The Fragile Threads of Power

Lila awakens in the palace and goes to find Kell. She is uncomfortable with the wealth there and irritated that the servants call her “my lady” instead of “Captain.”

She finds Kell playing with Ren and has an uncomfortable conversation with Nadiya. Though Nadiya considers Lila family, Lila dislikes her. Nadiya tries to persuade Lila to let her study Lila’s Antari magic, saying, “Your magic holds the keys to countless doors. And yet, you choose to hoard it” (452). Nadiya adds that it could heal Kell, and Lila curses at her, drawing a dagger. However, she consents to give Nadiya a little of her blood to study in a teacup.

Alucard has a happy breakfast with his family and thinks about how different it is from his own childhood, where meals were always a chance for his father to become abusive. Rhy leaves to discuss plans for the solstice festival in a few weeks, ducking out before Alucard can chastise him for not canceling it. Alucard worries about the dangers of the Hand and the persalis, especially with the festival. He is interrupted by a young guard who reports some suspicious activity: A shop in the poorer district of town has caved in, and it looks like it was due to magic.

Kell knows that Lila is searching for the city, so he goes to the priest’s sanctuary. He knows Lila will not search there, and he also has many fond memories of training there as a child. When he reaches the Sanctuary, he pauses at the memorial tree for Tieren and thinks with grief of the many moments they shared.

Ezril, the new aven essen, comes to speak with him. He does not entirely trust her and isn’t sure why. She is much younger than Tieren was and very beautiful. He asks her for news of the Hand, and she says that they have heard rumors of a persalis. Kell tells her that she doesn’t know any more than they do. He also questions why she chose the priesthood, revealing that he knows her birth name: Ezril Nasaro. She is surprised but tells him that she wanted to be part of something greater than herself.

Lila wanders the city and buys some food from a market stall. She briefly considers buying a blade from someone and then decides to go find Haskin’s. She pulls out a pocket watch and intends to break it, giving her a pretense for the visit, but notices the time. It is close to 11, and she wonders if the message on the coin refers to a daytime meeting. She puts the watch away and heads for the mysterious address.

In White London, Kosika is never alone: Holland is her constant shadow, detectable only to her. At first, he appeared to her in dreams. He taught her about the other worlds and told her of his battle with Osaron. However, when she told him she had no desire to travel to any other world, he seemed displeased and disappeared. Kosika awoke the next morning to find him standing in her room, invisible to her servant Nasi. He explains to Kosika that he chose her for a purpose: “Your magic was once mine. My legacy is yours. I will guide your hands, if you let me” (478). She agrees, promising to be his servant, and he says that he will be her saint.

At the site of Haskin’s, Alucard and his guardsmen see a shimmering echo in the air—the spot where Tes opened a door between worlds. Despite bribing the locals, they can’t find much information about Haskin or his apprentice. Alucard spots a young man nearby who looks shocked and worried. It is Nero, Tes’s friend, and he asks after Tes. However, once Alucard begins to question him, he tries to run away. Alucard realizes that Nero has forbidden bone magic. Nero apologizes to Alucard before overpowering him and escaping.

Lila stands outside the meeting place, which is still empty. She hears someone following her and turns to attack them but is surprised to see Alucard. She shows him the coin and explains what she is doing there. He tells her that the small dot on the coin is Arnesian shorthand meaning either a full moon or a night with no moon. He tells her that he needs to show her something.

Back at Haskin’s, they examine the door. Lila remembers the magic card Maris gave her and realizes that she can use it to replay the scene. She heads to her ship to find it.

Tes awakes in Grey London and is offered tea by her rescuer, Ned. He explains that Kell used to use the tavern as a place to stay when he visited their world. Tes tells him she can tell that Ned has some magic, and Ned is pleased. She thanks him for his help and then leaves the tavern.

Tes walks through Grey London, taken aback at how colorless the river is. She uses the box to open a doorway back into Red London and steps through it.

In Red London, she heads to the docks and considers making a run for it. However, she doesn’t want to leave her new home. She thinks about hiring someone for protection but knows that she doesn’t have the money. While she is worrying about this, she sees Lila getting on the Grey Barron. Tes realizes that she can stick close to Lila since no one will be able to kidnap her without Lila intervening.

Bex and Calin sit in a tavern, drinking. Bex keeps redoing the location spell, hoping that Tes will show up. Calin makes fun of her and then dozes off. The spell finally tells Bex that Tes is in the city, and she leaves without Calin.

Tes follows Lila to the tavern Lila is staying at. Lila confronts her and asks why she’s following her. Tes tells her she needs help, and Lila laughs her off but becomes interested when Tes explains that she has the persalis. Just then, Bex attacks her. The two of them fight, and Bex stabs Tes before Lila overcomes her.

Tes tries to escape but runs into Kell, who asks if she is all right. Then, Calin attacks him, and a fight ensues, with Kell unable to use magic. Tes stops the fight by showing everyone the persalis and setting it on fire, destroying it.

Lila intimidates Bex and Calin, who flee. She and Kell take Tes back to their rooms at the palace. Kell urges Lila to heal Tes, who is rapidly losing blood, but Lila ruthlessly questions her about why she destroyed the persalis and what her talents are. After discovering that Tes is a tinkerer, Lila asks her if she can heal Kell. Tes tells her that she doesn’t tinker with living things.

Lila is furious and refuses to heal Tes, who is still bleeding. Kell finally intervenes and begins to heal her, but Lila interrupts him and finishes the job. Then, she calls for guards to take Tes to a prison cell, mockingly saying it is for her safety.

In her cell, Tes watches the soldiers on guard play with Vares, her skeleton owl. She wishes that she had left the city by ship when she had a chance. Suddenly, the queen appears, and the soldiers salute her.

In the palace, Kell, Alucard, Lila, and Rhy argue about whether Tes should attempt to heal Kell. Rhy says he is willing to take the risk, but Kell and Alucard disagree. Lila is angry with Kell and says he is resigned to his own suffering without trying to change things. She leaves in a fury, and Alucard decides to go to the dungeons to meet Tes. He asks the others to come with him.

In White London, Nasi, Lark, and Kosika are on a picnic. Kosika worries that the tithe is already fading from the city and that she cannot do enough to renew the magic. To distract her from her thoughts, Lark throws a cherry at her. She retaliates by growing a huge cherry tree that rains fruit on them all, to everyone’s delight.

Nadiya takes Tes to her workshop and offers her food. She explains that Tes has a rare gift and that there could be a place for her at court. She asks Tes to demonstrate for her, but Tes sees her gaze is hungry. Flashing back to her father, Tes uses her gift to trap Nadiya and then flees, apologizing.

Outside the palace, Bex and Calin catch Tes, drugging her unconscious.