The Drowned Gods, #1
Curious Tides
by Pascale Lacelle
Contents
Chapter 13: Emory
Overview
Emory attends the Selenic Order’s clandestine lighthouse soiree to plead for induction. Pressed by the Tidal Council, she demonstrates multi-house magic and is denounced as Eclipse-born. Keiran reveals their enhanced synthetic magic and argues she’s vital to the Order’s ambitions. The Council consents to induct Emory under Keiran’s responsibility, averting arrest.
Summary
Emory arrives at the crumbling lighthouse with Keiran’s cohort—Virgil, Nisha, and Lizaveta—for the Selenic Order’s masked soiree. Inside, alumni and members mingle among opulence and illicit synths that mimic other tides. Keiran showcases influential attendees and hints at his legacy. Tension spikes between Emory and Lizaveta, while Virgil and Nisha confirm the party’s use of enhancement synthetics.
Summoned before the Tidal Council—Leonie Thornby, Vivianne Delaune, and two senior Selenics—Emory petitions for induction, arguing she survived Dovermere and bears the spiral mark. Challenged to prove worth, she unveils Sower and Light/Dark feats, commanding ivy and everlights. The crowd recoils, branding her Eclipse-born. Keiran then discloses his earlier displays were synthetic, not true Tidecalling, exposing Emory’s secret to all.
Regulator Artem Orlov moves to detain Emory, compelling her with Glamour, but Keiran intercedes and urges deliberation. To reframe the moment, Keiran reveals their breakthrough: potent, blood-inked synthetics applied atop Selenic marks that grant real, temporary access to another’s magic. He and six others revive wilted flowers using Nisha’s Sower magic as proof, arguing Emory’s power could advance the Order’s aims.
Despite Artem and Lizaveta’s objections, Keiran offers to take full responsibility for Emory. The Council agrees to induct her immediately under his charge, warning secrecy is essential. Cornered between acceptance, memory erasure, or arrest, Emory consents, securing entry to the Order and a path to answers about the drownings—and her own Eclipse-formed magic.
Who Appears
- Emory AinsleifHealer who reveals multi-house magic, is exposed as Eclipse-born, and is inducted into the Selenic Order under Keiran’s responsibility.
- Keiran ThornbyOrder cohort leader; admits his feats were synthetic, unveils enhanced synthetics, and persuades the Council to accept Emory.
- Artem OrlovRegulator and Selenic; attempts to detain Emory using Glamour compulsion, opposes induction, shaken by past Collapse fears.
- Lizaveta OrlovaOrder member hostile to Emory’s presence; supports Artem’s hardline stance during the confrontation.
- VirgilOrder member who escorts Emory, samples synths, and lightens tensions; participates in the flower revival demonstration.
- NishaOrder Sower; explains synthetics and provides blood for the enhanced synth demonstration.
- Leonie ThornbyTidal Council Wordsmith; questions Emory, then supports conditional induction under Keiran’s responsibility.
- Vivianne DelauneTidal Council Memorist; initially advocates erasing Emory’s memory, later consents to conditional induction.
- Ife NuruSeer initiate; joins the seven-person synthetic flower revival demonstration.
- Louis ClairmontHealer initiate; participates in the enhanced synthetic demonstration.
- JavierOrder member with Aestas alignment; part of the group demonstrating revived flowers.