Chapter 38

Clare regains consciousness in an opulent library, disoriented after the ambush that felled the party with poisoned darts. Kingsley (Alexander) leaps onto her, confirming reality rather than a dream. Calling for allies yields no response, until Tatianna silently appears and urges caution, steering Clare toward an open patio door.

On the terrace, strong winds and a dizzying drop make escape impossible. Clare proposes contacting the Malevolent Guards via caller rubies in the saddlebags, but the height and distance rule that out. Their goal shifts from flight to understanding where they are and locating Evie and Trystan.

An elderly, extravagantly dressed butler confronts them, explaining they were placed in the library instead of the cells as a courtesy from his lord. When Tatianna demands their companions’ location, he says they are “taking some air,” unnervingly adding that bodies are never stashed, only “pinned,” though he clarifies no one is dead—yet.

Tatianna notices a phoenix symbol on the door and, after a cascade of realization, asks if they are at Lord Fowler’s. A balloon basket sweeps overhead, and a wild-eyed, mustachioed man calls down that he will come right away, implying hospitality rather than immediate harm. The butler confirms “they” are indeed in the balloon.

Clare and Tatianna conclude they are at Lord Fowler’s treetop residence, with Evie and Trystan apparently alive and airborne. Their situation transforms from unknown captivity to uneasy reception, setting the stage for an audience with Fowler and possible negotiation over the sought-after wand.