What happened in Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas - Recaptains

The basics

Title: Empire of Storms

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass #5

- The Assassin's Blade (March 2014)
- Throne of Glass (August 2012)
- Crown of Midnight (August 2013)
- Heir of Fire (September 2014)
- Queen of Shadows (September 2015)
- Empire of Storms (September 2016)
- Tower of Dawn (September 2017)
- Untitled (May 2018)

Add it: Goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Here is a spoiler summary of what happened in Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas to help refresh your memory before you read the sequel.

This recap was submitted by White Rabbit

in short

Elide and Lorcan meet up and join forces after escaping death. She is trying to find Celaena, whom Kaitlyn said to give the stone to. Lorcan knows Celaena is really Aelin, but doesn’t tell her.

Aelin, Lysandra, and Aedion meet with some Lords of Terrasen who reject Aelin as their queen and make a decree that states so. They want her to find a better court and bring in a royal husband not Rowan. They then receive word about Manon attacking Rifhold and sends Rowan to bring him back safe. Once there he find Dorian is safe and Manon has helped him, she lets both Rowan and Dorian leave. Manon is disciplined for her bad leadership by her second being sentenced to death. Manon defies her grandmother and gets in a battle to the death with her after letting Asterin go free, Manon is injured and flies away.

Elide and Lorcan join a caravan and pretend to be husband and wife where they share secrets about each others past and the information they both seek to help the future. One of the members give away that they are traveling with them and are on the run again from Morath soldiers. Elide’s uncle finds her without Lorcan around and pushes her into a cage but before they can get away Lorcan arrives and helps her and they escape heading for the Marsh where they hope to find Celaena.

Rowan and Dorian arrive at the Bay and wait for the arrival of Aelin, but they meet with Rolfe to ask for help where they find Gavriel, revealed to be Aedion’s father, and Fenrys, who are hunting down Lorcan to kill him for Maeve. Celaena arrives as Celaena then tells Rolfe she is Aelin and deceives him to help her by helping him get rid of the Vlag ships in his bay. They win the fight and Rolfe agrees to her terms. The group then heads to the Marsh. Where they find a hurt Manon and take her in for healing.

At the Marsh they run into another Vlag army and also Lorcan and Elide, who get jumped by Gavriel and Fenrys who can’t help the force of the blood oath, until Rowan says if they attack Lorcan it will be an act of war. Once they defeat the Vlag they head to the stone box where inside they find a mirror, a witch Mirror.

Maeve’s ships have arrived and is waiting on daylight to break so that Aelin may surrender in front of everyone. Dorian takes Manon and Aelin to the Mirror downstairs where they both find out they can travel into it. Where they see Elena and the mistakes she made in her past and Aelin must now pay for with her life and Dorain. While in the Mirror Rowan flies in the night to each of Maeve’s ships to ask for help which they say they will consider. Once the sun rises they start the war and some of Maeve’s ship show the Whitehorn flag and open fire on their own ships. As everyone fights Aelin and Manon come out of the Mirror on the beach next to Maeve, who has Elide captured and Lorcan. Maeve and Aelin start to fight, while fighting Lorcan takes down the guards and save Elide. Aelin runs out of power and is forced down. Lorcan is forced to hold still by Maeve’s bloodoath along with Gavriel and Fenrys who are begging for her life to be spared. Elide begs Manon to help Aelin but she cannot because she has the ward keys. Before Rowan and the rest of the group arrive Maeve locks Aelin in a box and take her away.

what happened in Empire of Storms?

