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Read a full summary of King’s Cage, book #3 of the Red Queen series now!  This page is full of spoilers so beware. If you are wondering what happened in King’s Cage, you are in the right place!

Author
Victoria Aveyard

Ratings
4.0 stars on Amazon
4.02 stars on Goodreads
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The Red Queen Series
#0.5 Cruel Crown (synopsis)
#1 Red Queen (this page)
#2 Glass Sword (recap)
#3 King’s Cage (recap)
#4 War Storm (synopsis)
Companion stories: Broken Throne (synopsis)

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in King’s Cage?

King’s Cage starts where Glass Sword left off. Mare has turned herself in after the death of her brother Shade in an attempt to save her friends. King Maven held to his end of the bargain and did not pursue them. Now, however, he holds Mare prisoner and televises her capture. They make her out to be the leader of the Scarlet Guard. Many believe the lies that Maven spins but even some Silvers are against Maven and his tactics.

Maven, who is engaged to Evangeline, locks Mare away in his castle. Mare is under constant guard by the Arvens and wears manacles that suppress her lightning.

Finally, she is called forward by Evangeline. She has had enough of Mare’s easy treatment and insists that she be interrogated. A man named Samson does the deed. He is able to extract information from her mind in a very painful process. He also makes her relive her mistakes and Shade’s death.

Cameron, a newblood who is able to silence other’s powers, is with the Scarlet Guard division that is led by Farley. They are in the tunnels of Isabelle, a Scarlet Guard stronghold near a city called Trial. She only wishes to save her brother but finds herself with the somewhat fractured guard. Cal can’t seem to find his place, and most of the reds don’t trust him. Cameron certainly doesn’t trust any of the Silvers among them. Including Cal. Cal is busy trying to save as many Silver lives as possible, a sentiment that Cameron doesn’t share. She follows him to a secret room and suspects him of communicating with someone on the outside though she doesn’t know who.

Mare passes out after her interrogation with Samson but finally wakes to find that Maven has been sitting with her. He seems to have some feelings for her. Mare is grieved for the person that she had thought he was. Maven is going to use her by forcing her to appear at court as a rescued newblood.

She attempts to escape but is unsuccessful. For all the world to see, Mavin spins a tale that Mare escaped the Scarlet Guard who wants nothing more than to make a new, all red society. He says Mare came to him willingly and he promises newbloods sanctuary from the scary Scarlet Guard.

Most of her friends know that this is all a show but some, even in the Scarlet Guard begin to mistrust Mare.

Mare finds that the traitor, Jon is there in Maven’s court.

Cameron and the Scarlet Guard make plans to put their first assault into action at a place called Corvium. Cal does not think that they can succeed against the fortress.

Mare learns that Maven’s mother masterfully manipulated his mind when she was alive. Maven, even now, isn’t sure where her unnatural influence leaves off and his own will kicks in. He once had a close friend named Thomas that he loved but accidentally killed when he lost control.

Eventually, the newbloods start to trickle in at Maven’s beckoning. They are asked to display their powers. One older woman can easily determine what a person’s powers are. She outs Nanny, Mare’s friend, who had been sent by Cal to try to rescue Mare. Nanny had been posing as a man by changing her appearance. She commits suicide before she can be questioned.

After this Mare begins reading her old tutor, Julian’s books. They include old histories of how the silvers were once oppressed by the reds. Mare can’t believe that it was ever true.

Two princes from Piedmont, one of Maven’s ally cities, pays a visit. They question Mare about the Scarlet Guard and if they are in Piedmont. They also ask if Mare knows where their missing prince and princess are.

Later at a ball, a group of Maven’s own families, Iral, Haven, and Laris, attempt to assassinate Maven. They wish to put Cal back on the throne. Jon saves Mare from a bullet, but he escapes the room without her. He doesn’t return to court. Maven is shot, but a skin healer saves him.

After this, Maven clears away most of the families from his court. He no longer trusts anyone. He begins spending more time with Mare. She tries to manipulate him by using his feelings for her against him.

Cal talks the Scarlet Guard into waiting to attack Corvium saying that Maven is causing his own downfall.

Mare learns that it was Cal that created the machine that took Mare’s power away.

Maven takes Mare, Evangeline, and many others on a coronation tour. He speaks before reds in an attempt to bring them to his side. To make them think that he has their best interest at heart. Some are falling for his lies.

As they travel to Rocasta, a military city, Mare learns that Maven and other royals see the never-ending wars as a way to control the red blood population. Maven has already blackmailed the Lakelands into becoming his ally.

What they find in Rocasta is a hospital full of bleeding silvers. The Scarlet Guard has taken Corvium.

