Chapter Summaries

Shade returned from his time-travel adventure and decided to write a mathematics paper about imaginary numbers. He investigated Professor Drake’s clue in Coldwater Port and traded a relic for Impure Dragon Blood before riding toward Huntington to continue his plans.

• Shade told Luvia he would write a report about Witch Emperor Miss Violet and a paper connecting trigonometric functions with complex exponential functions.
• Luvia warned Shade about the weight of knowledge gained through Great Ones, then praised his character and soul.
• At the Coldwater Port lighthouse, Shade explained the Chosen Ones’ password to the old keeper and learned that the Time Perception stone tablet would arrive next week.
• Shade traded the Undying Snake Skin to Mr. Edmund for Impure Dragon Blood and twenty pounds, hoping to gain the Power Spirit Rune.
• Shade arrived in Huntington, left the vineyard with the Night Watchman and his other important items, and rode into the city.

Shade traveled west of Huntington to Lower Luther Village to investigate a tale about the Goddess in the Lake. Mr. Old Grave recounted meeting a mysterious old woman and receiving a fishing rod, but Shade learned little about the lake and left with an unanswered question about the old man's blind eye.

• Shade reviewed Professor Drake’s five rules for encountering the Goddess in the Lake, then rode west to retrace the professor’s old route.
• In Lower Luther Village, Shade met Mr. Old Grave, who described how a talking snake, rabbit, and raven led him to a hidden lake in winter eight years earlier.
• Mr. Old Grave said he fished with a white-haired woman on Lake Heart Island, won her fishing rod as his wish, and later sold it to people from the city.
• The village constable confirmed that Old Grave’s story had attracted visitors, but Old Grave had never found the lake again and villagers doubted his account.
• Shade asked about Old Grave’s blind left eye, but the constable and blacksmith could not say when it had gone blind, only that it had happened before the lake story.

Shade encountered the Swamp Witch in the forest near Luther Lake after fighting a pack of wolves. A dead wolf guided him deeper into the woods, and Shade decided to follow it with his horse.

• Shade killed most of a wolf pack near Luther Lake and chased the last wolf into the Withered Forest.
• Shade killed the trapped wolf with his revolver, then sensed an approaching Whisper as the forest grew cold and dim.
• Shade saw the Swamp Witch and resisted her illusions with guidance from the voice beside him.
• The dead wolf rose as a Living Corpse and walked deeper into the forest, leading Shade to suspect the Swamp Witch wanted him to follow.
• Shade fetched his horse, returned to the wolf, and followed it into the woods.

Shade found the mysterious lake near Lower Luther Village at sunset, but it vanished before he could reach Lake Heart Island. He told Professor Kansas Drake what happened and persuaded him to share the identities of recent witnesses so Shade could search for the lake again.

• Shade followed a resurrected wolf to the lake, but it disappeared before his Space Stabilization Aura could hold it in place.
• Shade returned to Huntington and visited Professor Kansas Drake to recount his encounter with the lake.
• Shade asked Professor Drake for the identities of people who had recently seen the Goddess in the Lake.
• Professor Drake hesitated over breaking the witnesses' trust, but Shade persuaded him by offering to help uncover what had happened to him.
• Shade asked whether any of the witnesses liked playing Rhodes Cards.

Shade received a new Gray Gloves mission to secretly protect Princess Margaret Anjou during her visit to Tobesk, and prepared to join the royal welcome with Miss Galina. He also drew an emerald in a silver box from God's Gift Box, which he planned to give at a wedding, and waited with Miss Galina for news of the princess's arrival.

• Shade opened God's Gift Box and received a small emerald in a silver shield-shaped jewelry box, which he engraved with his initials as a wedding gift.
• Shade read letters from Priest Augustus and Dorothy, then decoded Gray Gloves' orders to secretly protect Princess Margaret Anjou without exposing Gray-headed Eagle unless absolutely necessary.
• Shade planned to welcome Princess Margaret with Miss Galina, both to fulfill his Gray Gloves mission and to protect her on behalf of Military Intelligence Section Six.
• Miss Galina explained that the princess carried a letter from Lion Ryan concerning negotiations over military numbers, and said she would attend the welcome as a fellow Council member.

Shade discussed the Cavendish heirs and the Fifth Epoch’s Witch Emperor Violet with Miss Galina, then joined the heavily guarded welcome for Queen Diana at Tobesk Station. He entered the station with Mia and was invited to stand with the Dawn Church representatives as the royal delegation prepared to arrive.

• Miss Galina described Princess Angelina’s ambitions and said she would not involve herself in the succession struggle.
• Shade told Miss Galina about Witch Emperor Violet, her pursuit of eternal beauty, and his plan to write a mathematics paper with help from Miss Sylvia.
• Miss Galina said the Council Speaker corresponded to the Power of Time and was, in her view, the strongest Ring Warlock in the Material World.
• After Queen Diana’s train arrived, Shade and Miss Galina joined the convoy to Tobesk Station, where security had been heightened because of the summer shooting.
• Shade entered the station with Mia, and Priest Augustus invited him to stand with the Dawn Church representatives.

