The War of Two Queens

Dreams are a motif throughout the book to illustrate The Conflict Between Fate and Free Will. Several of the dreams are nightmares from Poppy’s past, where she relives the traumatic childhood memory of the death of her adoptive mother, Coralena. She also dreams of Seraphena crying. While it shows the fear and helplessness that have haunted Poppy throughout her life, it also foreshadows her true identity, which is revealed at the novel’s end. The dark figure in the dreams is later revealed to be Malik, who could not bring himself to kill Poppy despite her role in the prophecy. In the dream, Malik and Coralena argue over Poppy’s fate: “‘She will be the end of everything.’ ‘Or she is just the end of them. A beginning’” (286). This references Poppy’s true identity as the Primal of Life and Death. The “end of them” referenced by Coralena is the end of the previous cycle of Primals and the beginning of a new one.

However, the majority of the dreams are not abstract but instead are literal connections between characters. For example, while he is still being held captive by Isbeth, Casteel and Poppy can visit each other’s dreams and communicate, an ability that stems from their connection as heartmates.