April 3, 2019
Ignite by Sara B. Larson
The basics
Title: Ignite
Author: Sara B. Larson
Series: Defy #2
- Defy (2014) - Ignite (2014) - Endure (2015)
Add it: Goodreads
Goodreads Summary:
Alexa remains by the newly crowned King Damian’s side as his guard, ever committed to helping him rebuild Antion and reclaim the hope of Antion's people, despite continuing to harbor a secret love for him. However, when another threat to Damian and his kingdom emerges, and blame is cast on their newly forged allies from Blevon, Alexa knows things are not what they seem. With the fate of her nation hanging in the balance once again, will Alexa be able to protect her king and uncover the true enemy—before it's too late?
This summary of Defy was written by Lana, who is doing an amazing job of recapping this series! If you can’t remember what happened in Ignite and need a refresher, this recap is for you.
what happened in Ignite?
- King Armando (Damian’s uncle) sends a delegation from Dansii along with Lady Vera (who is the most beautiful girl ever and sends Alexa into a jealous rage). Luckily Damian doesn’t trust her pretty words and innocent act and has her watched at all times.
- Then, a small squadron from Blevon arrive. Damian, thinking they come in peace, lets them in; however the soldiers are cursed and attack the King. The Guard manages to kill the soldiers. Deron (the captain) is wounded but everyone else survives.
- Word comes from General Ferraun that a border village has been attacked by a black sorcerer and a group of Blevonese soldiers. The attack seems similar to the attack that killed Alexa’s parents all those years ago.
- During the welcoming dinner for Lady Vera, she is almost poisoned but saved in time; her food taster however dies though his body has mysteriously disappeared.
- Damian and Alexa have a moment and it’s clear they still have feelings for each other.
- Jax (Damian’s half-brother) is kidnapped. A ransom note is found. It was written in Blevonese. Damian thinks someone is trying to frame Blevon for kidnapping Jax to cause another war. The ransom demand? They want Alexa.
- During a vulnerable moment, Damian and Alexa finally kiss again. But Alexa stops it going further as she still finds herself unfit to be queen.
- The next day, Alexa and Rylan set out into the jungle. They find tracks left by Jax’s abductors. Alexa goes back to find Damian to ask permission to follow the trail but stumbles upon Damian and Lady Vera, kissing passionately in the gardens.
- Heartbroken, Alexa goes back with Rylan into the jungle to look for Jax. They find him. His abductors are clearly not from Blevon but from Dansii.
- Rylan goes back to the palace to get back up. Alexa stays behind to keep watch.
- The leader of the abductors is the not-so-dead-anymore food taster from before a.k.a. Lady Vera’s twin brother Rafe. Alexa overhears their plan and comes to the conclusion that Rafe has a special ability to command and control others. Rafe reveals that Lady Vera also has this power and has manipulated Damian into falling for her.
- Alexa decides to head back to the palace to warn everybody, save Damian, and come back for Jax when the time is right. She is ambushed by Rafe’s men but kills them all. However Rafe finds her and she makes a deal with him: she promises to give herself over to him in exchange for Jax’s life without harm coming to Rafe or his sister Lady Vera. If she fails to uphold her end of the bargain, Rafe will command little Jax to kill himself.
- When she arrives at the palace it’s clear that Lady Vera already has many men under her control and Alexa is forced to fight and kill her own people. One of them stabs her in the back and leaves a deep wound. She is saved by Tanoori and the women from the breeding house.
- Tanoori brings her to Eljin and Lisbet who went into hiding. Lisbet manages to somewhat heal Alexa.
- Eljin shows her a secret door so she can get to Damian’s outer chamber, but once she arrives there she finds Vera with him. Vera controls Eljin and commands him to kill Alexa. Alexa manages to get passed Eljin’s shield and wounds him greatly.
- Vera then commands Damian to murder Alexa. Alexa tries to shake Vera’s power by telling Damian she loves him. At the last moment, Damian overcomes Vera’s control and kills her instead.
- Damian gets Lisbet to heal Eljin. He’ll live.
- Alexa spills everything to Damian. They reconnect. Damian proposes to her and Alexa accepts to be his queen.
- Another village is attacked by a black sorcerer. Only one man is left alive to deliver a message: a declaration of war from Blevon.
- Alexa interrogates a man named Manu de Reich os Deos, a prisoner from Lady Vera’s delegation from Dansii. He shows her a terrible vision of Damian dying, saying that loving Damian will be her downfall. He delivers the threat that Alexa will die as well as soon as King Armando wishes it.
- Rylan and Alexa head out into the jungle, back toward Rafe to rescue Jax. They have a heart-to-heart regarding Alexa’s engagement to the king.
- Alexa attacks Rafe. But Rafe commands Rylan – who has been under his control since the beginning – to hurt Alexa. After a while Rafe calls of the attack. Alexa surrenders and agrees to look Rafe in the eye so he can give her one command. In return, he’ll let Jax go. She agrees. His command: Alexa will become his personal guardian to protect him from any and all threats that will arise. She can never kill or him.
- Rafe releases Jax and he flees into the jungle.
- Alexa and Rylan are held captive by Rafe.
- Alexa manages to unbound her ropes, kill her guards, badly injure Rylan (who is under the control of Rafe) and escapes.
- She runs back to the palace where Damian is waiting for her. Lisbet manages to heal Jax and they go see him. Alexa knows she has to tell the truth about the order Rafe placed on her, but for now chooses to keep it quiet.
how did Ignite end?
When Rylan and Alexa get back to Rafe’s camp to rescue Jax a fight breaks lose. Alexa tries to kill Rafe, but he uses Rylan against her. Alexa finally surrenders and lays down her sword. Rafe lets Jax go on the condition that he can give Alexa one command. She agrees. Rafe orders her to forever protect him from any harm, knowing she will never be able to kill him. Rylan and Alexa are captured and bound, but Alexa manages to break free, kill the soldiers, fights Rylan (who is under the control of Rafe) and badly injures him so he’ll forever walk with a limp, before she can finally escape and run back into the jungle toward the palace. There, she finds Damian waiting for her. Lisbet manages to heal Jax and they go see him. Alexa knows she has to tell the truth about the order Rafe placed on her, but for now chooses to keep it quiet.
This is a full plot summary of what happened in Ignite. If you would like to check out more of our recaps, see our recap list. If you can’t find the recap that you need, you can request a recap from us!
