CHAPTER 35

As Woodcarver’s army readies to march, Johanna tends the field hospital’s wounded, including traumatized fragments and singletons. Guard Chitiratte positions a volatile duo, Kratzinissinari, to stage Johanna’s “accidental” death. When Kratzi attacks, the hospital’s fragments erupt in collective rage and overwhelm the assailants, leaving Johanna bloodied but alive.

Vendacious arrives, feigns concern, and—over Scrupilo’s loud demand for “protection”—claims Johanna must be secured in his den. Johanna, concussed and barely able to speak, recognizes the danger but cannot resist as Vendacious spirits her to an isolated hut.

In private, Vendacious reveals his long-running treason, male-skewed pack makeup, ambitions to outmaneuver Woodcarver and Steel, and his plan to control Dataset. He prepares to torture Johanna for secrets and surmises Steel’s hidden advantage: Jefri likely survived and serves Steel. Johanna’s reaction confirms to him there may be protective “babysitter” code in Dataset.

Peregrine Wickwrackscar arrives outside and, speaking in Samnorsk, bluffs that Woodcarver knows everything and has Vendacious surrounded, promising unspeakable retaliation if Johanna dies. Uncertain, Vendacious yields and releases Johanna to Pilgrim, arranging a later parley on terms.

As Pilgrim wheels Johanna away under Vendacious’s guards’ eyes, he quietly admits the bluff: no one else knows, but once they are clear, his claims will be true. Separately, Net bulletins report the monster surge has receded with dangerous aftersurges expected, speculate the Blight provoked the event, and an anti-human “Alliance for the Defense” boasts of attacks and vows further hunts.