• There’s a flashback to Elena and Gavin making a bold move to defeat Erawan for the time being.
• Elide is trying to find Aelin and Celaena, for whom Kaltain has sent the mysterious stone to. She is struggling, low on food and water.
• Lorcan spots Elide and tells that she is from Morath by her scent. He wants to question her but watches her first.
• Aelin, Rowan, Aedion, and Lysandra have traveled to a secret meeting area of Aedion’s. He’s called the lords he trusts to gather for a meeting to help restore Terrasen.
• Lords Ren, Murtaugh, and Darrow are present. Darrow is the speaker and is not impressed with Aelin’s court. He informs her that the lords do not accept Aelin as leader of Terrasen.
• The lords signed a document before even meeting with her, saying they do not recognize Aelin as the Queen of Terrasen.
• If she defies the Document, it will be considered an act of war.
• Aedion says The Bane (his army) will follow her into battle with Erawan. Darrow says The Bane are at the discretion of the lords of Terrasen.
• He asks her to find him allies, perhaps through marriage to foreign royalty. Not to Rowan.
• After the meeting A messenger arrives with news that the Ironteeth witches are flying to Rifthold to attack.
• Rowan, being the only one fast enough, goes to rescue Dorian, get a boat, and go to Skull’s Bay.
• Manon is called to a meeting with Vernon and Duke Perrington. Erawan has totally taken over Duke’s body now.
• He gives Manon orders to attack Rifthold and bring Dorian to him if he survives.
• Dorian sees the witches approaching on their wyverns.
• They are sacking the city. Several of them are headed straight for his tower.
• He fights several witches with his ice powers but is failing. Manon enters. She tells him to escape. He now owes her a life debt.
• Rowan arrives, having flown two full days without food or rest. He’s too late to save Rifthold.
• He and Dorian leave. Manon killed one Yellowlegs witch and allowed Rowan to kill four others to save Dorian.
• Lorcan sneaks up on Elide. The human/dog Morath monsters that were hunting down Elide chase them.
• They run together since they have a common enemy. They get separated and each fight one separately, Lorcan with his sword and Elide with her smart words tricks it into attacking Lorcan.
• They find each other but are still being chased. Lorcan puts Elide over his shoulder, and they make a run for it with his Demi-Fae speed.
• Elide and Lorcan come to agreement he will help her find Celaena is she gives him information on Morath. So Lorcan can find the Wyrdkey, which Elide has.
• Manon and her thirteen return to Morath. The three clans conduct a small trial about Dorian’s escape. Where Yellowlegs leader tells them about Manon’s foul play.
• They decide Manon made mistakes. Her second (Asterin) is sentenced to death.
• Asterin tells Manon of how she had fallen in love with a mortal man and had a child, but Manon’s grandmother had killed both the man and the baby then beaten Asterin almost to death.
• Aelin, Aedion, and Lysandra arrive at the kingdom by the sea, which contains the monument to Brannon. Aelin reveals part of her plan to call in her old debts.
• They secure passage on a ship. The captain tells them about Maeve’s fleet moving now. Lysandra has suspicions about the gods’ possible role in this and a use for Aelin and Dorian to reunite the world and bring peace.
• Aelin, Aedion, and Lysandra defeat Illiyum soldiers at the temple. Aelin burns one of the men from the inside out by merely breathing on him.
• Aelin raided the temple at Brannon’s request. He sent a private message to her through the little people of the forest.
• Aelin asks Brannon’s ghost how to kill Maeve. He doesn’t know. Brannon tells her to find the lock in the stone marshes to sink the wyrdkeys into the door and do away with them forever. Aedion eavesdrops.
• A troop of men led by an Endovier guard appears. They battle. He says they were sent to show her what’s waiting should they make it to Morath.
• Erawan is hiding in one of the bodies of the men and speaks to Aelin. He knows Rowan rescued Dorian. His soldiers are tracking them.
• Aelin starts burning away the body Erawan is speaking from with her fire magic. He hits her but somehow misses the amulet of orynth in her necklace by a few inches. He might’ve sensed its power had he landed a blow there.
• It’s the one piece of the puzzle he’s missing to open the doors to the other world and rule.
• Asterin arrives bloody and beaten to the morning of her execution. Manon’s grandmother is going to allow more beatings from the other clans before the execution.
• But Manon refuses to stand by and this happen, so she says she will be her executioner. Her grandmother is furious. She will kill Asterin to spare her the torture.
• Asterin could tell Manon’s secrets and be free, but She remains silent. Asterin whispers where to bury her body as Manon draws her sword.
• Manon slashes at her grandmother. They fight with their iron nails and teeth. Her grandmother reveals Manon’s father was a Crochan prince.