Shade attended the welcoming ceremony for Princess Margaret Anjou in Tobesk, where he gave her an emerald and asked whether Delarion and Kasonlik would remain at peace. The celebration left Shade reflecting on civilization and the era, while the future of peace remained uncertain.

• Shade spoke with Priest Augustus, who sensed a faint, familiar presence on him but could not identify it.
• Queen Diana and the crowd welcomed Princess Margaret Anjou and her delegation as their train arrived in Tobesk.
• Princess Margaret answered questions from Earl of Orlang and Mr. Leonardo before selecting Shade to speak.
• Shade asked Princess Margaret whether the two countries would remain peaceful and gave her an emerald, making her remember Hamilton of Leijed.
• Shade felt he had gained a new understanding of civilization as white doves were released over the platform.

Shade visited the card-playing poet John Roland in Huntington to learn about his encounter with the Goddess in the Lake, then challenged him to Rhodes Cards. During their game, Shade's Luck intertwined with Roland's, and he gained insight into Luck.

• Shade gave a flower-selling girl a bag of vegetables, and Director Anlos watched before deciding to buy her flowers.
• Shade traveled to Huntington and found John Roland, a poet known as Lucky Roland, winning at Rhodes Cards in a tavern.
• Shade learned from the bartender that Roland's unusual good fortune had begun earlier that year and that he often visited the Seer Association.
• Shade challenged Roland to a high-stakes nine-round card game, hoping to learn more about the poet's encounter with the Goddess in the Lake.
• When Shade touched his hole card, he sensed that he would win the round and gained insight into Luck.

Shade played nine rounds of Rhodes Cards against the lucky poet Mr. Roland and won every game. After learning that Roland had wished for extraordinary Luck from Cherub at the cost of one of his poems, Shade asked him to explain what happened, and Roland began his account.

• Mr. Roland lost the first three card games to Shade while discussing a Delarion knight and explaining that Luck came at a price.
• Mr. Roland drew two Special Rule Cards over the next six rounds but still lost all nine games to Shade.
• Mr. Roland tried to pay Shade his winnings, but Shade returned the money and said he had come to ask about the Goddess in the Lake.
• Shade told Mr. Roland that Professor Drake had mentioned him, and Roland warned Shade not to seek Cherub.
• Mr. Roland revealed that he had traded a poem for extraordinary Luck and asked Shade to ask Cherub to take it back if Shade met her.
• Mr. Roland agreed to tell Shade what had happened in spring and began his story.

Shade learned how Mr. Roland found the Goddess in the Lake and received her Luck, which he now wanted removed. After taking Mr. Roland’s card and the address of Cedric’s Orchard, Shade went to search the woods, where he settled down to work on his mathematics paper.

• Mr. Roland told Shade that a moving face in an orchard tree had led him through the woods to Lake Heart Island, where a beautiful woman granted him Luck after he praised her in a poem.
• Mr. Roland explained that he could not remember how he lost two fingers and asked Shade to find the Goddess in the Lake so she could take back his Luck.
• Mr. Roland gave Shade the orchard’s address and a Headless Knight card after Shade promised to help him.
• Shade rode to Cedric’s Orchard and entered its woods without attracting the guards’ attention.
• Shade tied up his horse in a clearing and began working on his mathematics paper.

Shade reached the mysterious lake and met the ancient White Robed Lady, who offered him a chance to obtain divine power through four trials. He accepted the first trial: proving his Wisdom, strength, and charm at an upcoming wedding banquet.

• Shade worked on his mathematical paper in the woods until an unripe apple fell from above and refreshed him.
• Shade rode his horse to Lake Heart and walked across the water to Lake Heart Island.
• Shade found the White Robed Lady beside a rune-covered stone in the island's Heart Lake.
• The White Robed Lady told Shade he must complete four trials to earn the power he sought.
• Shade accepted the first trial, which required him to prove his Wisdom, strength, and charm at a wedding banquet.

Shade met Lady Cherub at the Lake of Cherub, completed Roland’s commission to reclaim his excess Good Luck, and learned that he could bring one friend to future visits. He told Sister Devlin about the lake, then joined her for dinner at the Cassandra Auction House, where Grandma Cassandra urged him to learn spatial knowledge from Miss Sylvia.

