Then what did I do?” I ask, my voice low. I reach out to press my hand against his thigh.
His gaze shimmers with a sharp spike of heat. There’s a wariness in his face, though, and I realize he believes I might be asking him all this because I’m angry. Because I want to see him humiliated. But he keeps speaking anyway.
“I imagined you telling me to do with you whatever I liked.”
“Really?” I ask, and the surprised laugh in my voice makes him meet my gaze.
“Along with some begging on your part. A little light groveling.” He gives me an embarrassed smile. “My fantasies were rife with overweening ambition.”
He looks absolutely mortified, but there’s no disguising the flush of his cheeks, the shine of his eyes. “Yes,” he says, sounding like the word was dragged out of him, his voice rough with desire.
“Then what did I do?” I ask, my voice low. I reach out to press my hand against his thigh.
His gaze shimmers with a sharp spike of heat. There’s a wariness in his face, though, and I realize he believes I might be asking him all this because I’m angry. Because I want to see him humiliated. But he keeps speaking anyway.
“I imagined you telling me to do with you whatever I liked.”
“Really?” I ask, and the surprised laugh in my voice makes him meet my gaze.
“Along with some begging on your part. A little light groveling.” He gives me an embarrassed smile. “My fantasies were rife with overweening ambition.”
Ghost! Garrett, you shadow stepping heathen, I knew you were better than betrayal.
4 out of 5 stars.
Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook
Previously in the series:
2025/44
