Part III. A Murder of Monsters — Chapter 44

Evangeline waits in Jacks’s room, watching a clock and dreading nightfall, when the time-rewind will erase their night together. She resolves to stop Jacks from using the stones and changing their lives. Instead of Jacks, Chaos arrives carrying an iron chest with three stones while Evangeline still holds the mirth stone.

Chaos says Jacks will not join them and plans to receive the stones only after Evangeline opens the Valory. Evangeline presses him about the plan. Chaos warns that time travel rarely works, that Time fights settled changes, and that even success demands a costly trade. He insists the safer mistake is letting Jacks go, since staying for Evangeline could kill her and destroy Jacks.

They depart by carriage for Wolf Hall. Along the way, Evangeline questions Chaos about his cursed helm and the Hollow’s protection against curses. Chaos reveals he cannot enter the Hollow without ceasing to exist, because it was enchanted to keep it safe from him.

Connecting rumors from Slaughterwood, Evangeline realizes Chaos is the “monster” the Valors created. Chaos confirms the Valors made him, though he claims he is no longer a monster and only wants the Valory opened so he can remove the helm. The carriage reaches Wolf Hall, and they proceed to the royal library and the room with the Valory Arch to begin.