One Dark Window

During the nameday celebration, Elm pairs up with Elspeth and Jespyr pairs up with Ravyn to find the Well Card. As Elspeth and Elm search the library and third floor, they are discovered by Balian, the Spindles’ butler. Elspeth tries to make him leave but when he shows disrespect, Elm uses his Scythe Card to force him to bow before leaving. Unable to understand his willingness to endure the pain of the Scythe Card, Elspeth asks Elm why he’s willing to commit treason. He compares his loyalty to the Yews to Elspeth’s to her father Erik, as the Yews and Erik’s willingness to risk their livelihoods inspires devotion. Elspeth finally understands Elm’s wariness of her is born of protectiveness over Ravyn.

Ravyn and Jespyr also fail to locate the Well Card, and just as Elspeth is about to search alone, Ione finds the team. Her eyes are glazed, but Elspeth, Ravyn, Elm, and Jespyr follow her to the hall and take one of six goblets. As everyone drinks to the health of Elspeth’s half-sisters, Elm notices Ione is under the influence of a Scythe Card. Hauth appears and reveals he slipped the Chalice Card’s truth serum in the team’s cups.

Hauth imposes a truth-telling game on the team and volunteers to answer their questions first: He reveals he is jealous of Ravyn, continuing to turn the Destriers against him, used the Scythe Card on Ione more than once, and slept with other women since their betrothal. Ione reveals Hauth treats her like a brute, that she is not in love with him, and that she wishes to be powerful. Though Ravyn is not affected by the Chalice Card, he says he genuinely cares for Elspeth, and that whenever he disappears, it is to do the Rowan King’s bidding. Elspeth asks the Nightmare for help, but he is not immune to the Chalice Card. She is forced to admit she loves Ravyn, but when Hauth asks what happened to her broken wrist, the others—even Ione—intervene. Ravyn uses his own Nightmare Card to instruct her how to answer the question. Elspeth’s own Nightmare expels the invader and takes over. Ravyn is propelled backward, and though Hauth takes the opportunity to pressure Elspeth, she sees Ione tap the Chalice Card three times, releasing Elspeth from the truth serum. However, she resisted the serum for too long and is poisoned, vomiting blood and losing consciousness.

Elspeth wakes in her bedroom in Spindle House, with Ravyn sleeping by her side. She feigns sleep when Elm enters the room and listens as Ravyn explains how faint her voice was in her mind, like it was lost in darkness. She opens her eyes and decides to be honest with him. Elspeth invites him to use the Nightmare Card on her again. Her Nightmare reveals himself, and she explains her magic absorbs whatever the Shepherd King sacrificed to make a specific Providence Card upon touch—which is how she came to possess the Shepherd King’s soul. Elm realizes the Nightmare is who grants Elspeth strength and yellow eyes. Ravyn asks Elm to leave and speaks to the Nightmare about his harm to Elspeth. The Nightmare is unrepentant, as magic never comes for free. Jespyr interrupts their conversation, as the Rowan King wants to see Ravyn.

When Elspeth is alone again, her father Erik finds her. They speak of Hauth and her relationship with Ravyn. Erik gives her the Well Card, like her mother did when they wed. He says he would change the past if he could, before leaving Elspeth to rest. Later, she finds Ravyn, Elm, and Jespyr as they prepare themselves for patrol. She tells them about the Well Card and apologizes to Ravyn for not telling him about the Nightmare sooner. The team leaves with a promise of returning.

Filick takes Elspeth’s Well Card for safekeeping. That evening, Tyrn escorts her to her room, where he says her aunt Opal is waiting for her. However, Hauth is waiting for her instead. When Elspeth accuses him of using the Scythe Card on her uncle, Tyrn reveals his betrayal was done willingly. Hauth insists on knowing what happened to her wrist. He tries to use the Scythe Card on her, but she breaks through his control; he then uses the Black Horse Card. Hauth reveals Tyrn told him about Elspeth’s infection and attempts to extort her. He orders her to help trap Ravyn into admitting his treason and abdicating as Captain of the Destriers. She spits in his face, and as Hauth hits her, she asks the Nightmare for help. He warns Elspeth that she may lose herself for good, but she accepts the consequence. As the Nightmare manifests, Orithe enters the room.

As Hauth and Orithe speak over her, Elspeth notices the time and knows Ravyn will return. She screams against her gag and lunges for Orithe, then Hauth. As they fight, Orithe notices her eyes and recognizes her as the person who saved the infected child on Market Day. Hauth long suspected Elspeth was the person who harmed Linden and threatens to burn the child once he finds him. She strikes him, and he tries to control her with the Scythe Card—to no avail. Ravyn returns and tries to contact her through his Nightmare Card. His voice distracts Elspeth, and Hauth uses the opportunity to slam her head against a wall.

As Elspeth slips into darkness, she remembers her loved ones. She warns Ravyn to find the Twin Adlers Card and save Emory, and slips away. She has a vision of a man and children fleeing a burning castle into the mist, a gray-eyed boy facing a large man and his Scythe Card, and hundreds of children with black veins. When Elspeth wakes, her eyes are yellow, as she and the Nightmare are one. Together, they warn Ravyn not to save them before killing Orithe and crushing Hauth’s face. Elspeth speaks to the Nightmare one final time, making him promise to help Ravyn and Emory. She closes her eyes, reciting the story of the girl, the king, and the monster they became.

Three days later, Ravyn and Elm wait in the antechamber of the Rowan King’s dungeon. Ravyn recalls entering Elspeth’s room and finding Orithe’s corpse, and Hauth and Elspeth injured. When she woke, she told Ravyn and Elm that she killed Orithe and wanted to be imprisoned to protect the team. Ravyn noticed her yellow eyes, used his Nightmare Card to contact her, and was met with her Nightmare’s voice. He told Ravyn that Elspeth was resting and set him free to help the team.

The Rowan King arrives, and him, Ravyn, and Elm enter the dungeon together. The Rowan King demands to know what an imprisoned “Elspeth” (the Nightmare in disguise) wants after maiming Hauth and killing Orithe. He threatens to kill her, and she reminds him of the mist. They both want to complete a Deck, but she will only help if he releases Emory to his parents. “Elspeth” offers her life in exchange for Emory’s and the Twin Adlers Card, as the Shepherd King is the only one who knows where it is.