• Manon is hit in the stomach by her grandmother’s nails and is bleeding and wounded and ends up intentionally falling over the side of the cliff.
• Abraxos catches her. They fly off. Two of Manon’s thirteen were waiting on their wyverns in case she got away.
• They take off, with Yellowlegs witches trailing close behind. They end up losing their followers through narrow rocky passes the Yellowlegs’ wyverns can’t negotiate.
• Manon had given secret orders to her thirteen that if things went wrong they were to all fly away on their Wyverns and meet up later.
• Elide and Lorcan arrive in a town think of a plan to link up with a celaena. Who Lorcan knows is Aelin but doesn’t tell Elide that the queen Aelin is celaena.
• In a tavern, they find a group in need of money to continue their travel. They will help them pay the tolls if they can perform with them.
• Rowan and Dorian arrive in Skull’s Bay and go to visit Captain Rolfe. Rolfe tells them what they have recently seen and heard from nearby Morath.
• Some of his men were captured and changed. Rowan tells Rolfe about Erawan and his plan. They ask Rolfe to join forces with him against Erawan.
• He doesn’t respond. He calls in two of his men, who are Fae. Rowan knows them, Gavriel (Aedion’s father) and Fenris.
• They’re not friendly. They’re bloodsworn to Maeve. They ask if Aelin is with them. They tell them Maeve is sending her armada to Ellywe right now.
• The men argue. Rolfe says he won’t talk to them until the queen arrives. Gavriel admits they’ve been sent by Maeve to kill Lorcan. Rowan ask his former cadre members to fight with him to defeat Erawan.
• He says it will be a battle talked about for years. And Lorcan will cross paths with them as he’s looking for Aelin.
• Rowan tells them he knows of Gavriel’s son. Gavriel doesn’t know he had a son. He’s speechless and intrigued.
• If Maeve hears of Gavriel’s son, the deal is off, and she will do everything in her power to take control of Gavriel’s son.
• Aelin and Aedion are on a ship headed to Skull’s Bay. Lysandra is perched on a high mast in bird form.
• Manon awakes in a forest. She’s injured. Only Abraxos is with her.
• One of Erawan’s minions appears across the stream from her. Manon poisons the bloodhound and escapes.
• Dorian is training (physically and magically) with Rowan as they wait in Skull’s Bay. They wait for news about Aelin or Dorian’s mother and brother, who Erawan wanted to lead Adarlan now that Dorian is gone.
• Dorian grows tired of waiting for real news. They make a fake letter that tells of big news. Rolfe’s spies see it. Mere hours later they are called to speak to him again.
• Aelin is in Rolfe’s office. She acts like Celaena and flirts with Rowan and teases Rolfe. Rolfe commands the Fae to kill her to win his loyalty.
• Then Aelin (Celaena) introduces the other Aelin, it was Lysandra in disguise. She soon changes into her normal human form. Aelin challenges Rolfe to join them. If he does, she will make him the king of pirates.
• Gavriel demands to see his son(Aedion) if he’s there. Aelin refuses to reveal where he is, because she is not sure how Aedion will take the new of his father.
• Aelin, Rowan, and Dorian meet to swap information. Aelin thinks they’ll need the map on Rolfe’s hands. She still needs to convince him to work with them.
• Elide and Lorcan travel with their caravan, posing as newlyweds to sneak off to continue her descriptions of Morath to him.
• He asks why she wants to find Aelin. He shares a small piece of information…that Celaena Sardothien is in the employ of Aelin.
• They are forced to sleep in the same place for the first time on this journey. Lorcan gets water for Elide’s bath and stands guard outside while she bathes.
• He washes her clothes. His Fae hearing picks up on the moment she takes the necklace off and stows it under the hay mattress. He wonders what she’s been hiding.
• In exchange for the bath, Elide shares another piece of information with Lorcan. Her Uncle Vernon is a commander at Morath.
• He locked her in the dungeons. Lorcan asks if she wants him to kill her uncle. She asks what it will cost. He says nothing.
• Elide tells Lorcan of the breeding experiments and how Vernon was going to use her to see if his bloodline could mix with the Valg’s.
• Lorcan surmises the explosion was no accident. Elide confirms this but won’t say who did it.
• Aelin and Rowan talk with Fenris and Gavriel about Maeve, how their bond with her works, and what she might be planning. They don’t trust each other much, so limited information is exchanged.
• Aedion meets Gavriel at breakfast one morning. He is overcome by anger about what came of his mother when he sees his father. It doesn’t go well.
• Aedion and Lysandra leave to talk it over. Aedion’s afraid he may have ruined their chance to work with the two Fae. Lysandra assures him this is not the case.
• Rolfe tells Aelin and Rowan that Morath’s fleet is sailing for Ellywe. Aelin knows it’s in retaliation for what she did at Illiyum.
• She’s knows he’s striking there because he knows of her love for Nehemia. Aelin asks Rolfe to send his Mycenian fleet to fight with Ellywe. She promises to give him back Illiyum if he complies.
