7. Henry

Returning late from a leverage-heavy meeting with a messenger for high magical houses, Henry finds his mother resting and his father wary. They discuss Harlow, with Henry downplaying their charged encounter and concealing her attempt on his life to keep the revenge plan alive. Grief for Holly and anger at the Carrenwells anchor Henry’s resolve, while his father urges caution, rest, and readiness to extract Henry’s mother if things go wrong.

Their strategy remains compartmentalized; Henry is denied access to established contacts to prevent leaks, especially given Harlow’s potential sway. Henry admits Harlow is sharp and resistant, and notes she shut down talk of Rochelli, signaling sensitive fault lines. He leaves to meet his friends under orders to be subtle.

With Carter at the dove house, Henry fends off guilt over old scars and they move through Lunameade’s quadrant structure toward the center. Meeting Bryce, they compile observations: guards rotate in trios on six-hour shifts, sweep the walls every fifteen minutes, and any breach would demand multiple swift neutralizations—making frontal assault impractical.

They note curated city comforts and pervasive lighting likely powered by Stellaria-blessed sunstones despite rolling blackouts. Rumors swirl about the rebel figure Rochelli, yet no one has seen him; he may be an alias or collective. More alarming, breaches have surged, and the city appears to have doubled “unblessed” blood tithe frequency from thirty to fifteen days.

A commotion at the Blood Well crystallizes tensions: guards force an elderly man to bleed despite his protests about failing magic. Carter calls it barbaric; Bryce recalls there used to be an age cap. Henry recognizes that desperation creates exploitable fractures between the Carrenwells and the powerless.

Leaving the square, Henry confirms his path: use public discontent and Harlow’s access to pry open the Carrenwells’ vulnerabilities and deliver revenge as the ten-year anniversary of Mountain Haven’s fall nears.