The Chapel of the Holy Expediency's congregation travels through relentless rain on muddy back roads, trying to avoid the main routes where they might be discovered. Brother Diaz, the pope's appointed leader of the mission, suffers miserably from the weather and his uncomfortable company, which includes the shape-shifting werewolf Vega, the elusive Sunny, the necromancer Balthasar, the vampire Baron Ricard, the resourceful Baptiste, and the gruff warrior Jacob of Thorne. When Brother Diaz learns they're not heading to their planned destination of Ancona, Jacob explains that since Marcian knew where to find them at the inn, their original plans are compromised and they need a new route to get Princess Alexia safely to Troy.
The group debates various Italian ports, ruling out options along the Tyrrhenian coast and in the Kingdom of Naples, as well as ports in the Papal States where passengers would be documented and watched. Despite Brother Diaz's protests, Jacob settles on Venice as their destination, reasoning that the Serene Republic is at odds with the papacy and would be the last place anyone would look for a princess supported by the Pope. Princess Alexia proposes they join a pilgrimage group heading from a gathering place near Spoleto to Venice, where hundreds of pilgrims pass through daily on their way to the Holy Land. Though Brother Diaz objects strenuously to both Venice and the potential delay, Jacob insists he'd rather get Alexia to Troy late and alive than quick and in pieces.
The group arrives at the pilgrimage gathering place to find a sprawling city of tents teeming with a chaotic mix of sincere pilgrims and rampant vice. The canvas metropolis reeks of smoke, incense, and filth, with prostitutes, drunken revelry, and desperate preachers all mingling together. Brother Diaz is dismayed to find such moral degradation so close to the Holy City, while his companions view the scene with varying degrees of amusement. They purchase rough sackcloth pilgrims' habits to blend in with the crowd, and Baptiste is tasked with finding them an able-bodied group leaving soon to join for the journey to Venice. Jacob announces they'll need to sell their horses and walk like proper pilgrims, cementing their commitment to this new plan that represents, as Alexia puts it, "the least worst choice" available to them.
Chapter 17: Blessed Is a Stretch
The chapter opens with Yakov struggling through the physical torment of a long march, his body a catalog of old war wounds and recent injuries. Each step brings pain from decades of violence—crushed toes, broken bones, sword cuts, and arrow wounds. Despite the agony, he perseveres with a philosophy learned during a brutal retreat from Ryazan: keep the steps coming, no matter how painful. This march forces him to reflect on what men truly are, having witnessed both profound heroism and devastating cowardice during that past ordeal.
Bishop Apollonia of Aceh, leader of their pilgrimage company, visits Yakov's group along with the obsequious Brother Diaz. She introduces herself as a humble pilgrim despite her status as a famed theologian marked for future sainthood. Yakov, cynical from experience, remains unimpressed by both religious authority and promises of spiritual healing. When the bishop asks about his war wounds and suggests visiting the Shrine of Saint Stephen, Yakov reveals he once carried the saint's icon but buried it with a friend who deserved it more. Their conversation touches on the nature of wounds—both physical and spiritual—though Yakov remains characteristically taciturn about his past sins.
The bishop asks Yakov's assessment of their pilgrimage company, which numbers around two hundred souls. The group represents a cross-section of society: wealthy merchants who sent portrait substitutes in their place, afflicted seekers hoping for miracles, prisoners doing penance, and a trailing entourage of beggars, thieves, prostitutes, and moneylenders. Yakov wryly observes it is "society in miniature" with all its contradictions, topped by a portable pulpit and tailed by a fold-away brothel. When Brother Diaz suggests driving away the unsavory elements, the bishop philosophically notes that virtue requires temptation to resist and that the lowly need God's grace as much as the privileged.
Alex deftly deflects the bishop's probing questions about Yakov's past by introducing the rest of their group: Balthasar (a merchant who dealt with pirates), Baron Ricard (with a mysterious "drinking problem"), Vega (a former Viking shieldmaiden), and herself (admitting to being a thief). The bishop responds warmly to their confessed sins, praising Brother Lopez for his work in bringing these damaged souls toward grace. As she departs with the fawning monk to lead midday prayers, the group exchanges cynical banter about the bishop's piety and Brother Diaz's infatuation. Yakov, ever the pessimist, mutters his final assessment: "Everything ends in tears."