• A warning bell sounds. Rolfe looks at the maps on his hands, showing the Valg are approaching. Rolfe thinks they are coming because they are searching for Aelin after a surge of power she sent out a few minutes ago.
• She denies it and gathers her group to leave instead of help in this fight unless Rolfe agrees to her plan. He finally agrees to Aelin’s plan. He wants a lord title. She will only make him a lord of this area and recognize his heirs as such.
• Dorian knows Aelin lied. Her power surge is what called the Valg to Skull’s Bay. They make plans to save it. Aelin will sail into the fleet’s center.
• Lysandra shifts into a sea dragon. Aelin and Rowan join their power on the boat. She reaches so deep into her power that she somehow changes into Malla through the wyrdkey.
• Aelin throws her out of her mind and body, and falls into the sea, Fenris recuses her from the water.
• Lysandra fights off sea wyverns. The last one escapes and swims toward Aelin and the men. Lysandra gets a mental message from Aelin to swim away.
• Three adult sea wyverns are swimming toward her. She fights off the first two but right before the third can strike the killing blow on Lysandra.
• Aedion kills the last one with a harpoon from the watch tower above. Aedion makes it to her first and promises to marry her someday. She can’t respond because she’s still in her sea dragon form.
• Aelin and Rowan meet with Rolfe. They discover the cost of the map tattoos was something he didn’t realize he was bargaining with…his mother and sister.
• Aelin needs to get out of town for just a little while. Rowan follows her. They are intimate on the beach.
• When the group is assembled together, Elena appears to them. She tells them the lock is in the center of a temple in a marsh.
• Her mother gave her life to preserve it. Gavin and Elena used it years ago to seal Erawan up (when they claimed they had killed him).
• Elena also shares who her mother (and thus Aelin’s relative) is…Malla Firebringer. They take off on a ship, headed for the marsh.
• They see Manon riding toward them on Abraxos. She is unconscious and falls off the wyvern and into the sea.
• Elide and Lorcan are performing now, fortune telling and sword play. Lorcan’s display is much more popular. They both realize they are attracted to the other.
• Demons attack their camp looking for Elide. They tell Lorcan her real name. He tells the demon she’s not there. He confronts Elide after the fight is over. They share some truths about their backgrounds.
• Manon awakes on a ship with Aelin watching over her. Aelin warns her not to run away or hurt anyone.
• Dorian is there when she wakes up again days later. She tells him how and why her injuries happened and asks him to find her thirteen.
• Elide and Lorcan go to several taverns for news of Aelin. Some of their carnival companions give them away. Lorcan hears them coming.
• The two escape on a boat. Lorcan kills the captain, which makes Elide furious. Something triggers Lorcan, and he examines the amulet Aelin gave him.
• He realizes it’s a fake and roars in anger. He steers the ship towards Ellywe, the best lead they got at the taverns as to where Aelin is.
• Aelin wakes up on fire. Rowan has to pull her back. He apologizes for panicking that Malla had taken her over again. They are intimate.
• Dorian goes into Manon’s cabin late in the night. She wants them to trust her enough to unchain her. She wants Dorian, too.
• He gives her neither. The next day, Dorian asks Aelin to unchain her and let her roam free on the ship. They go down to unchain her.
• There is an imposter, one of Erawan’s minions sent for Manon. He reveals her as a Crochan queen. Dorian kills him.
• Manon is furious but rushes up to the deck because they hear more demons landing. They’re attacking the other pirate ships.
• One of the creatures reveals to Aelin that Erawan knows she has a wyrdkey. Many of them are injured, Fenris is injured far too bad that he cannot heal on his own and Aelin heals him.
• Gavriel admits he only left Aedion and his mother at her request. He would’ve rather stayed but loved them enough to leave when she asked him. They are all trying to recover as they continue to travel.
• Something Fenris says sparks a memory. Aelin asks Manon if some witches can see the future. Manon confirms some of the ancient ones act as oracles.
• Baba Yellowlegs said something to Aelin before she killed her long ago that Aelin just now understands. She runs away, locks herself in the bathroom, and is sick over and over again.
• Rowan is worried. Aelin asks him to get Lysandra.
• Lorcan and Elide stop their journey for supplies. They separate to get different things. Elide is cornered by Uncle Vernon.
• He takes her to a box to carry her to Morath in. Lorcan sees her grab her uncle’s knife and move to kill herself. He helps her fight her way out instead. They make it back to their ship and continue on.
• The ship sails by Ellywe, which is burning. Aelin and Rowan try to put the fires out as they sail by. Rowan asks if she’s pregnant. She’s not. That’s not why she fled to the bathroom that night.
