Chapter 17

At Massacre Manor, Rebecka Erring is stuck supervising Lyssa Sage while trying to organize papers. Lyssa eagerly helps but disrupts Becky’s careful alphabetizing, opens Becky’s desk drawer, and spills out Becky’s keys. Becky explains several practical keys, including ones for her cottage, the cartography closet, the weapons room, office windows, and the dungeons.

Lyssa notices a large gold key marked with an F and asks about it. Becky says it opens a place she no longer goes, then panics when Lyssa tries to remove it from the key ring. Becky apologizes for snapping, and Lyssa compares Becky’s reaction to Evie’s irritation when Lyssa touches Evie’s belongings.

When the lunch bell rings, Becky sends the workers off with a strict warning about returning on time, impressing Lyssa. Becky then offers to help find Evie’s missing journal. Lyssa explains that the journal matters because their father gave it to Evie, then admits she sometimes worries their father is gone forever because he is in the dungeons.

Becky becomes uncomfortable with Lyssa’s sadness and notices a knitted dragon toy in Lyssa’s possession. Lyssa says Blade gave it to her, but Becky recognizes the toy as her own childhood keepsake from her father. Though the memory pains her, Becky gives it back to Lyssa, saying Lyssa may keep it.

Lyssa compliments Becky’s smile, prompting Becky to explain that she no longer smiles unless she truly wants to. Becky frames this as resistance to the expectation that people must pretend happiness for others, and Lyssa realizes Evie may often smile when she does not want to. The moment is interrupted when Marvin rushes in, terrified, and reports that the ward protecting Massacre Manor has broken, making the manor visible.