Chapter 18: See to the Holy Land
Alex confronts her fears by joining the most intimidating members of her company around their campfire, wedging herself between the legendary mercenary Baptiste and the werewolf Vega. The conversation turns to the Holy Land and why pilgrims visit the Basilica of Saint Justine the Optimist in Cyprus instead of traveling there directly. Brother Diaz explains that elves have occupied the Holy Land for nearly a century, making pilgrimage impossible, so believers climb the campanile's 414 steps to view the distant land from its tower.
The discussion reveals the dark truth about the elven threat when Yakov shares his traumatic memories of the Second Crusade. He describes finding the Cathedral at Acre transformed into an efficient, clean slaughterhouse where elves had systematically butchered and consumed the human population. Unlike human warfare driven by hatred, the elves' actions were calm and methodical, treating humanity as cattle to be harvested for their holy duty. This revelation sobers the group, with Alex losing her appetite while Vega cheerfully finishes her meal.
The chapter explores the theme of fear through Alex's perspective, reflecting on how everyone is scared of something and that bravery is often just skillful pretending. She wonders what might frighten a werewolf or a vampire like Baron Ricard, deciding she would rather not know. The conversation shifts between dark revelations and dark humor, with references to past company members Vega has killed, highlighting the dangerous nature of their fellowship while they travel toward Venice and their ultimate destination of Troy.
Chapter 19: What Can Be Spared
Balthasar, the necromancer, trudges miserably through the pilgrimage he considers a humiliating peregrination to hell. Convicted for the crimes of creativity, free thinking, and increasing human knowledge, he laments his waterlogged boots, filthy pilgrim's habit, and the loss of his magnificent magical vestments. The pilgrimage combines everything he despises: mud, blisters, constant preaching, atrocious food, and the company of self-centered monsters who care only for themselves.
His situation worsens through interactions with Baron Ricard, who appears younger and more vigorous each day due to feeding on fellow pilgrims. The vampire casually admits to drinking blood from the company, claiming he only takes "what can be spared" and would never feed on someone formally introduced without permission. This self-serving justification highlights the moral bankruptcy of their fellowship. Balthasar's humiliation is compounded by Baptiste, who effortlessly arrives everywhere first with an infuriating smirk, making him feel inadequate despite his supposed mastery of the necromantic arts.
The chapter reveals Balthasar's internal struggle with his growing attraction to Baptiste, which manifests in inappropriate fantasies that embarrass him. He attempts to maintain dignity by taking the high road, though this rarely leads anywhere desirable. At another shrine, Balthasar discusses the binding placed on him by the Pope with Baron Ricard, admitting he misjudged its power. The vampire suggests that magic and religion may not be as different as practitioners claim, a observation that troubles Balthasar as he realizes even Europe's foremost necromancer is obliged to attend this pilgrimage.
Chapter 20: Like a Treat
Alex brings cheese and bread to share with Sunny, the elf who travels separately from the main group. Though it's just simple food, Alex has practice making meager meals feel like treats, something she learned from a lifetime of hardship. Sunny appears silently as always, startling Alex despite her expectation, and appreciates how the food is arranged. Their interaction reveals the strangeness of their situation, with Sunny's teeth lacking the terrifying fangs depicted in stained-glass windows, instead showing a childlike gap between her front two.
The conversation touches on Alex's education, as Balthasar has been teaching her about Troy's history after dismissing Baptiste's offer to do so. Alex reflects on the growing list of traumatic memories she tries not to think about, including the violence at the inn and the death of Marcian. She misses Duke Michael, who briefly made her feel like she might not always be worthless. The discussion reveals that most of the camp has gone to evening prayers at a monastery, the holiest place in Romania, to view Saint Bartholomew's foot and drink from a holy spring for a price.
The chapter explores themes of loneliness and belonging through their awkward but genuine connection. When Alex asks if Sunny gets lonely staying apart from the group, Sunny responds that she has no reason to miss anyone, pointing out that Alex is already present. Alex notes the peculiar nature of their companions - the prissy priest, pompous magician, nitpicking vampire, brooding knight, and dangerous werewolf - making Sunny's isolation understandable. Despite the uncomfortable silences and Alex's self-deprecating thoughts about being disliked, she's glad for these talks, finding an unexpected companionship in the outcast elf.
