The Drowned Gods, #1
Curious Tides
by Pascale Lacelle
Contents
Chapter 14: Baz
Overview
Baz and Vera infiltrate the Regulator Institute so Baz can confront the sealed Kai Salonga. Kai reveals screams, power surges, and suspected experiments on Collapsed Eclipse-born, plus his and Romie’s pursuit of the epilogue and the song in the sleepscape.
When chaos erupts, Jae—disguised as a Regulator—illusions a rescue. Kai refuses escape, vowing to uncover the truth, heightening the mystery and Baz’s emotional stakes.
Summary
Baz rides with Vera to the Regulator Institute, where Vera disables security and guides him to Kai Salonga’s cell. Seeing Kai frail and branded with the Unhallowed Seal, Baz’s grief and anger surface. He accuses Kai of recklessness; Kai counters that he is the only one pursuing the truth about what is happening to Collapsed Eclipse-born inside the Institute.
Kai describes flickering power, night screams, and pervasive fear, calling inmates pawns. Baz reveals he visited the Veiled Atlas and learned Romie and Kai sought the epilogue. Kai explains his and Romie’s initial rivalry turned to cooperation as a song in the sleepscape drew them deeper, until umbrae overwhelmed them and Romie pulled him out.
Kai believes the epilogue is near and mentions a clue—Dark Tides—and that Romie left Baz a note in Clover’s manuscript, possibly with help from Nisha at the Vault. Kai recounts his Collapse: after Romie’s death, he followed the song, sleepwalked to Dovermere Cove, reached for the epilogue in the sleepscape, then Collapsed and was seized and sealed.
Alarms mount—lights flicker and distant screams intensify. Vera urges retreat. Kai and Baz briefly consider escape, but Kai decides to stay to uncover the Institute’s secret despite the seal’s risk. As Baz and Vera flee, they encounter Jae Ahn in a Regulator uniform; Jae raises an illusory wall to block pursuit and hustles them outside.
In the woods, Jae admits they are investigating anomalies involving Collapsed Eclipse-born and promises to keep digging and meet Baz at the fall equinox. Baz leaves with Vera, devastated by Kai’s choice to remain and newly committed to the emerging mystery.
Who Appears
- Baz (Brysden)Narrator; breaks into the Institute with Vera to see Kai, confronts him, learns of experiments, escapes with Jae’s help.
- Kai SalongaCollapsed Eclipse-born, Unhallowed-sealed; details screams, power surges, and epilogue search with Romie; refuses escape to investigate.
- Jae AhnIllusionist infiltrating the Institute disguised as a Regulator; creates an illusory wall and aids Baz and Vera’s escape.
- VeraEngineer and lockpicker; deactivates security, serves lookout, urges retreat during chaos, rides Baz to and from the Institute.
- RomieBaz’s deceased sister; previously cooperated with Kai, followed a sleepscape song toward the epilogue; left Baz a note.