Book Summary – Wicked – Wicked – Book 1
- Jason Montero
- Jan 12
- 16 min read
Iron doesn’t burn like betrayal does, and the sweltering heat of New Orleans can’t hide the truths lurking in every shadowed corner. In Wicked, Jennifer L. Armentrout delivers a story where stakes pierce more than just flesh—they tear through illusions, fears, and the delicate line between survival and surrender.
Ivy Morgan isn’t just a member of the Order—she’s a wound walking on two legs, stitched together with duty, grief, and an attraction that refuses to fade. Between ancient fae immune to iron and passions as dangerous as blades, this book summary by chapter uncovers how a single hunt unravels a world built on secrets—and reveals that the deadliest thing of all might lie within herself.
But no story stands alone. If you want to understand the full scope of this world—where it starts, how it unfolds, and why each book matters—you need the complete timeline. Everything begins here: Reading order of the Wicked Trilogy ➤
Chapter-by-Chapter Summary
Chapter 1 Summary – Wicked – The Heat of New Orleans and the First Hunt
Ivy Morgan endures suffocating heat on a New Orleans terrace while studying philosophy and talking with her friend Valerie Adrieux, who offers her iced coffee in exchange for covering her night shift in the French Quarter. Amid jokes, the reality of her work in the Order emerges, an organization dedicated to hunting fae hidden among humans thanks to the protection of clovers. Ivy identifies an ordinary-looking woman as a dangerous fae and recalls the recent deaths within the Order, reflecting the constant threat they face. Valerie leaves to eliminate the creature, and Ivy reflects on her past, the loss of her family, and the weight of her duty. As evening falls, Ivy detects another fae on Bourbon Street, follows it into an alley, and confronts it using an iron stake. The attack is effective and the creature is sent to the Otherworld, but not before leaving a final warning.
Chapter 2 Summary – Wicked – The Fae Who Does Not Fear Iron
During a night hunt, Ivy Morgan follows a fae into an alley and attacks it with an iron stake, but the appearance of another being changes the rules. This new fae has no silver skin, conjures a weapon out of nothing, and survives iron without any harm. Ivy tries to flee, is shot, and manages to reach the Order’s headquarters wounded. There she is treated by Harris and introduced to Ren Owens, a recently arrived member. David Faustin listens to her account and questions what happened, since fae do not use weapons or resist iron. Ivy insists on what she saw and raises a feared possibility: the existence of an ancient fae in the mortal world. David decides to investigate with other sects and orders silence to avoid panic, removing Ivy from active duty. Though she obeys, Ivy senses that the encounter marks the beginning of something dangerous that threatens to alter the balance between the Order and the fae.
Chapter 3 Summary – Wicked – The Ancient Walks Among Mortals
Ivy Morgan returns home wounded and reflects on the possibility that an ancient fae is loose in New Orleans. There she meets Tink, a brownie she rescued some time ago and keeps hidden, who confirms the danger the ancients represent and mentions having seen the prince of the Otherworld. Despite being ordered to rest, Ivy goes out to patrol and notices the unsettling absence of fae in their usual areas. In a bar, she crosses paths with Trent Frost, whose attitude provokes a confrontation that forces her to leave. Shortly after, Ivy sees the fae who attacked her the previous night feeding on a human in the middle of the street. Rage drives her to follow him, but someone stops her by force. The stranger introduces himself with a firm voice, calls her Merida, and asks her to calm down. When he releases her, Ivy finds herself face to face with intense green eyes she immediately recognizes as Ren Owens’s.
Other Books or Series – Jennifer L. Armentrout
Blood and Ash
Flesh and Fire
Lux
Covenant
Titan
The Dark Elements
Harbinger
Wicked Trilogy
The Vincent Boys
Wait for You
Frigid
Awakening
Chapter 4 Summary – Wicked – The Stranger Who Speaks of Ancients
Ivy Morgan recognizes the green-eyed stranger as Ren Owens when he intercepts her in the street and prevents her from attacking a fae. Ren claims the creature is an ancient and that she nearly died, which sparks her distrust and anger. Although Ivy insists she was only doing her job, Ren explains that ancients are not common fae and that there are more of them in the city. Later, at the Order’s headquarters, Trent publicly discredits Ivy during a meeting, provoking a tense confrontation. David Faustin reprimands Ivy for speaking too freely but decides to assign her as Ren’s mandatory companion for several days, forbidding her from hunting. Ivy reluctantly accepts to avoid dishonoring the memory of her fallen family and friends. The decision leaves her humiliated, angry, and trapped in a forced alliance with someone she does not fully trust.