Chapter 21: Clean Not Clean
Vega leads Alex to the river to fetch water, walking with characteristic boldness and refusing to hide or shrink herself despite stares from others. The chapter reveals Vega's philosophy inherited from her mother: never drop your eyes, never be ashamed, and don't make yourself suffer for other people's problems. Vega's mantra is simple: "Fuck 'em." However, beneath this confident exterior, troubling signs emerge as Vega struggles with intense thirst, poor memory, confusion, and frequent disconnection from the present moment.
As they walk, Vega's thoughts drift to memories of her mother braiding her hair, mixing past and present in a way that confuses even her. She frequently forgets what she was saying or doing, including forgetting she's holding a bucket that Yakov gave them. Her stream-of-consciousness narration reveals she has difficulty remembering details and events beyond a week ago, and she tries to convince herself to let go of the past like discarded nutshells. The wolf inside her becomes increasingly restless, creating a scratching, throbbing sensation under her breastbone that threatens to break free.
The chapter takes a darker turn when Vega stops to urinate without any self-consciousness, then later becomes confused and aggressive, almost losing control. She warns Alex that if she ever says to run, Alex must run immediately without arguing because while the Pope's binding controls Vega, it doesn't control the wolf. The warnings on Vega's tattooed hands remind her of her crimes, and she struggles to maintain composure, repeatedly insisting she's "clean" while clearly being anything but. Her thoughts reveal a dangerous person trying desperately to hold onto control and let go of past mistakes, but the wolf inside grows stronger, and her grip on reality grows weaker.
Chapter 22: More About Those Dumplings
Brother Diaz writes a letter to his mother describing his pilgrimage alongside Bishop Apollonia of Achi, whom he admires as the model of a servant of God. As they approach Venice, he teaches Princess Alexia to write the letter "A," finding unexpected satisfaction in being useful. Their lesson is interrupted when Vega returns from her latest sexual encounter with pilgrims from the rear of their company, prompting mixed reactions from the group about her behavior and Brother Diaz's concerns about maintaining virtue.
The situation turns dangerous when Bishop Apollonia reveals her true intentions: she demands Alex be handed over, having been hired by Duke Constance of Troy with promises of holy relics that could advance her to a cardinal's chair. The bishop has recruited both her armed guards and criminals from the pilgrim company with the promise of gold rewards. Brother Diaz is devastated to discover that the woman he praised as a future saint is actually a fraud and hypocrite, willing to betray their sacred mission for personal ambition.
As weapons are drawn and violence seems inevitable, with Sunny taking the bishop hostage and Vega beginning her transformation, Baron Ricard climbs into the portable pulpit and uses his vampiric glamour to entrance the entire crowd. His seemingly meaningless speech about trees in Poland, redecorating his wife's castle, and especially his favorite dumplings completely mesmerizes everyone present. Under this spell, he commands them to forget about Alex, the elf, any suggestion of sorcery, and to continue their pilgrimage to Cyprus. The bishop is given a special curse of an unreachable itch. The chapel of the Holy Expediency escapes, leaving the blessed company behind in a daze, though Brother Diaz remains entranced and desperate to hear more about those dumplings.
Chapter 23: No Smiles at the Monastery
The Chapel of the Holy Expediency arrives at a former monastery in Venice, now controlled by the crime lord Frigo and his unsmiling thugs. Sunny remains invisible throughout, holding her breath to maintain her concealment as she navigates through doorways and past guards. From her perspective, she reflects on the challenges of invisibility - people can still hear her, doors can hit her, and she must constantly dance from shadow to shadow planning where her next breath will come from.
Through Sunny's thoughts, we learn about her difficult past in the circus where she was exhibited as "the only captive elf in Europe" and constantly told to keep her mouth shut. She tried to tell jokes and sing once but was met with fury and rejection. Despite this, she performs small acts of kindness for her companions that they barely notice - evening out Yakov's bootlaces, folding Vega's clothes, tucking Alex in at night. She imagines them as a strange family with herself as the invisible member, though the metaphor breaks down when trying to fit Vega into it.
