Chapter 25

Four months after Bree Matthews disappeared, Bree, Zoe, and Elijah go to Daeza’s club, Eclipse, near downtown Asheville. They carry a stolen tribute from Erebus’s collection and enter by claiming they have humanity to offer. Inside, Bree sees that the club’s entertainment is a brutal cage fight between two fully corporeal uchel, confirming that the front door was only the first danger.

Elijah struggles to lead because the demon underground unnerves him, so Bree takes over and tells a warlock bookie they are there to see Daeza. While they wait in a soundproof antechamber, a gold-eyed Merlin woman exits Daeza’s chamber and reacts intensely to Bree. The woman denies knowing Bree but studies Bree as if recognizing someone else, asks Zoe and Elijah whether they can keep Bree safe, says she cannot look out for two people at once, and leaves after telling Bree that Bree looks like “her.”

Daeza receives the group after accepting their reliquary tribute, savoring the cruel human history attached to it but ordering the stolen stones repatriated. The meeting turns dangerous when Daeza identifies Zoe and Elijah as balanced cambions and forces Elijah to admit they are Ozyrus’s children. Daeza attacks Elijah and Zoe because of her feud with Ozyrus, but Bree stalls her by insisting they are not there for Ozyrus and claiming they serve the Shadow King.

Bree argues that the Shadow King has a weapon his enemies do not: Bree herself. Bree releases purple root from her mouth and hands, binds Daeza with it, and demands the crown’s location. Daeza reveals that another Shade, Mikaelaz, also called Mikael the broker, has the crown and hates the Shadow King. At that moment the Shadow King pulls on Bree’s bloodmark, exposing her connection to him; seeing the mark convinces Daeza that Bree may truly be his weapon, and Daeza agrees to help them reach Mikael because she believes Bree, the twins, and the crown could help the Shadow King destroy the Table and kill Arthur’s Scion.

The bloodmark burns Bree repeatedly on the way back to Erebus’s house. Erebus is furious that Bree broke his ward, stole tribute, and went to Daeza, but the news that Mikaelaz has the crown overrides his anger. Erebus explains that Mikael thrives on human greed and devotion through elite auctions and rare artifacts, and that Mikael will likely auction the crown at a Collectors’ Gala to keep it away from him.

Daeza can secure only two invitations, and Erebus decides that Bree and Zoe will infiltrate Mikael’s auction while Elijah stays behind. Erebus justifies the choice by saying Bree’s bloodmark offers some protection, Zoe is the stronger caster and forger, and Elijah will serve as collateral to ensure Bree’s safe return. Zoe protests and Elijah storms away, but Erebus remains unmoved. Bree’s horror hardens into resolve: Bree will find the crown, save the kidnapped Rootcrafter girl and others like her, and then kill the Shadow King.