Chapter 5 Summary – Wicked – An Intruder in the Bedroom
Ivy Morgan wakes in shock to find Ren Owens sitting on her bed, watching her in the darkness of her bedroom. Convinced he is a threat, she attacks him swiftly, but Ren restrains her with ease, increasing her anger and humiliation. During the struggle, Ivy discovers that Ren entered through the balcony and that he investigated her file, which irritates her even more. The tension escalates when Tink briefly appears, trying to defend her. Ivy manages to turn the situation around and threatens Ren with an iron stake, demanding answers. Ren admits he belongs to the Elite, a secret organization within the Order dedicated to hunting ancients. He reveals that he is in New Orleans because of them and that he needed to speak with her before acting. Although Ivy feels betrayed by his silence toward David, she decides to listen, aware that the threat is real.
Chapter 6 Summary – Wicked – The Truth About the Ancients
Ivy Morgan agrees to go out with Ren Owens to hear what he knows about the ancients, convinced that talking outside her apartment is safer. In a late-night restaurant, Ren explains that the Elite has existed since the founding of the Order and specializes in hunting ancients, extremely powerful fae. He reveals that iron does not affect them and that they can only be killed with hawthorn stakes from the Otherworld. Ivy then understands why the ancient survived the attack and why no one in the Order believed her. Ren suspects the ancients are moving through the city because of a nearby portal and the autumn equinox. Later, he shows her one of them disguised as an influential human businessman. Ivy watches as the ancient seduces a woman in the middle of the street and grasps the magnitude of the danger. Though frustrated at not being able to intervene, she accepts that facing them now would be suicidal.
Chapter 7 Summary – Wicked – Blood on Bourbon and Shared Truths
Ivy Morgan patrols Bourbon Street with Ren Owens when an agitated crowd reveals a brutal attack. A human woman, tainted by fae blood, lunges at a man and rips out his throat in front of everyone. Ivy subdues the attacker while Ren tries to save the victim, but the man bleeds out and dies. Valerie Adrieux confirms that the woman is a lost cause, marked by blackened veins that prove prolonged feeding. As the police approach, Ren withdraws, shaken by the death. Ivy finds him washing blood from his hands in an alley, and they share a silence heavy with loss. A scooter nearly runs Ivy over, and Ren shields her, creating an unexpected moment of closeness. Emotional tension mixes with growing attraction, leaving Ivy confused. Later, she decides to trust Valerie and reveal the existence of the ancients and the Elite, accepting that the threat is real and close.
Chapter 8 Summary – Wicked – Confessions, Desire, and Allies
After the patrol, Ivy Morgan and Ren Owens continue working together without major incidents, though the closeness between them is uncomfortable. Ivy returns home, and Tink sparks an awkward conversation about Ren, stirring thoughts Ivy tries to deny. That night, memories and suppressed attraction resurface in intense dreams, forcing her to accept that her desire is still alive after years of grief. The next day, Ivy meets Valerie Adrieux at Lafayette Cemetery and confesses that she has seen ancients and knows a developer named Marlon St. Cyers. She also reveals the existence of the Elite and Ren’s involvement. Valerie believes Ivy and decides to help, suggesting that the ancients may be trying to open portals to free others of their kind. The conversation strengthens their alliance and brings Ivy some relief, as she realizes she cannot face the threat alone. Even so, unease lingers, and Ren’s name remains present in her thoughts.
Chapter 9 Summary – Wicked – A Blue Rose and a Dangerous Pact
Ivy Morgan visits Brighton and Merle’s house without finding them, but she senses a strange presence in the garden and later feels that someone is watching her on the way home. That night, Ren Owens waits for her outside Mama Lousy’s and gives her a blue rose that stirs conflicting emotions. Inside the shop, Ren confronts Jerome over his rough treatment of Ivy, revealing his protective nature. During patrol, their conversation turns to studies, life choices, and the difficulty of leaving the Order. Ren shows genuine interest in Ivy and who she is beyond hunting. Later, he leads her to a motorcycle and suggests she join him to investigate the ancients. Though Ivy hesitates, she accepts and climbs on with him, aware of the danger and the growing attraction between them. The gesture seals a personal and professional alliance that promises complications, risks, and a closeness impossible to ignore.