The group meets with Frigo, a baker and crime lord, in a converted chapel now used as a kitchen with an enormous oven. His granddaughter, a sharp-tongued girl training in the family business of both baking and crime, judges Baptiste harshly. Frigo needs them to retrieve a white box with a star on the lid from a cursed illusionist's house that his own people entered but never returned from. In exchange, he'll arrange passage to Troy. The chapter reveals Venice's criminal underworld while Sunny scouts the building, counting hidden guards with bows and knives positioned to ambush them if negotiations turn violent.
Chapter 24: Every House an Island
Balthasar lectures Alex about the history of Venice and Troy as they travel by boat through the flooded city. He explains that both are branches from the root of the Carthaginian Empire, which built vast temples and engineering projects including the dams that drained the lagoon to found Venice. The Carthaginians spread their language and culture around the Mediterranean, but were eventually weakened by their wars against the elves. Internal struggles and attacks from human enemies caused the mighty empire to collapse, with Venice electing a doge and clinging to fragments of former glory.
The city's current state reflects this fallen grandeur. Fifty-two years ago, after unprecedented storms, the ancient dam across the Po River burst and the lagoon flooded again. The wealthiest districts on low ground became the worst, half-drowned, while poorer areas on higher ground were spared. In wet years every house becomes its own island, and people swim through front doors and fish from balconies. The knowledge to repair the dam died with the Carthaginian witch engineers, who destroyed their own city by opening a gate to hell. Baptiste notes that history forgets how many dead slaves are sunk in the drowned foundations.
The group arrives at the illusionist's house, an unremarkable building that no one approaches - no boats, no people at windows, no birds on nearby roofs. Balthasar examines it with magical lenses, detecting at least three powerful enchantments, traces of a bound entity, and copper wire or lead in the walls. Yakov prepares Alex for potential violence, teaching her to hide her knife and strike from weakness using trickery and surprise. The lesson emphasizes that fair fights favor the strong, so she must make fights as unfair as possible. Marangen provides everything Balthasar needs for the magical operation, including recently deceased twins.
Chapter 25: The Magic of Deportment
Balthasar prepares his magical apparatus with genuine materials and conjurer's circles properly calibrated, delighting in serious arcane work after months trapped in mundane pilgrimage. He has secretly obtained everything needed not just to enter the illusionist's house, but also to break the Pope's binding. While others believe he's focused on the burglary task, he's actually preparing a far more ambitious dual ritual - a lesser one to suppress the binding's nauseating effects and a greater one to break it entirely, all while pretending to work on the illusionist's defenses.
Baron Ricard interrupts the tedious preparations to give Alex lessons in deportment, transforming her from a skulking street urchin into someone with imperial bearing. Through posture, movement, and presence, he teaches her to own a room with the magic of confidence. She learns to walk with her head lifted, shoulders back, and spine straight, to smile with her eyes rather than her teeth, and to project dignity and grace. The transformation is dramatic - even her voice changes, becoming higher, cleaner, and more regal as she practices charming Brother Diaz with newfound poise.
The lesson is interrupted when Yakov, Vega, Baptiste, and Marangen return with the Vicentine twins' corpses. Balthasar eagerly unwraps them, pleased with their condition despite the smell of putrefaction. When Baptiste expresses disgust, he dismisses her, focused on preparing the bodies for his necromantic communication spell. He orders Yakov to decapitate both corpses so they can carry the heads into the cursed house, killing the festive mood Vega had been enjoying. The chapter reveals Balthasar's hidden agenda while showing Alex's potential to become the empress she's meant to be.
Chapter 26: Talking Heads
Yakov struggles with his aging body as they approach the illusionist's house by boat, nearly splitting himself in half trying to step from boat to stairs before Sunny pulls him to safety. The house presents its first problem immediately - there's no door despite steps, a porch, and everything suggesting an entrance. The stonework where the door should be is solid and clammy. Balthasar has enchanted one of the severed twin heads to serve as a communication device, allowing him to speak to the team inside the house from his position across the canal.
