The Shepherd King, #1
One Dark Window
by Rachel Gillig
Contents
Chapter Twenty-Three
Overview
Elspeth wakes outside near Castle Yew’s ancient chamber with no memory of how she got there, suggesting the Nightmare is gaining dangerous influence over her body. Filick Willow reveals a history in which the Rowan line may have stolen the throne from an infected Shepherd King and transformed anti-infection doctrine into persecution.
Elspeth confronts the Nightmare and concludes that her degeneration is not physical decay but a loss of self as the Shepherd King’s soul strengthens inside her. The chapter ends by shifting the plot toward Market Day, where the armed Destriers and Hauth’s presence signal new public danger.
Summary
Elspeth woke outside in the damp grass near the ancient stone chamber at Castle Yew, cold, dirty, and unable to remember leaving her room. Filick Willow found her during his morning walk and brought her inside, where he gave her tea and bandaged her swollen wrist. Elspeth distrusted him because he was a Physician, but Filick spoke openly about his family’s older, less hostile view of infection and magic.
Filick explained that the Willows once treated those affected by the mist rather than hunting them. He recounted a theory about the Spirit of the Wood, the Shepherd King, and the Providence Cards: the Spirit may have tricked the Shepherd King into giving up the Twin Alders before he knew that the whole Deck was needed to lift the mist. Filick then blamed Brutus Rowan for turning The Old Book of Alders into doctrine and weaponizing it against the infected after stealing the throne from an infected king.
Elspeth realized that events from five hundred years ago mattered directly to her because the Nightmare in her mind was the Shepherd King’s soul. When Elspeth asked Filick what her own degeneration was, Filick could not answer, explaining that infections differ from person to person. His uncertainty left Elspeth afraid that something was happening to her that neither Ravyn’s nor Emory’s symptoms could explain.
After leaving Filick, Elspeth confronted the Nightmare for making her sleepwalk and called him the Shepherd King. The Nightmare did not deny his identity. Elspeth connected her visions of his memories to her own degeneration and concluded that every time she asked for the Nightmare’s help, he grew stronger while she faded and lost control of her body and mind. The Nightmare insisted he could not take anything she had not willingly given, leaving Elspeth frightened but determined to cure herself by finding the remaining Providence Cards.
On her way back to her room, Elspeth heard noise from Castle Yew’s great hall and saw Destriers gathering with armor and weapons. Hauth Rowan stood among them with his injured hand bandaged, which satisfied Elspeth after the Nightmare had wounded him. Elm Rowan startled her on the stairs, mocked her disheveled state, and told her the group was leaving for Market Day, advising her to wear her family colors if she had any.
Who Appears
- Elspeth SpindleWakes after sleepwalking, learns troubling history, and identifies her degeneration as losing control.
- The Nightmare / Shepherd KingSpeaks within Elspeth’s mind and implies his growing power depends on what she gives.
- Filick WillowPhysician who treats Elspeth and explains theories about infection, the Spirit, and Rowan rule.
- Elm RowanFinds Elspeth watching the Destriers and tells her they are leaving for Market Day.
- Hauth RowanAppears among the armed Destriers with his wounded hand heavily bandaged.