The Locked Tomb, #2
Harrow the Ninth
by Tamsyn Muir
Contents
Chapter 50
Overview
Gideon, inhabiting Harrow’s body, secretly witnesses John interrogating Wake’s revenant inside Cytherea’s corpse. Mercy and Augustine arrive and expose their old conspiracy with Wake: they engineered a child from John’s genetic material to try to open the Locked Tomb.
Gideon the First destroys Wake’s revenant, but the revelation survives: Gideon Nav is the child Wake carried, not dead after all. John recognizes Gideon as his daughter, radically shifting Gideon’s identity and the political stakes around the Tomb, the Lyctors, and the Emperor.
Summary
Thirty minutes before the Emperor’s murder, Gideon narrates from within Harrow’s body as Ianthe leads Gideon through the Mithraeum’s gaudy corridors toward John Gaius. Gideon expects Harrow to reappear and save Gideon from meeting God, but instead Ianthe notices an unexpectedly open door. The two hide behind a robe and spy into John’s sitting room.
Inside, John interrogates Cytherea’s corpse, which is possessed by Commander Wake and tied to a chair. John presses Wake to explain how Wake survived as a revenant, what thanergy link Wake used, and why Wake went to the Ninth House nineteen years earlier. Wake resists, accuses John of atrocities, and insists on being addressed by Wake’s full name.
Mercymorn and Augustine enter and confront John, declaring that the truth has finally come out. Their argument reveals that Mercy and Augustine previously worked with Wake against John. Wake accuses them of betrayal because Gideon the First caught up to Wake before Wake could complete Wake’s mission, while Mercy accuses Wake of deviating from the plan and failing.
Compelled by John, Wake reveals that Wake went to the Ninth House to break into the Locked Tomb. Wake carried a baby, nicknamed Bomb, after fetal decoys and ova supplied by Mercy and Augustine failed; Wake planned to use the baby’s death and thanergy to bypass the Tomb’s blood ward. Mercy and Augustine then reveal the deeper betrayal: they had spent centuries arranging to obtain John’s genetic material, because a close relative’s blood and a thanergy burst could spoof the ward.
Gideon the First enters, discovers Gideon and Ianthe hiding, takes Harrow’s sunglasses, and then shoots Cytherea’s corpse in the head, destroying Wake’s revenant. John is furious, but Gideon the First says simply that the victim was Wake. The discussion continues, and Gideon the First admits he knew Wake was pregnant but believed the child was his.
When Mercymorn says the baby did not die, Gideon steps out of hiding in Harrow’s body. Overwhelmed, Gideon says, “I’m not fucking dead,” revealing that Gideon Nav is the child Wake carried. John studies Gideon’s eyes in Harrow’s face and recognizes the truth, greeting Gideon as his daughter.
Who Appears
- Gideon Navnarrates from Harrow’s body and learns she is Wake’s child by John.
- John Gaiusinterrogates Wake, confronts Lyctor betrayal, and recognizes Gideon as his daughter.
- Commander Wakerevenant inhabiting Cytherea’s corpse; reveals her mission to open the Locked Tomb.
- Mercymorn the Firstconfronts John and admits involvement in the plan to use his child.
- Augustine the Firstjoins Mercy’s confrontation and explains their long deception of John.
- Gideon the Firstreturns from Number Seven, exposes the hidden witnesses, and shoots Wake’s revenant.
- Ianthe Tridentariusleads Gideon through the corridors and hides while the revelations unfold.
- Cythereadead body used by Wake as a revenant vessel before being shot.