The talking head is deeply disturbing to witness, with slack features, goo dribbling from its mouth, and a leather patch sewn over its neck stump. A silver nail hammered into its forehead anchors the spell. Sunny pragmatically wipes it with her monogrammed handkerchief while Baptiste questions why an elf carries such a refined item. The head speaks with Balthasar's characteristic arrogance despite not having his voice, complaining about everyone talking at once. Back in the apartment, Brother Diaz witnesses the blackest of black magic and questions where the moral lines are, wondering if there ever were any.
Balthasar uses his magic to reveal the hidden door, which simply appears rather than dramatically materializing. Baptiste prepares to pick the lock with her collection of specialized tools, boasting about past exploits, but Vega simply grabs the handle and pulls - the door was unlocked all along. Inside they find a disappointing shadowy hallway with checkered floor tiles, dusty cobweb-covered paintings, and wonky suits of armor. The chapter contrasts Balthasar's elaborate preparations with the group's improvisational approach, while Brother Diaz grapples with the moral compromises required by their mission.
Chapter 27: In Circles
The illusionist's enchantments trap each member of the group in personalized nightmares drawn from their deepest fears and worst memories. Vega finds herself in a flat, listless state, sitting across from her mother who patiently sews and braids her hair, asking where she's been. The scene shifts between the dining room, the wharf where she grew up, and fragmented memories. She remembers the moment her community marked her as dangerous after the bite, when they dragged her to be tattooed with warnings so people would know what she was. Sadie, speaking gently but firmly, explained they had to mark her because folk must know what you are - "the only decent thing to do."
Yakov experiences the nightmare of past battles, finding himself back in combat with his old Templar comrades including Simon Bartos. He moves through an endless battlefield fighting elves, Lithuanians, Sicilians, and a century's worth of enemies flowing together. The pressure of leadership weighs on him - showing courage or fear spreads contagiously, and he must be more than a man, harder and stronger and more certain. Every direction leads to death, and he's trapped in the melee, hardly knowing if those around him are alive or dead, tasting blood and screaming orders to kill.
Sunny finds herself at a masked ball where she doesn't belong and no one can see her. She realizes she's wearing no mask despite the invitation requiring one, and her face - which makes people puke - is exposed. People barge into her, step on her, and elbow her in the mouth without noticing. She discovers her invitation is actually an old circus bill advertising her as "the only captive elf in Europe." Wedged into a corner, drawing her knees to her chest, she confronts her deepest fear: she can make herself invisible but cannot make herself visible or matter to anyone. Meanwhile, Balthasar continues his dangerous dual ritual, drawing more power despite mounting nausea, determined to break his binding regardless of the explosive risks.
Chapter 28: Nothing but the Truth
Balthasar's dual ritual reaches its climax as wind tears through the room and the conjurer's circles glow and smoke. Alex realizes he's trying to break the papal binding and tells Brother Diaz, who hesitates to give orders despite being placed in charge by the Pope. When he finally commands Balthasar to stop, the magician uses magic to choke him, cutting off his breath and leaving him gasping and purple-faced. Baron Ricard refuses to help, telling Alex she needs to learn to bring one wizard into line if she's going to take a throne.
Inside the illusionist's house, each member of the team remains trapped in their personalized nightmare. Vega experiences fragmented memories of her life before and after the bite, alternating between rowing with shipmates who died by her hand, being marked with warnings by her community, and being caged after her crimes. Her mother tells her that loving Vega is like gold down a well, a death sentence, and that the wolf is just an excuse - she was an animal before the bite. Vega confronts the wolf that stalks through her memories, vowing to make it wear a muzzle.
Yakov finds himself in a hellscape of stakes and torture devices, a forest of the dead representing the conclusion of the Templars' righteous cause. He faces his younger self, the Grand Master who led them to create this nightmare through their pursuit of purity and righteousness. His younger self accuses him of becoming a twisted tree choked by guilt, but Yakov swears to redeem himself through the twelve virtues. Meanwhile, Balthasar successfully breaks the binding with a flash of blue-white fire, but immediately begins vomiting uncontrollably. Alex punches him in the nose, and Brother Diaz, recovering his breath, orders Balthasar to help their trapped companions. The humiliated magician submits, frantically searching through his books to dispel the illusions.