Chapter 10 Summary – Wicked – The Flux Club and the Hunt in the Shadows
Ivy Morgan rides with Ren Owens on his motorcycle to the business district to keep watch on Marlon, an ancient fae who frequents the Flux club. During the ride, physical closeness and conversation reveal fragments of their pasts, family losses, and the pressure of growing up within the Order. They observe Marlon meeting with another ancient and discover the unsettling presence of human police officers collaborating with fae. In a nearby alley, a violent confrontation erupts against several fae, where Ivy and Ren fight back to back to save a human and eliminate their attackers. Ivy is wounded again, and the emotional tension between them intensifies as they brush against dangerous boundaries. Just as the situation seems under control, they receive a code red message. The news interrupts any personal impulse and confirms that a member of the Order has been murdered, forcing them to return immediately to headquarters.
Chapter 11 Summary – Wicked – Trent’s Death and Growing Suspicions
Ivy Morgan returns to St. Phillip’s headquarters overwhelmed by fear of losing Valerie Adrieux after receiving a code red. Relief comes when Valerie appears unharmed, but the tension shatters with the announcement of Trent’s death, found tortured near St. Louis Cemetery. David Faustin informs everyone that members will work in pairs and assigns Ivy alongside Ren Owens. The manner of Trent’s death raises suspicions about the portals and the possible involvement of ancients, while Ivy notices contradictions in David’s answers. Later, David and Miles Daily question Ivy about her whereabouts, planting unease that she tries to rationalize. After leaving the group, Ivy reflects with Ren on the recent murders and the possibility of a traitor within the Order. They conclude that the Flux club is key and decide to infiltrate it to uncover what is really happening behind its doors.
Chapter 12 Summary – Wicked – Infiltration and Desire Among Fae
Ivy Morgan reflects on the absence of funerals in the Order and how Trent’s death marks a breaking point in her life. Throughout the week, she keeps watch on the Flux club with Ren Owens and confirms the presence of several ancient fae in the city. On Saturday, Ivy prepares to infiltrate the club, hiding weapons beneath a dress chosen against her will, while Tink voices his distrust of Ren. When they meet, the attraction between Ivy and Ren becomes impossible to ignore, though both remember their true objective. Inside the Flux, they discover an environment dominated by fae mingling with humans, feeding and hiding in plain sight. When they spot the ancient who shot Ivy, they are forced to blend into the crowd, simulating intimacy to avoid being discovered. Erotic tension threatens to spiral out of control until Ivy recognizes Marlon in the club, snapping the focus back to the mission and the imminent danger.
Chapter 13 Summary – Wicked – The Flux Club and the Saving Alarm
Ivy Morgan infiltrates the private area of the Flux club to observe Marlon and other ancient fae while Ren Owens keeps watch from the bar. Ivy overhears disturbing fragments about deaths within the Order and the possible location of a portal, confirming that the ancients are planning a coordinated attack. She witnesses a fae feeding on a human waitress, fights the urge to intervene, and is exposed when another fae attempts to seduce her. On the verge of being discovered, the fire alarm erupts in the club and plunges everything into chaos. Ivy manages to escape through the disoriented crowd and reunites with Ren during the getaway. Once safe, she reveals what she heard about the portal and the murdered guardians. Ren admits the situation is critical and raises the possibility of a traitor within the Order. Both realize that time is running out and that the threat is far greater than expected.
Chapter 14 Summary – Wicked – Trust, Memories, and Merle’s House
After the night at the club, Ivy Morgan tries to sort through her emotions and talks with Jo Ann about Ren Owens, desire, the loss of Shaun, and the guilt of moving on. She acknowledges that she trusts Ren and decides to take him to meet Brighton and her mother Merle, a former influential member of the Order. At the house, Merle proves to know more than expected about the Elite, the ancients, and Ren’s mission. She reveals that she was once a guardian and that there are two portals to the Otherworld in New Orleans, one in a sanctuary and another in a place where nothing rests. Her words turn cryptic and unsettling as she warns about the fae prince and princess and demands that Ren find a demi-human. The conversation ends abruptly when Merle becomes agitated and injures herself. Ivy and Ren leave with more questions than answers and a growing sense of unease.
