The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima
The basics
Title: The Exiled Queen
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Series: Seven Realms #2
- The Demon King (2009) - The Exiled Queen (2010) - The Gray Wolf Throne (2011) - The Crimson Crown (2012)
Add it: Goodreads
Goodreads Summary:
Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean that danger isn't far behind. Han is hunted every step of the way by the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family set on reclaiming the amulet Han stole from them. And Mystwerk House has dangers of its own. There, Han meets Crow, a mysterious wizard who agrees to tutor Han in the darker parts of sorcery—but the bargain they make is one Han may regret. Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna runs from a forced marriage in the Fells, accompanied by her friend Amon and his triple of cadets. Now, the safest place for Raisa is Wein House, the military academy at Oden's Ford. If Raisa can pass as a regular student, Wein House will offer both sanctuary and the education Raisa needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen. Everything changes when Han and Raisa’s paths cross, in this epic tale of uncertain friendships, cut-throat politics, and the irresistible power of attraction.
Read a full summary of The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima below. If you can’t remember what happened in The Exiled Queen and you need a refresher, then you’re in the right place.
in short
Raisa and Han go to Oden’s Ford separately to learn things such as how to fight, academics, and, in Han’s case, magic. Han goes into the dream-world of Aediion and meets someone called Crow, who offers to teach Han how to use magic in an awesome way. Han agrees, but doesn’t realise until much later on that Crow has been leeching from Han’s amulet. The Bayars are also at Oden’s Ford, which is fun.
Raisa and Amon discuss their feelings and Amon tells her about the bond. Raisa then meets Han (Raisa is disguised as Rebecca) and they begin to get into a relationship until they are RUDELY INTERRUPTED when Raisa is kidnapped by the Bayars.
Raisa escapes from the Bayars with the accidental help from Karn. She means to return home to her mother and give Lord Bayar what for. Coincidentally, Han is also returning home to Marisa Pines.
what happened in The Exiled Queen?
- Princess Raisa and Han Alister are on their way to Oden’s Ford, although not together. They are both making their separate way. Raisa is travelling with Amon Byrne and his triple. They all think she is Rebecca Morley. Han is travelling with Dancer.
- Amon starts to train Raisa using a staff and they get attacked by some of the Queen’s men. Luckily, the Demonai warriors had been following Raisa to make sure she was safe and they intervene.
- Han and Dancer try to cross the border and run into trouble. More specifically, they almost get away but then Fiona Bayar shows up and causes trouble. Han and Dancer make a run for it and they get away safely, after Han conjures up a hedge full of thorns.
- Han and Dancer reach a town called Delphi, where they find Cat from the Raggers. Cat was headed for the Temple School in Oden’s Fiord when she decided not to continue. She had been in Delphi ever since. She tells Han that all the Raggers are dead and Speaker Jemson sent her to Oden’s Ford to give her a better chance at living.
- Raisa and Amon go to the border at Westgate, where Micah Bayar set up shop in the beginning. The guard doesn’t favour Micah Bayar or his cousins, and he lets them pass without calling Micah down to inspect their female travellers as he requested. He’s a cool guy.
- Raisa and Amon walk by the Dyrnnewater towards Rivertown. The whole place is misty and flooded, as the river is no longer dammed. One by one their guard disappears into the mists. Lord Dimitri confronts Raisa and Amon, and he’s angry.
- The people of Rivertown and its surrounding settlements were struggling to feed themselves and the Crown wasn’t helping. They were forced to steal, and then the guard destroyed Rivertown in retaliation, killing many people, including children. Raisa talks Dimitri into letting them go, and promises that she’ll fix things one day.
- Karn, a prince of Arden, has his captain abduct Han and Dancer. He wants to bind their magic, and then he decides to have them killed. Luckily, Cat arrives and saves them. Cat agrees to travel to Oden’s Ford with Han and Dancer.
- They finally reach the school. Raisa, disguised as Rebecca Morley, wants to take on all the classes like your regular Hermione Granger. And she pulls it off perfectly. She also does a lot of physical training.
- The Bayar siblings are in Han’s class, which is hilarious and also awkward. In their first lesson, they travel to Aediion, which is like a dream-world where you can meet with other people over great distances. Think Skype but in the Middle Ages. Han meets a guy in Aediion called Crow. Han is able to pull it off perfectly because he has an awesome amulet. Dean Abelard comes into the class and shouts at the teacher, Gryphon, because he’s not meant to be allowing this dangerous business. Abelard invites Han to one of her dinners.
- Micah Bayar and his cronies set a trap for Han on the stairs which almost kills him.
- Han continues to meet with Crow, who is a dodgy sort although Han has trouble realising this at first. Crow teaches Han how to use his magic.
- Amon starts to date a girl called Annamaya in secret but Raisa finds out and gets upset. Raisa confronts Amon and he tells her about the bond thing that happened in The Demon King, and how they can never be together.
- Han and Raisa meet again, and Raisa starts giving Han lessons on how to pass as a member of the upper class society. The lessons go splendidly and there’s lots of flirting.
- Han starts to wake up in weird places that he doesn’t remember falling asleep in. I think it’s obvious that Crow is having Han on, but Han takes a while to catch up.
- Fiona Bayar kisses Han and it’s weird but I somehow ship it because why not?
- So this whole time Dean Abelard has wanted Han to teach her secret little group (pretty sure she read Harry Potter and wanted her own Dumbledore’s Army) how to travel into Aediion properly. Han agrees to do it because he doesn’t really have much of a choice.
- Raisa receives a message from her mother, telling her to trust no one. I’m all about that.
- Han tells Raisa about how his family burnt to death and it’s very upsetting. Han and Raisa kiss and go back to her room, but Amon interrupts and Han has to run away. It’s hilarious and also quite upsetting because I ship both ships and WHAT DO I DO?!?!
- Han discovers that Cat is the one who has been stalking him and searching his room. She’s been after the amulet. He’s annoyed, but he also realises why she did it. Cat also blames herself for the deaths of Han’s family. Cat pledges herself to Han.
- Han begins his lesson on travelling to Aediion. They all make it through, and then Crow shows up. Han and the Bayars get separated from the rest. Han confronts Crow when he realises that Crow has been leeching Han’s magic. Han gets rid of Crow and saves the Bayars.
How did it end?
The Bayars kidnap Raisa, which upsets me because she never got to dance with Han.
Han is meant to return to Marisa Pines with the Demonai, but he hears that Raisa is missing. He promises Amon that he’ll look for her along the way, and suddenly another ship is born. OT3, anyone?
Raisa wakes up after having been knocked out, and the Bayars are idiots and run into Karn of Arden and his army. Raisa manages to escape because she’s flawless, and she sets off for home. The queen is returning.
anything else
Charmcaster – A term for wizards
Cennestre – A clan term for mother. Elena’s title, as a matriarch.
Jinxflinger – A term for wizards (it’s rather derogatory)
Naeming – The contract between the clans and the others. It ended the Breaking of the World.
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