The Embrace of Steel and Sorrow by K.L. Devore

Here is a summary with spoilers for The Embrace of Steel and Sorrow by K.L. Devore

In the prologue, Princess Gray is being tortured. She is keeping a secret, something involving a young boy destroying a playground. As the torture continues, Gray begins to lose her memories and no longer remembers much of her past.

Chrome works for King Forest as his personal assassin, despite being only sixteen years old. He hates his life, especially his abusive parents, but he is a product of both elemental and kinetic blood, making him extremely powerful. One day, while out on a mission, a man named Valik introduces himself. He tells Chrome that both he and Princess Gray are the key to Forest’s goals. Chrome is the ultimate weapon, and Gray is the ultimate prize. Valik explains that if Chrome wants to stop the king, he must sway the princess. Chrome already knows part of this, since Gray is also a hybrid. The king has kept them separated for years, but what few people know is that Chrome can sense Gray’s emotions and has been able to for a long time.

Valik also tells Chrome that he knows who his father is, King Silas, and that Chrome was bred on purpose, just like Gray. After Valik leaves, Chrome goes to his best friend and chosen brother, Slate, and tells him everything. They decide not to tell anyone, including Slate’s parents, who are part of the insurgency. However, Chrome does want Slate to begin training the princess in combat.

Soon, a ceremony is held, a branding ceremony meant to put Chrome on display. He is presented before King Forest and branded a living hero for killing an enemy. Chrome hates it, but he is used to the pain by now. During the ceremony, he feels Gray hurting and asks Slate to handle the training. Unable to take it any longer, Chrome decides to sneak into the castle to find Gray. He finds her and reintroduces himself to a very timid princess. Their conversation is short, and Chrome leaves before they are caught, but it is already too late. He is captured by his stepfather and tormentor, Grim.

Meanwhile, Slate receives a summons from King Forest calling all Kinetics to the square. The king decides to publicly discipline his daughter and brings out Princess Gray. Slate cannot bear to watch her torture. Overwhelmed by the urge to protect her, he runs away and promises himself that he will find her and train her properly.

Chrome is punished by Grim, who has tortured him for years and knows exactly how to push him to the brink. Once he is finally released, Chrome encounters a new man who introduces himself as Orion and claims to be his uncle. Chrome reacts with violence, unable to understand why family would abandon him like that. Orion apologizes and disappears, promising to return someday when Chrome needs help.

Chrome returns home to Slate, increasingly worried about Princess Gray. The emotions he usually pushes away from her are darker than ever. When those feelings turn into pain, Chrome realizes Gray is killing herself. Slate rushes to her and finds her slowly dying in an abandoned stairwell. He brings her home, gives her an antidote, and with the help of his mother, nurses her back to health. Gray is furious that they saved her. Now that an adult has seen what Gray is enduring, Slate’s mother approaches the king and suggests that the princess begin training for her own protection, with her son as the trainer. The king agrees. From then on, Slate and Gray train together every morning.

Chrome continues running missions for both the king and the insurgency. One day, while reporting near the castle, he runs into Gray. Their conversation is brief since they know they are being watched, but Chrome tells her that he cares about her and believes in her. Grim quickly intervenes, demanding to know what Chrome said to the princess. Chrome refuses to answer, triggering another torture session. Afterward, he decides he no longer cares and seeks Gray out again. They meet in an abandoned garage, where they finally have privacy. They talk, then share a kiss, but are interrupted when Valik appears through a portal. He reveals that Chrome and Gray are twin mates and mentions more about the insurgency. Realizing how little Gray knows, Valik wipes her memory of him. When Valik leaves, Gray once again wants to kill Chrome.

Slate decides to confront Valik himself, knowing Chrome cannot. He tells Valik that he intends to protect their king and queen.

Later, Chrome is on a rooftop with friends when things turn dangerous. He is captured and subjected to yet another round of torture. After a week, he is dragged from the tunnels into the square and forced to watch Gray endure another public punishment. Grim warns him that every time Chrome disobeys, Gray and his own sister will be punished as well. Chrome begins to wonder if it is time to leave the insurgency altogether.

Slate has not seen Gray in some time. Her punishments have been severe, but he goes searching for her anyway. He finds her being bullied and intervenes. Later, Gray tells him about an incident from her childhood involving a playground. Slate realizes it was connected to Chrome and wonders if talking about it more could restore her memories. He also grows increasingly worried since it has been two weeks since he last saw Chrome.

Chrome has given up. He accepts death and feels at peace with it. Just as he is about to die, Valik appears and tells him it is not time to break yet. Valik feeds him energy, admitting he should have done so long ago. The power strengthens Chrome, and Grim and King Forest are pleased to see that their three-week experiment worked. Chrome is released, stronger than before.

Slate is on an insurgency mission with his sister when they realize they are being overheard by one of King Forest’s councilmen. The man intends to report them for royal betrayal. They cannot let him escape and engage him in a fight, but Chrome arrives and brutally kills the councilman. Slate is deeply disturbed by how much Chrome has changed.

Chrome knows he is different now. His sister Peri sees it too. She wants to help and be treated like an adult, insisting on joining him to find the Endarkened. Chrome hesitates but ultimately agrees.

Slate continues training Gray. After a particularly intense session, they kiss. Chrome sees this just before leaving on a mission with Peri and is devastated, but he continues anyway. The mission to find the Endarkened goes horribly wrong, ending with a building collapsing on Chrome while Peri escapes. Grim finds Chrome and subjects him to an especially brutal torture, determined to break him and uncover his true plans. Under torture, Chrome reveals his lineage, enraging both Grim and King Forest. They decide to destroy him completely.

Over the next month, Slate watches Gray grow stronger and more skilled. When one of her bullies challenges her to a fight, she defeats him. Slate remains worried about Chrome, who has been missing for a month. His concern deepens when Chrome’s mother confronts him about the death of an officer. Slate is forced to admit that Chrome was responsible.

After a month of torture, Chrome barely remembers himself. His power is gone, and he craves more. He is becoming Endarkened. The king pushes further by bringing in Peri. She panics when she sees Chrome in his broken state. Chrome does not recognize her, only her power, which he drains until she dies. When Chrome realizes what he has done, he is devastated. He unleashes his remaining power, slaughters the guards, and escapes, wiping out the entire Warriors Guild garrison.

Slate is home during the chaos, receiving fragmented updates. Later, while with his father, the news breaks that Chrome Freyr is dead, killed by the lost elemental prince, Griffin Silas. King Forest declares war on the Elementals. Slate is heartbroken and full of unanswered questions.

Seeking answers, Slate goes to Amethyst, Chrome’s mother. She admits that she loved her son deeply but was never allowed to show it under the king’s scrutiny. She knew Chrome was being tortured but not to what extent. All she ever wanted was for him to be happy. She then reveals that Chrome is still alive.

Before disappearing to wage his own war, Chrome asks Valik to open a portal so he can see Gray one last time. He tells her to be happy and kisses her before Valik erases her memories of him. Chrome asks Valik to erase his memories of Gray as well, but Valik refuses.

Valik later approaches Slate and tells him it is time to accept the Guardian bond with Gray. Slate accepts the bond to the true queen of Arcadia, which also binds him to her Twin Soul.

As Chrome prepares for war, Orion returns and offers his help. Chrome refuses, still unable to trust him. Orion promises to stand with him when the time comes, and Chrome vows not to kill any Elementals during his vendetta. After Orion leaves, another man appears and introduces himself as Shadow Freyr.