Chapter 15 Summary – Wicked – The Demi-Human Secret and Ren’s Confession
Ivy Morgan accompanies Ren Owens to his apartment to demand the truth after what happened with Merle. There, Ren reveals that a demi-human is the descendant of a human and a fae, and that the Elite not only hunts ancients but also these hybrids, since their existence can open all the world’s portals with no way to close them. He explains that they are searching for a demi-human in New Orleans and that many often belong to the Order and are adopted. Ivy fears she might be one of them, but Ren dismisses that possibility and confirms the tragic fate of others. He confesses the death of his best friend Noah, discovered to be a demi-human by accident, and the guilt he has carried ever since. Ivy understands the weight Ren bears and comforts him. The closeness between them deepens, and their emotional bond strengthens, even as danger surrounds them.
Chapter 16 Summary – Wicked – A Night of Normalcy and a Hidden Truth
Ivy and Ren give in to intense intimacy in the apartment, where desire coexists with shared sadness. Ivy discovers Ren’s tattoo, a permanent tribute to his lost friend, and the revelation strengthens a bond filled with comfort and attraction. They seek normalcy through closeness, touch, and companionship, trying for a few hours to set aside the threat of the equinox and the ancients. After spending the night together, they share rest, laughter, and affection that carries into the rain during an impulsive encounter in the street. The next morning, Ivy feels uneasy and begins to question Tink’s story. When she confronts him, the brownie confesses that his mission was to destroy portals and explains how the blood of ancients can open or seal them. He reveals that one was nullified in the nearby church, confirming an internal betrayal within the Order and raising the immediate danger looming over New Orleans.
Chapter 17 Summary – Wicked – Suspicions, Revelations, and a Hidden Portal
Ivy skips classes while trying to decide how to warn David without betraying Tink, caught between loyalty and fear. At headquarters, her relationship with Ren becomes evident to Valerie and others, adding tension to an already charged atmosphere. Ivy and Ren inform David about the presence of ancients, the plan to open a portal, and the collaboration between humans and fae, but he reacts with distrust and harshness. The situation escalates when Ren reveals his membership in the Elite to support the warning. David orders the room cleared and holds a private conversation with Ren, leaving Ivy outside and deepening her suspicions. Later, Miles hints that Trent had been investigating Ivy before his death, awakening a deep fear about her past. Finally, Ren confirms that both portals will be guarded and reveals the location of the second one: a building steeped in dark history on Royal Street.
Chapter 18 Summary – Wicked – Closeness, Fear, and an Unexpected Flight
The night passes without visible fae, reinforcing Ivy’s sense of foreboding. After the patrol, Ren asks her to come to his place, seeking refuge in closeness and a rare sense of normalcy. In the apartment, Ren gives her a hawthorn stake to face the ancients, a gesture of trust and protection. They decide to set danger aside for a few hours and share movies, laughter, and silence, strengthening a “we” they both want. Ivy agrees to stay the night, and physical closeness brings comfort and a deep intimacy that awakens long-repressed emotions. At dawn, however, fear of losing Ren and reliving old losses surges. Overcome by panic, Ivy pulls away abruptly and decides to leave, convinced that the bond cannot survive the violence surrounding them. She leaves alone, abandoning a connection that already matters too much.
Chapter 19 Summary – Wicked – Guilt, Truth, and Choosing the Now
Ivy endures an emotionally devastating Tuesday, burdened by guilt, fear, and denial after distancing herself from Ren. The Order meeting confirms the imminence of disaster: there will be no patrols, and many will not return alive. The confrontation with Ren explodes in the street under the rain; he accuses her of running away, and she is unable to explain her past. That night, alone and frightened, Ivy realizes she wants more than just survival and that her greatest fear is losing Ren. When he appears drenched at her door, she stops running and confesses the truth that haunts her: because of a teenage mistake, a fae manipulated her and caused the deaths of Shaun and her adoptive family. Ren does not judge her or minimize her guilt; he shares his own and anchors her to the present. Together they choose the “right now,” hold each other emotionally, and seal that choice with a kiss that is no longer an escape, but a conscious decision to be together.