• The group has a day or two journey on foot to get to the marshes. Lorcan and Elide are getting close to the marshes, too.
• They kiss. Lorcan says they need to run; an army of demons are coming.
• Manon notices the eye of Elena charm on Aelin’s necklace. She says it has a different meaning to witches.
• She tells the story of the Crochan wars and the resulting curse on witches. Gavriel and Fenris warn Rowan they think Aelin and Manon have been pushed here together by some unknown force.
• They think he should take Aelin far away before it’s too late. They tell him who Maeve put in his place: Carin, a cruel male Rowan was never able to train.
• Aedion questions Aelin’s shows of power and lack of consultation with him and others. Rowan says they have to plan, so the Fae males begin.
• Aelin wants the first shot at their enemy, so she goes ahead of the others.
• When Lorcan and Elide arrive, he senses the immensity of Aelin’s power. He throws a magical shield over the two of them. Her power easily overwhelms the demons. Lorcan has never seen anything like it.
• The lion and white wolf attack Lorcan. Elide jumps in the way. The wolf accidentally latches onto her arm. Fenris and Gavriel can heal her if Lorcan takes the shield down.
• Gavriel and Fenris cannot s top themselves from trying to kill Lorcan due to the blood oath order given by Maeve’s.
• He drops the shield. Rowan says it will be an act of war against Aelin if they continue their battle with Lorcan. It settles the blood oath due to the fact if they kill Lorcan it will affect Maeve.They all comply. Lorcan runs to Elide’s side.
• Elide gives Aelin the stone from Kaltain. Manon introduces Dorian as the king of Adarlan. Aelin thanks Lorcan for bringing Elide and tells Manon she claims her as a member of her court.
• Rowan notices a difference in Lorcan. Dorian wonders if the gods guided them all here for a reason. Aelin opens the chest. No lock is inside.
• It’s ancient mirrors with the eye of Elena on the corner. Manon tells them about witch mirrors’ powers and the witch towers, which use the mirror weapons and could destroy them in a couple of blasts.
• The Fae males carry the mirror between them. Everyone is exhausted. When they return to the coast, they see 100 ships, Melisande’s fleet. Soldiers are already on shore.
• Aelin surprises everyone by striding directly toward them. The leader of the troops is Ansel of Briarcliff, who Aelin met years ago in the desert.
• Ansel brought these ships and warriors at Aelin’s request to repay the life debt she owes her. Ansel and her army from The Wastes sacked Melisande’s army and brought them to Aelin.
• Aedion and Lysandra want to start a relationship and decide to begin at friendship. They will all sail north tomorrow to protect Terrasen.
• Ansel says it’s Maeve, not Erawan, who had been setting the fires, trying to make it look like it’s Aelin.
• Rowan talks about the armies Aelin’s assembled and how he loves it when she surprises him.
• Dorian visits Manon in her room that same night. Lorcan and Elide talk quietly that night from their hammocks on the deck.
• Another armada is headed toward them. It’s Maeve. They know she will wait for daylight to ask for Aelin’s surrender so everyone can witness it.
• After Aelin is asleep, Rowan flies to many of Maeve’s ships one by one to make a request of his cousins aboard. They will each consider it.
• Dorian takes Aelin and Manon down to the mirror stowed below deck to show them something. He thinks Deanna’s riddle about it suggests that Aelin and Manon can use it to see the future, and determine how to defeat Maeve, and use the keys.
• The two join hands, press them to the mirror, and disappear.
• Aedion is furious. Rowan says they’ll continue to ready for battle. Maeve sends messengers asking for their surrender. Rowan says the Queen is not on the ship to answer.
• He asks for safe passage for both fleets as they pass each other. Maeve answers with a barrage of arrows.
• Aelin and Manon are in the past, seeing Gavin and Elena. They see Elena use the stone in the eye of Elena and know it’s the lock.
• She used it to seal Erawan in that mountain. She distracted Erawan with Gavin. He’s injured now. She knows the lock can only be used once. Erawan’s minions tell Elena she was foolish to use the blue stone (a small witch mirror) to lock Erawan up.
• Instead, it was supposed to be used to unite the keys and eventually send them all back home. She says she will give them anything to undo what she’s done, to give someone who’s more prepared someday to end this using the stone for the right purpose.
• The demons look at Gavin. They say she will have to lead Malla’s bloodline to bleed again and use Malla’s gifts to forge the lock again, with Elena leading them.
• They will have to give every drop of their life force to do it, to send them home and eternally seal the lock between the worlds.
• Gavin only heard her words and ask what deal she struck when they are gone. Elena says the deal will be paid in the future.
