The Inheritance Games, #2
The Hawthorne Legacy
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Contents
CHAPTER 54
Overview
Avery and Jameson break into Toby’s sealed wing, physically crossing a boundary Avery has been desperate to breach. In Toby’s bedroom, Jameson reframes the mystery as a solvable Hawthorne game, renewing Avery’s sense that the clues are leading them toward Toby despite his warning to stop. The chapter also deepens Avery and Jameson’s bond, turning the investigation’s momentum into a moment of emotional closeness.
Summary
Avery breaks through the wall sealing Toby’s wing, taking it down brick by brick until exhaustion forces Jameson to finish the opening. Oren allows Avery and Jameson to enter, staying behind at the entrance as protection in case anyone tries to stop them.
Inside Toby’s hall, Avery worries that Jameson thinks she has lost control. Jameson tells Avery that he thinks she has finally let go, but Avery recognizes that she is still holding on to the mystery of Toby, especially after the warning that he does not want to be found.
In Toby’s bedroom, Jameson turns on the black lights, revealing the writing still covering the walls. Jameson reasons that Tobias Hawthorne’s puzzle was not an impossible task but a game originally meant for Zara and Skye, which means it should have a real ending and must be leading somewhere.
Avery feels the momentum of the hunt returning as she and Jameson consider the ring dates and the possibility of finding Toby despite his warning. Wanting to escape the fear and confusion, Avery kisses Jameson, and the moment becomes intimate and reassuring, leaving Avery feeling less alone.
Who Appears
- Avery GrambsBreaks into Toby’s wing, wrestles with his warning, and seeks comfort in Jameson.
- Jameson HawthorneHelps Avery breach the wall, analyzes the puzzle, and shares an intimate moment with her.
- OrenGuards the entrance to Toby’s wing while Avery and Jameson investigate inside.
- Toby HawthorneAbsent focus of the search; his room and wall writing remain central clues.