Chapter summary
Chapter 14
Evie waits in the cold back room of the tavern, watching the wooden planks and the two children she expects to join her. The Villain—later identified as Trystan Maverine—enters in torchlight, looking like a death god. A brief exchange about “too much ale” versus wine lightens the mood before Malcolm, a young man with a bruised throat, arrives. Trystan grabs Malcolm, pressing an arm to his throat and demanding to know whether he’s working with the saboteur behind the recent clock explosion. Malcolm, gasping, claims ignorance about the clock’s purpose and then shockingly declares, “I’m your brother.” Trystan holds the pressure a beat longer while Evie hesitates, unsure whether to intervene.
Trystan releases Malcolm, who collapses, coughing, and taunts Trystan with a bitter “You didn’t… I really thought you were going to do it this time.” The Villain, now calmer, drapes Evie’s cloak over her shoulders, buttoning it under her chin, and mutters that it’s cold. He then turns back to Malcolm, asking if he truly had no idea where the clock was headed. Evie steps forward, noting Malcolm’s resemblance to the black‑lacquered desk in the manor, and presses him for the truth about the clock that almost killed her. Malcolm denies knowledge, prompting Evie to demand any detail that might help locate the real culprit.
Malcolm reluctantly recounts the night he sold a “special clock” to a hooded stranger while heavily intoxicated. The buyer paid cash, never showed his face, and left with the device. Malcolm later woke with a pounding headache, regretting his lack of questions. He describes the buyer’s hood, the fact that the clock was later attached to an explosive, and that the buyer’s fingernails were stained with bright blue, glowing ink. He adds that the man moved like a ghost, leaving no witnesses.
Evie, sensing a lead, urges Malcolm to recall any further detail. He admits he cannot, but expresses sorrow for the brothers’ long‑standing rivalry, noting they’ve tried to kill each other for years without success. Trystan interjects with sarcastic banter, and the three exchange bitter jokes about killing and dreams of murder. The Villain eventually asks Evie if she’s ready to leave. She retorts, “If you’re done playing with your little brother,” prompting Trystan to smile and call Malcolm “lovely to meet you, Evie,” before departing toward the back wall.
As they walk, Malcolm shouts a final clue: the glowing blue ink on the buyer’s fingernails. Trystan acknowledges the clue, speculating it must be magical, and wonders what kind of ink would glow. Evie muses about the possibility of the buyer being even more drunk than Malcolm. Trystan, now on his black horse, brushes the animal’s eyes, comments on the magic of the ink, and assures Evie the road home is safe, lit by lanterns. He thanks her for accompanying him, and after a brief, unreadable stare, rides off into the trees, leaving Evie alone in the night.
Back at her cottage, Evie walks home feeling watched, attributing the sensation to the lingering effects of wine. She reflects on the new danger: someone used Malcolm, Trystan’s brother, as a pawn to try to kill The Villain. Lying in bed, she worries whether the same enemy will target her next, as the chapter ends with her uneasy but determined to stay vigilant.