• Nehemia, the princess of Ellywe, approaches the chest. Elena greets her. Nehemia thinks she’s there to pay the price to save them.
• Elena says it’s not her. She says its Malla’s bloodline who must pay. She says it must be two…Dorian and Aelin.
• She tells her to go north because these two houses will converge there. Elena tells her it’s necessary, but the price will be her life.
• While Aelin’s gone, the battle ensues. Lysandra fights in her modified sea dragon form, attacking the ships marked by Rowan.
• Some of Maeve’s ships are flying different flags, silver Whitethorn flags, the flag of Rowan’s family. These ships began firing on their own fleet. Then Rowan asks his ships to open fire in full.
• Lorcan notices Maeve isn’t among her ships. He sees her ashore, near where he left Elide with a few guards for safety.
• Aelin and Manon then see glimpses of what happened afterward: Elena’s fight with her father over what she had done, her choice to live out her life as a mortal with Gavin, and Brannon forging and hiding the three wyrdkeys, labeling them and the room with wyrdmarks, hiding the third and final wyrdkey in Malla’s temple, and then descending into the fiery abyss for eternity. The last Crochan queen helps, too.
• Elena appears apologizes that Aelin is the one who must now pay for her mistakes. Aelin realizes Elena saved her that night when she should’ve died years ago so she could die later on.
• She had enough strength back then, but Elena couldn’t bear to let her die just yet. She revives Aelin and awakes the nearest adult, Arobynn Hamel, to come rescue her.
• Elena pays for this with her soul. She will not get to spend eternity with her husband or her children. Aelin asks why.
• Elena wanted her to grow up, be strong, and experience love, even briefly, with the man who had unknowingly been waiting for her for so long in Wendlyn.
• Elena says the mirror’s power and her power is almost expired, but she will tell them what they need to do and will be with them all the way to the end.
• Aelin and Manon crash back into the real world. They land near Maeve, who has Elide over her knee. The battle is vicious despite the help from Rowan’s cousins.
• Manon’s thirteen arrive, with Abraxos leading the way. They are a big help. Maeve reveals that she planned each thing Aelin has recently encountered to deplete her magic.
• She waited until it was on very low reserve to attack.
• Fire explodes around them as Aelin attacks Maeve. Lorcan uses the opportunity to kill the guards and rescue Elide.
• He wants her to run. She doesn’t want to be a coward. Maeve’s darkness lashes at Aelin. Maeve only stands a chance because Aelin’s magic is depleted.
• Elide begs Manon to help Aelin as Maeve gains the upper hand. Fenris and Gavriel arrive. All of Aelin’s magic is gone. The distant battle is quiet. Maeve tells Manon she’s free to go if she stays out of this fight.
• Manon agrees. Gavriel begs Maeve to leave Aelin alone and let them return home. Maeve scolds him for not killing Lorcan on sight, as they were ordered to.
• Gavriel asks her to take his life instead of Aelin’s, but Maeve refuses. Aelin wonders if the offer is to spare Aedion pain. Maeve severs his blood bond with her and takes away his title.
• Maeve tells Aelin she knew she would lead her to all three wyrdkeys. She saw it all. She saw her mate, Rowan. She knew their children would be powerful enough to rule the world.
• She knew how to get her to hand over the keys when she was strong enough to get them all. Maeve gave Rowan to his first mate, had her get pregnant, and then killed her while she was with child.
• She ensured their paths would cross when Aelin was of age. She knew Aelin would give her whatever if she pulled the right strings.
• Maeve couldn’t believe when they met they were so broken they didn’t recognize each other as mates for a long time. Aelin has known it since the battle with Manon at the temple months ago.
• She kept it from Rowan since then. She tells Aelin she would’ve had 1,000 years with him and she’s probably five years from settling in her Fae form.
• Maeve calls for Carin. Maeve says Aelin must come willingly. If she struggles, she’ll bring Elide along with them, too.
• Maeve orders Lorcan and Fenris to be perfectly still through the blood bond. Aelin surrenders. She gives Elide messages to give to Aedion and Rowan.
• Maeve makes Aelin bow before her and take off her shirt for Carin to give her ten lashes. She orders Aelin to count each lash. Aelin refuses.
• Maeve starts the ten lashes over and over again. They hear others approaching, so they stop the beating to leave.
• The put Aelin in a metal box, chain her with iron chains, and put an iron mask over her face.
• Aelin slipped the wyrdkeys into Manon’s pocket as she walked past her. Manon knows she needed to get them and Elide far away from Maeve.
• They carry the box towards Maeve’s boat. Maeve orders Fenris to follow them. Maeve releases Lorcan from the bloodbond and all of his titles and possessions.
• Maeve’s boat disappears. She has left without the wyrdkeys. Whether she thinks Aelin has them is unclear.

