A Soul of Ash and Blood

Sensing Poppy’s unease with reentering the garden, Cas talks to Poppy about losing his brother and best friend in a previously loved location. They both hope the other can find a way to overcome the traumatic memories that stole meaningful parts of their lives. Poppy confesses to feeling lucky that her parents died when she was so young. Her memories of them are blurry and, therefore, less painful. She pities her older brother, who surely remembers them more clearly, and she misses seeing her brother since his Ascension. When Poppy wishes for Cas to see his brother again soon, Cas grows incredibly guilty about his plan to rescue him.

As Cas leads Poppy to a large willow tree, the pair grows more playful. Poppy recalls the tree during a snowstorm, detailing how otherworldly it looked. She hopes Cas will see the tree in the snow before Poppy departs for the capital. Poppy hints at running away, believing it will be more difficult under the Blood Queen’s direct watch. Though it is too dark for Poppy to see, Cas spots a bench, sits, and pulls Poppy onto his lap. Poppy calls Cas’s actions “inappropriate” but doesn’t pull away.