April 7, 2023
Gleam by Raven Kennedy
The basics
Title: Gleam
Author: Raven Kennedy
Series: The Plated Prisoner #3
- Gild (2020) - Glint (2021) - Gleam (2021) - Glow (2022) - Gold (2023)
Add it: Goodreads
Goodreads Summary:
King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His. The thing about being confined is that you believe it’s to keep the bad out... Until you realize it’s about keeping you in. I’m now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won’t sit idly by and let myself wither. No, there’s something that’s bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark. Something angry. But the last thing I expected was for my anger to call out to him. King Ravinger. He’s sinister and powerful and entirely too seductive. I’ve learned my lesson with trusting manipulative kings, so why does my chest constrict every time he’s near? I need to tread carefully, or I’m at risk of losing much more than just my freedom. Regret and revenge war inside of me, and I need to figure out a plan fast before I get tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens. Because I won’t be caught in a cage again. No, this time, It’ll be me setting the trap... I just hope my heart comes out of this unscathed.
Read a full summary of Gleam by Raven Kennedy below. If you can’t remember what happened in Gild and you need a refresher, then you’re in the right place.
What happened in Gleam?
- Gleam immediately picks up where the last book left off. Auren is asking Rip wtf he is doing.
- Midas finds Rip as King Ravinger in Auren’s room and kicks off. He can’t do much though because he doesn’t actually have any powers himself.
- Rip leaves and Auren decides to play along with whatever Midas has planned. She refuses to get back in the cage though and is given her own room.
- Midas learns that queen Malina is rebelling against him. He also learns that someone is pregnant with his child.
- Malina learns of this pregnancy and is angry.
- Auren goes for a wander with her guards and almost gets angry enough to turn the captain into gold. Luckily Rip shows up and distracts her.
- Midas has Auren locked in her room but she climbs (read: falls) out the window to speak to Rissa about a new plan. She decides they have to escape somehow.
- Midas says he has captured Digby and is punishing him to keep Auren in line.
- Midas sends an assassin to wreck things for Malina. The assassin creates havoc in Sixth Kingdom and then everyone thinks Malina is dead.
- Auren spends four days making gold for Midas.
- Niven asks to speak to Midas, leaving Auren to be escorted to her room by the guards.
- Rip sees Auren struggling and takes her back himself. They kiss.
- Midas holds a dinner for Queen Kaila from third Kingdom and her brother and his husband. Also Ravinger. Auren humiliates Midas and doesn’t obey him so he gets angry and makes Ravinger’s Commander carry Auren to the harp to play all night.
- That night he hits her for the first time. She shoves him away with her tendrils.
- Auren goes to see Rissa and Mist. Mist says Midas will officially recognise her baby as his, so it’ll be king or queen when it grows up.
- Auren visits the library for some reading and is almost kicked out until Slade arrives. They talk, he finds out Midas hit her and becomes super angry. Auren is able to calm him down.
- Slade bumps into Midas outside. Midas says he wants Ravinger’s Commander to leave Fifth Kingdom and his people will leave a little village called Drollard. This is to get the Commander away from Auren.
- Auren goes to see Slade and they officially get together. She spends the night at camp and tells Slade everything. She says she’ll leave with him but only if they find Digby first.
- Lu walks Auren back to the castle but they bump into Queen Kaila, who has magic that manipulates people’s voices.
- Queen Kaila says she plans to marry Midas and is cool with Auren leaving. She’s going to kill Mist and the baby though.
- Auren goes to warn Mist but Mist doesn’t want to hear it. Mist goes to tell Midas.
- Midas takes Auren to the dungeons where Digby is. Digby is super injured and unable to move.
- Midas drugs Auren and she hits him and he cuts off her ribbons.
- Midas takes a drugged Auren to the ball. She ruins his opening speech by not turning the bannister into gold. He’s angry. She has burned through the drugs.
- Midas threatens to kill Commander Rip. Lol.
- Prince Niven is poisoned and dies. People blame King Ravinger because he tends to kill things with his powers. Auren goes to protect Slade. She calls Midas out for being a faker.
- Auren learns that Midas is Bardon East, the thief lord she was trying to escape from years ago. He has worked his way up to king by deceiving everyone.
- Fake Rip is revealed to be Slade’s brother, lol.
- Auren showers everything in gold. She melts the entire castle, which she has gilded over her time there. She traps Midas in the wall and kills him. RIP.
- Queen Kaila manages to escape.
- Auren loses control and isn’t able to bring her power back in. Slade uses his rot power on her to knock her out. He and his Wrath escape with Auren.
This is a full plot summary of what happened in Gleam by Raven Kennedy. Check out our recap list for more recaps. If you can’t find what you need, you can request a recap from us!
