The Drowned Gods, #2
Stranger Skies
by Pascale Lacelle
Contents
Chapter 32: Baz
Overview
During the Bicentennial warm-up, Clover exploits a loophole to demonstrate collaboration and wins, earning first partner pick—and publicly chooses Baz. Despite backlash, the dean permits it, and Baz reveals he is an Eclipse-born Timespinner. The dean announces month-long games to breach Aldryn’s lethal Vault wards, beginning with a library scavenger hunt.
Summary
At Aldryn’s Bicentennial warm-up, sixteen mixed-house teams receive differing lunar and tidal constraints and must solve problems without bloodletting. Observing Clover’s team facing an unsolvable ward without an Unraveler, Baz realizes the event’s hidden lesson is collaboration across teams.
Clover independently reaches the same conclusion. He swaps with an Unraveler from another table to heal their challenge, while the Unraveler joins Clover’s team to break their ward. The moderator declares Clover’s new table the winners, proving the loophole and the theme of cooperation.
As a reward, Clover gains first choice of partner for the upcoming games and boldly selects Baz Brysden. Amid shocked whispers and institutional bias against Eclipse-born, Clover publicly challenges Aldryn’s exclusionary practices. After brief pushback, Dean de Vruyes authorizes Baz’s addition.
Pressed for his alignment, Baz admits he is a Timespinner, drawing a ripple of awe and fear. He accepts the partnership despite the risks, driven by a desire to represent Eclipse-born fairly and to get close to Clover’s knowledge of the Hourglass.
Dean de Vruyes then outlines the month-long Bicentennial: competitors must breach the Vault of Knowledge’s ancient, lethal wards. The first step, in a few days, is a scavenger hunt across four libraries to gather critical information. She warns that a single misstep can maim or kill, urging caution even as she offers lifetime Vault access to the eventual victor.
Though daunted by the danger, Baz recognizes a possible path to answers about time travel within the Vault, steels himself, and remains Clover’s partner for the opening hunt.
Who Appears
- Baz BrysdenEclipse-born Timespinner; is publicly chosen by Clover as partner and accepts despite risk and scrutiny.
- Cornelius CloverHealer; wins the warm-up by enabling cross-team collaboration, then boldly selects Baz as partner.
- Dean de VruyesAldryn’s dean; permits Baz’s late entry and announces the deadly Vault-ward games and library scavenger hunt.
- KaiBaz’s ally; observes the events, teases Baz, and notes the games’ likely cancellation due to danger.
- Student moderatorExplains the warm-up rules, confirms Clover’s prize, and records Baz’s late addition.
- WulfridParticipant who scowls at Clover’s maneuver, reflecting hostility toward Eclipse-born and rule-bending.
- ThamesFriend in the audience; draws Clover’s lingering attention during the event.
- CordieExplains the warm-up as a preview of the real games; watches from the crowd.
- PolinaWatches with Baz’s group during the warm-up challenge.