Chapter 29: Too Much Trouble
After successfully retrieving the white box from the illusionist's house, the group returns to Frigo's monastery to complete their bargain. Baptiste and Yakov hand over the box, though Yakov expresses concern about being double-crossed. Frigo acknowledges this is a sensible worry but offers no assurances beyond his "impeccable reputation," which Baptiste notes amounts to no assurance at all. The crime lord points out that people argue when they have no choice, and his granddaughter observes this is because they wish they did have a choice. Frigo directs them to their waiting boat for passage to Troy, and when he asks how to open the mysterious box, Yakov walks away without answering - long as he gets what he wants, who cares about the rest.
After the others leave, Frigo reveals he knew Sunny was there all along, invisible and observing from the gallery. His granddaughter is shocked to see an elf, but Frigo remains unsurprised, explaining that knowing things is his real business - the girls, gangs, and gambling are just means to acquire information, the only currency that truly counts. He offers Sunny work should she ever tire of disappointment, acknowledging her considerable talents at stealth and observation.
Sunny admits she might not be happy where she is, and Frigo demonstrates his true gift - seeing people not just for what they are, but who they are. He tells her he knows she's very lonely because "no one's really happy where they are, and everyone's lonely." This moment of genuine recognition affects Sunny deeply, as someone finally sees her as a person rather than just a dirty elf. The chapter ends with Frigo returning to his dough, having planted seeds for a potential future relationship while the group continues toward Troy, unaware of his deeper insight into their fellowship.
Chapter 30: Greed
Four days into their sea voyage toward Troy, Alex enjoys a period of relative peace and growing confidence. Brother Diaz teaches her to write, and his approval makes her feel unexpectedly proud. She practices her improved deportment and reflects on her expanding education - she can now read, write, walk properly, hide a dagger, and knows the history of ancient Carthage, Venice, and Troy. She begins to believe she might actually become the Empress of Troy, not just write the title. Baron Ricard appears younger than ever, having fed on the crew, while Vega philosophically advises that the secret to happiness is never being shy about asking questions and clutching at any warmth that can be clawed from existence.
Below decks, Balthasar lies in darkness feeling profoundly sick, uncertain whether his nausea comes from his failed attempt to break the binding, his humiliation, or simple seasickness. Baptiste visits to change his bandaged wrist, and they share an unexpectedly civil moment. She reveals that previous sorcerers who tried to break the binding fared even worse - one froze and smashed off his own hand. She suggests magical types never see the value in letting things happen and giving in to something bigger than themselves. Balthasar finds himself appreciating her competence and even her scar, realizing she's an acquired taste he's come to savor.
Their moment is shattered when a massive ballista bolt crashes through the ceiling, missing them by inches. Duke Constance of Troy, Alex's cousin and Eudoxia's third son, has ambushed them with a warship. He rams their vessel with his great galley, its sails bearing the stylized lighthouse of Troy. Constance reveals he has a copy of the papal bull naming Alex as heir and demands they hand her over. When told his brother Marcian is "dead as fuck," he's delighted to have another job saved. The duke's ship carries Eudoxia's sarcomantic creations - fish people and other human-sea creature hybrids that begin boarding their sinking vessel as Constance mockingly demands Alex's surrender.
Chapter 31: Fire on the Water
As Duke Constance's fish-people board their sinking, burning ship, Alex flees up the rigging with Sunny while their companions fight below. Vega saves Brother Diaz repeatedly, calling for weapons as she dispatches soldiers with brutal efficiency - throwing axes, bending swords, crushing helmets. Brother Diaz finds himself serving as her armorer, frantically gathering weapons from the dead while Vega destroys one enemy after another. She even kills a man with a body like a human but a great jellyfish head full of tentacles and a black beak, biting into its throat and spitting out the rubbery meat, declaring she hates seafood.
Below deck, Balthasar and Baptiste find the hold flooding around the galley's ram. A frenomancer - a mind-controlling sorcerer from Eudoxia's coven - attacks by pinning a rune to Baptiste's forehead, turning her into his puppet. She attacks Balthasar with her daggers while the sorcerer speaks through her. Balthasar desperately improvises, even animating the corpse of a drowned cabin boy, but Baptiste kills it. As she forces him underwater, he accidentally plucks the control rune from her forehead, but immediately feels a stabbing pain as the sorcerer pins one to him instead.