Chapter 20 Summary – Wicked – Intimacy, Trust, and Secrets Revealed
Ren and Ivy surrender to a deep, consensual intimacy that goes beyond physical desire: it is connection, trust, and emotional repair. At dawn, the moment shatters when Ren discovers Tink and reacts violently, unaware that he is a brownie protected by Ivy. She reveals the secret: she found Tink injured years ago and chose to save him; he is her friend, and she would protect him with her life. Though Ren is wary, he agrees to keep the secret and listens to what Tink knows about the portals and the war against the fae. Rather than breaking them apart, the revelation strengthens Ivy and Ren’s bond, and they decide to spend the day together before the equinox. They share simple, happy time, aware it may be the last. As they prepare for battle, Tink begs Ivy not to go and warns her that there are fates worse than death if the portal opens, leaving an unease Ivy cannot ignore.
Chapter 21 Summary – Wicked – The Portal, the Betrayal, and the Open Door
Equinox night begins with extreme tension in the Royal Street house, where the Order guards the portal. Ivy and Ren reunite with a clear, sincere connection, fully aware of what they mean to each other. The portal is active and dangerous; the order is explicit: do not injure the ancients, as their blood opens doors. The attack erupts brutally as fae storm in, massacring members on the lower floor. The fight is savage and desperate. Ivy battles with precision, Ren displays terrifying lethality, and chaos consumes everything. In the midst of combat, Val attacks an ancient too close to the portal, ignoring warnings. Her stake opens the enemy’s throat, and the blood activates the door. The ancient vanishes, and the house falls into unnatural silence. Then Ivy grasps the ultimate horror: Val smiles. The locks begin to open one by one, and as the knob slowly turns, Ivy realizes the true threat did not come only from the Otherworld, but from someone she never suspected.
Chapter 22 Summary – Wicked – The Prince, the Betrayal, and the Forbidden Word
From the open portal emerges a living darkness that transforms into the knights of the Otherworld and, finally, the fae prince. His mere presence enforces absolute obedience: fae kneel, and the knights begin slaughtering the Order. Amid the chaos, Ivy sees Val leave willingly with the prince. Driven by guilt, duty, and denial, Ivy pursues them outside the house, convinced Val was coerced. The chase leads to Mama Lousy’s, where Ivy finds Harris murdered. Val escapes after closing a door, leaving Ivy alone with the prince. The confrontation is brutal and utterly unequal: the prince humiliates, dominates, and destroys her physically and psychologically. Just as Ivy is on the brink of death, the prince tastes her blood, freezes, and calls her “demi-human.” He then touches her chest and heals her with inner fire before fleeing as a crow. As Ivy loses consciousness, that word brands itself into her mind like a sentence.
Chapter 23 Summary – Wicked – The Truth Revealed and the Impossible Fate
Ivy awakens days later in the hospital, gravely injured but alive. Ren has remained at her side without leaving, devastated by having nearly lost her. He explains that the portal was closed, the knights have vanished, and sixteen members of the Order died. Val remains missing and is officially a traitor. Though the immediate danger seems contained, the prince’s word echoes relentlessly in Ivy’s mind: “demi-human.” Back home, cared for by Ren and Tink, Ivy tries to piece her life back together, but doubt becomes unbearable. The prince healed her when he should have killed her. Ivy decides to test the truth and wounds herself with a hawthorn stake. Her blood bubbles instantly, confirming the unthinkable. Tink admits what he always knew: Ivy carries hybrid blood. She is the demi-human the fae seek. The revelation shatters her—not only for what it means for her identity, but for the final, unbearable consequence: she is exactly what the prince needs… and exactly what the Order—and Ren—swore to destroy.
Conclusion – Wicked
The final page doesn’t end a story—it leaves the wound open. Wicked drags us through blood, longing, and betrayal, and it doesn’t close with a battle or a kiss, but with a single, forbidden word: demi-human. Ivy is no longer just a hunter—she’s a key, a threat, a target. And nothing she believed remains untouched.
Jennifer L. Armentrout doesn’t simply stage a war between worlds—she ignites an inner collapse: what do you do when you become the very thing you were sworn to destroy? The city is darker now, the Order fractured, and Ivy’s heartbeat carries a truth that can open every door… even those that should never be touched.
The next fall is closer than you think. If you’re ready to follow the path through thorns and secrets, don’t miss the Book summary by chapter of Torn ➤
