Chapter 41

Alex, sleepless and unsettled by shifting power with Darlington, is jolted awake when Dawes announces the Praetor is coming. With Tripp still missing and his salt knot intact, Alex and Dawes scramble as Professor Walsh-Whiteley arrives, only for Darlington to walk in and expose himself.

Pressed, Alex and Darlington stage an emotional reunion and claim Hayman Pérez performed a retrieval spell. Over lunch, Walsh-Whiteley probes their story, alternately condescending to Alex and praising Darlington. He notes Pérez has been unreachable, signaling suspicion, but leaves after warning Alex that Lethe must not trespass where it shouldn’t.

Alex reflects on the Praetor’s complexity, then lets Dawes brief Darlington on descent logistics while she calls her mother, Mira, promising a Thanksgiving visit she may not survive to keep. She weighs the dangers ahead and checks in vain for updates from Turner and Tripp.

Needing leverage, Alex calls Eitan and declares she’s done running his errands and will work for Linus Reiter, threatening to expose Eitan’s operation and placing Mira under Reiter’s protection. She hangs up before Eitan can respond, intending to make him afraid and force his hand.

That night, while packing for the Wolf’s Head run, Alex and Darlington trade barbs about guilt and sacrifice. Alex rejects the idea that Darlington must pay hell’s price and commits to bringing him back. They depart Il Bastone aligned, prepared to face the descent together.