Cameron and Farley enter the city. Cal brings some silvers under his protection when they surrender. Some silvers flee, many are killed. Cameron learns that Maven has taken a group of red soldiers hostage. Cameron’s brother, Morrey, among them. She runs off to save him, but Cal catches up and offers to help. Cal hopes to exchange the slaves for the Silver’s freedom. Cameron has other plans. Cameron saves them on her own, and many silvers die. When she gets the red soldiers away after a fight, she finds that they have been fed lies by Maven and they do not trust Cameron or any of the Scarlet Guard.

Maven takes Mare and the rest of his entourage into the Choke where he strikes a deal with the king of the Lakelands. Their two territories have been at war for years, but now they will call a truce as they, together, eradicate the Scarlet Guard. Evangeline is cast aside as Maven accepts an engagement with the Lakeland princess, Iris. They all return to Maven’s castle.

Two months pass and Mare learns more from Julian’s books—that the Silver abilities “came from corruption, from a scourge that killed most. We were not god’s chosen, but a god’s cursed.”

Evangeline uses Mare to disrupt Maven. They all know that Mare is his weakness. But Maven still marries Iris. After the wedding, a storm cloud gathers. It is another newblood with Mare’s own ability, and she comes with the Scarlet Guard. Evangeline helps Mare get away and frees her power. In exchange Mare promises not to kill Evangeline’s brother.

During the following battle Mare and Cal are reunited but the Mind Whisperer, Samson, forces them to fight each other. Finally, they kill Samson and get away.

Evangeline and her family, Family Samos, uses the distraction to make a getaway. They are going to start their own monarchy, with her father at the head. Evangeline is happy because she can be with her lover, Elane, and have a crown without marrying anyone.

When Mare and company reach the Piedmont branch of the Scarlet guard, Mare’s family is there, and she spends time reuniting with them as well as her friend Kilorn. Soon she is debriefing everything she knows.

Farley has her baby. The father is Shade, Mare’s deceased brother.

Mare meets the General of the Scarlet Guard, Dane Davidson. They were the ones that took the Bracken children, the princess and prince of Piedmont.

Mare and Cal spend a lot of time training. She also trains with the other electricons.

Evangeline’s family gathers while others declare their loyalty. Cal’s grandmother, Anabel of house Lerolan, joins and declares that she cannot support them while Cal lives and should be made king. She is going back on her bargain to support them if they let Mare go. She tells them that they can have the Rift but not Norta. For the moment the Rift will support the Scarlet Guard against Maven. She makes an agreement that Cal will marry Evangeline to join their two nations. Evangeline is livid.

Mare’s family wants her to leave with them and get away from this war. She says she can’t. Cameron decides to stay around to defend and help how she can, but she doesn’t want to fight and become a monster.

Cal confesses that he had contact with his grandmother and that on his behalf, she made the deal for Mare’s rescue. He tells Mare that he loves her.

How does King’s Cage end?

The Scarlet Guard learns that Maven is attacking Corvium, the stronghold that the Scarlet guard currently occupies. The Rift has agreed to help them, an alliance that everyone is uncomfortable with. They all travel to Corvium, and together they fight off Maven’s army in the rain. The Rift arrives just in time. The king of the Lakelands is killed.

Afterward, Mare, Cal, and leaders of the scarlet guard meet up with Evangeline and other leaders from the Rift. They offer Cal his place back on the throne, but the Scarlet Guard are opposed to this decision. Evangeline hopes that Mare’s temper will ruin all alliances. Cal makes a speech about changing the old ways, and most Silvers pretend to agree. Cal is hesitant but accepts his throne. Both Evangeline and Mare are devastated by this decision.

Mare walks away from Cal. The Scarlet Guard is going to let the Silvers destroy each other in their battle for control.

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There you go! That’s what happened in King’s Cage. Hope you enjoyed this recap of King’s Cage with spoilers.

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13 thoughts on “What happened in King’s Cage (Red Queen #3)”

  1. Thank you very much for this recap. I was really struggling to remember the details of King’s Cage!

  2. Thank you! i need a refresher before i start the War Storm. Good job.

  3. thanks again for the info – as an avid reader i need a recap before i start the next book and you saved me from having to re read the series!

  4. I needed a good recap before I read War Storm, thank you so much! This helped!

  5. Thanks so much for the recap!!! I just got War Storm after being on hold and I realized I kinda forgot some of the details of King’s Cage and I didn’t want to risk getting on hold for King’s Cage then run out of time to read War Storm and get on hold AGAIN, so thanks because now I don’t!! 🙂

  6. Thanks for that.. Really helpful for a recap before starting War Storm.. 🙂

  7. Thanks for that.. Really helpful for a recap before starting War Storm.. 🙂

  8. Just like everyone else, I needed the recap before War Storm. Thanks so much!

  9. Thanks for the recap! I’m rereading the series but don’t own King’s cage and my library is closed for weeks because of COVID19. Super helpful to fill in the gaps!

  10. Pretty helpful, maybe a few more details. But overall, recapped the book well.

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