how did it end?

Rowan arrives and puts a knife to Lorcan’s throat and asks where his wife is. He’s furious Lorcan gave their location away to Maeve. Aelin knew all along. Elide tells Rowan Aelin is his mate and about the whipping and the box. They’re mad that Lysandra knew all along. But Aelin had asked for her help that day she was sick on the boat. She had told her how to seal the keys in the gate and banish Erawan forever. She asked Lysandra to shift into her after she dies and be married to Rowan, fathering the heirs with Aedion so they look like Ashryvers.

Elide tells Lorcan she hopes he lives alone with guilt for all his life. She goes with Manon and the thirteen. Manon asks if they heard what her grandmother said about being half Crochan, the last surviving Crochan queen. Manon says they owe Aelin a life debt and it’s time to become better than their ancestors. They’re going to rally the Crochan army to fight for Aelin.

Manon tells the whole group about the two wyrdkeys she has. She tells Dorian that Elena told them he also has the blood to use them. He keeps them now.

Aedion married Rowan and Aelin two days ago in secret. Rowan had known deep down that she was his mate. He knows she thinks they’ll make the wise choice and use the armies she assembled to win the war. Rowan refuses to accept her sacrifice or the fate she felt was dealt to her to save the world. He sends a message down their mating bond urging Aelin to fight.

They see their boats coming on the horizon now that the battle is over. Then a long boat they don’t recognize appears. A man Rowan doesn’t recognize hops out. It is Gallan Ashryver, the crowned prince of Wendlyn. He shows them a letter Aelin wrote him long ago. She asked him to return the favor for when she fought for him at Mistward and gave him coordinates to this spot. His people have never forgotten Evelyn Ashryver or Terrasen.

Hundreds of dark skinned, white clad people arrive, Illiyus among them, come to pay on their life debt owed to Aelin. They are the silent assassins of the Red Desert. Aelin has called in many old debts to rally this army. Lysandra transforms into Aelin to greet them. She says they’ll go north to Terrasen. She needs Rowan to go get something in the north before he joins them. She silently begs him to find her. She tells the other commanders they have matters to discuss with them before they start the fight with Morath. Gavriel, Lorcan, and Elide will join Rowan. They think Fenris will help protect Aelin and drop clues about their whereabouts. Aedion will stay with Lysandra/Aelin. Dorian will fly north with the witches to convince the Crochan to ally with them. They will all meet in Terrasen.

That’s what happened in Empire of Storms! Check out our recap list for more recaps. If you can’t find what you need, you can request a recap from us!

Other recaps for this series:

• Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6)
• Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4)
• Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)
• The Assassin’s Blade (Throne of Glass #0.5)