Stunning photo by @onetruedaydreamer!

Hey fairy friends!

Welcome to our fifth and final day of Long Live Evil readalong! Are you ready? I’m not. I think we’re about to get hurt! 👀

Today we’re reading from Chapter 27 to the end of the book.

When you’ve finished today’s section, catch up with me in the comments down below so we can discuss the ending of the book. Happy reading!

Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan from Chapter 27 to the end of the book. Please only read on if you have finished Long Live Evil!

-!SPOILERS!-

The King is here, and he wants to see Rahela. In a turn of events I definitely didn’t see coming, I think he’s here to declare his love? 👀 He wants her to be Queen.

Key steps into try and protect Rahela and is ordered to be whipped again… ’til death this time. Before his demise, Emer tells him how dumb he’s been. Charming! He argues that they shared real secrets but Emer tells him Rahela has literally never been sick in her life. Oh, Key. It was TRUE THOUGH. It was Rae!!!

After Rae’s secured the viper bracelet, she’s put between a rock and a hard place. Does she tell Key she didn’t lie and risk losing her chance to get the flower? Or does she back up the King…

She backs up the King. She tells Key he was stupid to believe her… and the King orders his throat slit. I…

I’m gonna need a moment. 😭😭😭 HE WAS OUR FAVOURITE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Am I too naive? I did NOT see that coming, like I am so thoroughly shook right now. I thought he’d escape!

Key is gone, but Emer’s safe for now. She goes OFF on Rahela about how much she hurt her. We know it wasn’t Rahela but Rae apologises nonetheless and tells her she knows she’s real. Tells her to call her Rae. Has Key’s death finally made her see these characters have real lives and real hearts?

As if this wasn’t bad enough, there’s another issue brewing. Marius is visiting the Oracle, he wants to know Eric’s true origin – something he can find out now he knows his actual name. He knows absolutely everything now. What will he do though? I’m still high-key hoping he’s redeemable. Someone’s gotta be.

Maybe not redeemable then, Marius thinks the right thing to do is to kill Eric. I mean, do we always have to do the right thing? Double denim isn’t right but I do it anyway. 😭

It’s all happening now. Ghouls are calling from the dread ravine. The Flower of Life and Death is Blooming. WAR is coming. My gosh what a final section!!!

These characters are all so questionable (which I absolutely love) but I definitely think Rae knowing of them before entering the story has definitely made her put too much trust in them. Especially when the story started to change and she didn’t think to question any of them until it was too late! Octavian is not at all like her fave character. In fact, this whole time he’s been trying to unalive her. He was responsible for the assassins. This is probably also a good moment to mention, whilst Rae didn’t see any of this coming… neither did I so who am I to judge. 😂😂😂

Regardless of Eyam crumbling around her, Rae manages to get the flower. All she has to do is open the door but right now, with things the way they are? She can’t. It’s all too real to her now and she has to help the people of Eyam. And so, she greets the King with a final prophecy. Octavian will fall a long, long way. Then our gal proceeds to yeet him into the dread ravine.

I mean, for a villain, was that not an incredibly heroic moment??????

Omg omg omg omg omg

I’m not ok!!! Marius CAN’T LET THE COBRA GO. I KNEW he was redeemable!

Instead of ending him, he swears a new vow, a new oath to Eric! He’s dishonoured and damned now, but he cares for him. So… I’m really bad at reading things but is this a romantic kind of care? Cause he was never interested in Lia. 👀 I’d love that.

Anyway, our new Chivalry Bros, Warriors in Arms are going to the brothel! What else would you do in the middle of a revolution?

Except, the whole time the Cobra has been using his knowledge of the book for good. Whilst letting everyone believe him to be a villain, his brothel is actually a refuge. He’s been saving refugees this whole time!

They decide they can’t go back for Rae. Honestly, kinda respect it!

Meanwhile, Rae’s holding her own right now! She saves Lia, who in return gives her her gauntlet. Emer and Lia romantically run off into the blood soaked sunset together, just in time for the Emperor to reappear.

Along their escape route, Lia and Emer find more ghouls but they’re saying Rahela’s name. It reminds Lia of something her sister once said and it clicks into place. It’s all the Emperor’s doing. They’re going back for her!

Emer and Lia might be too late though…

The Emperor isn’t quite who we thought. “My lady” – two words have never given me such chills. Rae forgot a very important factor in Key’s name – he’s quite literally the key to the narrative. The King and the Emperor were never actually the same person. Instead, Key’s corpse is the Emperor and he’s not happy. I mean, I wouldn’t be either but what a twist!!!

Not only that, he tells her he “changed the story for her”… WHAT?!

Together, Rae and Key, Rahela and the Emperor ascend the throne and we leave them on these words…

“Evil wins at last, my lady.”

For the first time in my life, in my long 29 years… I might be speechless!

I am notoriously bad at guessing plot twists anyway but that really knocked me for six – I didn’t guess ANY OF THIS!!! 😱

Did you see this coming?
What did you think of that final section?
What would you rate Long Live Evil overall?
Any theories for book two?

What a BOOK! I’ve been loving reading all of your reactions to this too. Thank you so much for reading with me!

Love,
Shannon