Alex Stern, #2
Hell Bent
by Leigh Bardugo
Contents
Chapter 32
Overview
After warding friends, Alex returns to campus life shadowed by fear. She spots Linus Reiter in her courtyard and, with Dawes’s help, steadies herself and adds him to their targets. Turner arrests Andy Lambton but senses something off. Eitan and Tzvi confront Alex, pressing her to eliminate Reiter; Alex agrees to end their ties.
Summary
Turner drives the group from the burned Il Bastone, dropping Dawes at her apartment and Tripp at his, helping ward both with salt. Turner plans a late-night check of Black Elm to confirm Darlington remains contained. Alex and Mercy return to their dorm, briefly cocooned by normal college chatter with Lauren, though Mercy admits she can’t unknow magic.
In the morning, Dawes calls: the Praetor demands Alex at office hours. Alex looks out and sees Not Hellie and, more terrifyingly, Linus Reiter in her courtyard under a white umbrella. Panicking, she calls Dawes, who grounds her with a 5‑4‑3‑2‑1 exercise. They decide Reiter must be added to their list of targets; Dawes reports her loris bit the Blake-demon and that everyone will meet at Il Bastone before dark, armed with salt.
Turner phones: police have arrested Andy Lambton, son of the censured professor, who has confessed to two murders, yet Turner feels something is wrong and asks Alex to meet him after her Praetor visit—at the psych ward, not jail.
On her way to face the Praetor, Alex is intercepted by Eitan and his bodyguard Tzvi. Eitan presses her to “fix” Reiter, implying business ties and threats. Alex negotiates: if she eliminates Reiter, Eitan is finished with her; if she dies, he must help her mother. Eitan agrees, and Alex leaves committed to ending Reiter and severing Eitan’s hold.
Who Appears
- Alex SternProtagonist; wards allies, panics at seeing Reiter, commits to killing him, and bargains with Eitan to end their dealings.
- Detective Abel TurnerDrives and helps ward, plans a Black Elm check, arrests Andy Lambton, and seeks Alex’s read on a suspect that feels wrong.
- Pamela DawesOn call; calms Alex, coordinates warnings, confirms salt guardians’ efficacy, and adds Reiter to their target list.
- Mercy ZhaoRoommate; debates study abroad as cover, remains engaged despite fear, returns to warded dorm with Alex.
- Linus ReiterVampire-like demon; appears in Alex’s courtyard under an umbrella, taunting presence that triggers renewed resolve.
- EitanCrime boss; confronts Alex on campus, pressures her to eliminate Reiter, agrees to end their arrangement afterward.
- TzviEitan’s bodyguard; escorts Eitan during the confrontation, maintains caution and threat on the street.
- LaurenDorm-mate; unknowingly provides normalcy, pushes housing talk, worries about campus safety.
- Andy LambtonArrested son of censured professor; confesses to murders, but Turner doubts the case’s fit.
- Not HellieDemon wearing Hellie’s face; observed with Reiter in the courtyard, heightening Alex’s fear.
- Blake (demon facsimile)Taunts Dawes from outside her window; bitten by the loris guardian, exposing his mask.
- Professor Walsh-Whiteley (Praetor)Summons Alex to office hours after the fire, signaling formal repercussions ahead.
- Tripp HelmuthTeammate; returns to his apartment, wards set, tries to project confidence despite fear.