High in the rigging, Alex and Sunny reach the cross-trees at the top of the mainmast. Sunny plans for them to walk along the top yard and jump to the galley, but Alex is terrified of heights. When crab-men pursue them up the ratlines, Sunny stabs one "up the arse" but he keeps climbing. Alex kicks at him frantically until Sunny throws a ship's lantern at his face, knocking him off. The lantern falls toward the burning straw on deck below - filled with highly flammable whale oil - as Sunny realizes her mistake with a quiet "Oops."
Chapter 32: You Did It Now
The lantern explodes on deck, spreading fire rapidly across the ship. Brother Diaz continues serving as Vega's armorer, throwing her weapons as she battles through soldiers with terrifying efficiency - axes, swords, shields, and finally a huge pick-axe. She buries the pick end in a soldier's helmet with a metallic thud. The monk finds himself covered in blood and ink from his shattered inkwell, barely able to process that "slathered with gore" has become a routine phrase in his vocabulary.
Alex and Sunny remain trapped at the top of the mainmast as the ship lists further. Alex must choose between climbing out along the narrow top yard to jump to the galley or waiting for the crab-men climbing after them. Despite her terror of heights, she reluctantly begins edging along the spar with Sunny, the wind tearing at them and empty air yawning below. The mast leans at an increasingly dangerous angle as the ship continues to sink, flames spreading through the rigging.
On the aft castle, Yakov duels Duke Constance, quickly realizing he's outmatched. Constance is not just skilled but naturally gifted, a god-given talent who barely needs to try. He toys with Yakov, explaining how his brother Marcian tried twice as hard and was half as good, which infuriated him. Constance easily evades Yakov's attacks and lands a cut on his sword arm. When an arrow strikes Vega's shoulder, Brother Diaz must pull it out as soldiers close in. With Vega weakening from blood loss and unable to fight with one arm, Brother Diaz realizes they need the wolf. He quotes Cardinal Zizka: "A devil is what you need." As Vega begins transforming, dark hair sprouting and bones cracking, Brother Diaz flees to the bowsprit, clinging to the figurehead and wishing he was with Mother. The Vega wolf emerges, massacring the soldiers and leaping onto Constance's galley, determined to find whoever killed her monk and extract vengeance by breaking open the ship to find all its hidden meat.
Chapter 33: A Draw Is Enough
In the flooding hold, Balthasar battles the frenomancer who pinned a control rune to his forehead. Both sorcerers freeze in mental combat, each trying to take control through the needle that connects their minds. Balthasar forms magical defenses and begins drilling through to assault the enemy's mind, but the frenomancer outflanks him by seizing control of his diaphragm, cutting off his breathing. As Balthasar's consciousness dims, he's forced to kneel in the rising water while still holding Baptiste's limp body. Just as the sorcerer speaks through Balthasar's own mouth about accepting death, Baptiste regains consciousness and stabs the frenomancer in the throat, then buries another dagger between his eyes for "poetic justice." They acknowledge their effective partnership before realizing the hold's entrance is now underwater.
On the burning deck, Yakov duels Duke Constance, trying every tactical trick he knows but unable to land a single blow on the superbly talented swordsman. Constance toys with him, explaining he's never found anyone who could match his god-given talent. As the ship sinks and burns, Yakov realizes he's losing from blood loss and exhaustion. When his ankle gives and he drops to one knee, Constance stabs him through the back, the blade emerging from his chest. But Yakov embraces his killer and falls backward, driving the sword completely through both their bodies. "When you can't die, a draw is enough."
High above, Alex makes her terrifying jump from the yard to the galley's beam, smashing face-first into it but managing to cling on. The Vega wolf rampages through the galley's oarsmen before attacking the mast itself, gouging it with her claws while lost in confused memories. When Brother Diaz shouts that her behavior is unacceptable, the wolf turns on him and he flees, leaping into the sea. The damaged mast topples with Alex still clinging to it, crashing into the water. She sinks, ready to let the sea take her, while Yakov lies skewered to Constance's corpse as the waves sweep over the sinking ship.