Chapter 7

In the silent rotunda, William sees that his insult has shaken Regent Cestra and that the Council is reluctant to challenge him, likely because the Table’s rebellion and the Morgaines have weakened the Regents’ position. Greer is emboldened to question the Council’s treatment of Bree, and William asks whether the Council has been searching for Bree and Sel. Erebus and the Seneschals admit that there is no trace of either of them and that the demon who took them does not fit any known classification.

The Council frames the unknown demon’s black aether and apparent teleportation as a threat to Legendborn, Merlins, Lieges, Regents, and Onceborn alike, warning that this Camlann may end unlike any before. Mageguard then escort Nick into the rotunda in void cuffs, restraints meant to block aether use. William notices Larkin among the guards and understands that Larkin must hide his loyalty to Bree.

Nick taunts the Council before invoking the ancient curia oath: the Regents must hear and grant a formal Legendborn demand or suffer the consequences of a broken Oath. Nick requests a formal knight’s quest, not to search for Bree or Sel, but to pursue the Morgaines who attacked the Council and conspired with the Round Table. William realizes Nick has trapped the Regents by using old Order law to win public protection, clemency, and freedom from punishment or assassination.

Questioned about his motives, Nick reveals that Ava of the Morgaines tried to recruit him and spoke of a plan to weaken the Order by killing its Merlin army. The Regents’ reactions suggest the plan is succeeding, and William connects this to signs that Merlin forces are spread thin. Nick offers to use Ava’s belief that he hates the Order to get close to the Morgaines, even implying he would kill Ava if necessary, which leaves William disturbed by Nick’s newly ruthless composure.

When Erebus challenges Nick’s trustworthiness because Nick killed Maxwell Zhao, Nick argues that Zhao was trying to kill him and instead killed his father under Council orders. Nick claims he still believes in the Order’s mission to fight demons and protect Onceborn lives, but not in the Regents’ methods. Pressed on why he will not seek Sel or Bree, Nick says Sel is gone in spirit if not body and says Bree is more likely to survive away from the Order than within it.

Nick then openly condemns the Council for abusing Bree through lies, drugs, imprisonment, torture, possession, racism, misogyny, supremacy, and cowardice. He calls himself an orphan of the Court and declares that Bree cannot be the only person to speak against the Order’s sins. Turning to the Scions, Squires, and Lieges, Nick insists they must name those sins not only when Bree is present, but also in her absence.