• Shade met Lady Cherub, who told him to bring a clever animal to find the lake again and agreed he could bring one friend, though their questions would use up some of his future gifts.
• Lady Cherub took back Roland’s excess Good Luck and gave Shade Roland’s collection of poems as proof, but said Professor Drake’s forgotten experience would be revealed during a later trial.
• Shade returned Roland’s poems, then went to Middlesburg with Little Mia and told Sister Devlin about Lady Cherub and the possibility of learning the Divided First Fire’s location.
• Sister Devlin said she would travel to Huntington and invited Shade to dine with her and Grandma Cassandra at the Cassandra Auction House, where a spatial relic might help the twin girls visit Shade’s home.
• At dinner, Grandma Cassandra encouraged Shade to study spatial knowledge with Miss Sylvia, whom she thought might invite him to become her apprentice.

Shade reassured Miss Swift about her doubts as an apprentice, then examined the Magician's Escape Box with Grandma Cassandra and the others. Grace and Helen could use the relic to travel to Tobesk after recovering, while Shade ended the night preparing for bed after working on his paper.

• Shade told Miss Swift not to measure herself against Miss Sylvia, and she thanked him before returning to the washroom.
• Grandma Cassandra explained that Magician's Escape Box could transfer a person to a prepared Escape Ritual but carried the danger of its undead spirit, Magician Wilwood.
• Shade and Miss Swift opened the box and read its warning that death was the final way to escape, while Grace and Helen recalled the magician's mysterious death.
• Shade decided that Grace and Helen would travel to Tobesk after winter began and their injuries had healed, while Sister Devlin planned to travel with him after his task was complete.
• Shade worked late on his paper, then found Mia in the study and carried her to bed after testing whether she could solve a math problem.

Shade prepared to attend Princess Mona Cavendish and Randolph Eisberg’s wedding, where Leisha would serve as chief bridesmaid and Dorothy would accompany him. After Leisha sent him a pair of sapphire earrings for the couple, Shade gave his ruby to Dorothy as a promised gift after their dance at the wedding ball.

• Shade planned to attend the wedding celebration at Lake View Manor and wondered which of his friends would be there.
• Dorothy arrived at Shade’s home with her golden formal dress and explained that Leisha was burdened with chief bridesmaid duties.
• Dorothy revealed that her wedding gift was a signed copy of her Detective Hamilton Story Collection.
• Shade showed Dorothy the ruby he had brought from Middlesburg, and she told him Leisha had prepared sapphire earrings for him to give the newlyweds.
• Shade gave the ruby to Dorothy and promised it to her as a gift after they danced at the wedding ball.

Shade and Leisha prepared to attend Princess Mona Cavendish’s wedding, discussing her dowry and the royal family’s arrangements. They arrived at Peace Church as the ceremony was about to begin, with Leisha uncertain whether she and Dorothy would switch places.

• Dorothy told Shade that Mona’s dowry included land, estates, businesses, heirlooms, antiques, and jewelry from Queen Diana.
• Dorothy explained that Mona and young Mr. Eisberg had met at a ball, corresponded for years, and became engaged with the King’s approval.
• Leisha took Dorothy’s place so she could rest from wedding preparations and share lunch with Shade.
• Shade and Leisha dressed for the wedding, and Leisha tied Dorothy’s hair with a blue ribbon while Shade prepared Mia for the occasion.
• Shade and Leisha traveled to Peace Church, where Leisha wondered whether she and Dorothy would switch places during the afternoon.

Shade and Dorothy attended Princess Mona Cavendish’s wedding, where Leisha arranged for Princess Margaret Anjou to sit beside Dorothy. The seating left Miss Sylvia across the aisle from Shade and Miss Galina arriving to find no open seat beside him.

• Shade and Dorothy sat in the fifth row while guests arrived for Princess Mona Cavendish’s wedding.
• Dorothy worried that Miss Galina might sit beside her, while Shade suspected the Great Witch would do so.
• Leisha arrived as a bridesmaid with Princess Margaret Anjou and introduced Shade to the visiting Princess.
• Leisha arranged for Princess Margaret to sit beside Dorothy, and the two young women exchanged compliments through their soul connection.
• Miss Sylvia sat across the aisle from Shade, and Miss Galina entered with Tifa to find the seats beside him occupied.

Shade attended Mona Cavendish and Randolph Eisberg’s wedding, where he carried out a carefully staged introduction to Miss Sylvia and watched the royal ceremony unfold. After the couple exchanged vows and rings, Dorothy kissed Shade, leaving him conscious of Miss Galina’s watchful gaze as he pondered marriage.

• Miss Galina sat beside Miss Sylvia, and Shade spoke with Princess Margaret and Dorothy before using a planned introduction to meet Miss Sylvia.
• King Larus and Queen Diana arrived, and Princess Margaret politely declined their invitation to sit in the front rows.
• Randolph Eisberg entered the church, followed by the bridesmaids and then Mona Cavendish, whom King Larus escorted to the altar.
• The priest officiated as Randolph and Mona vowed to marry, exchanged rings, and kissed before the applauding guests.
• Dorothy kissed Shade during the ceremony, and Shade noticed Mia watching him before returning his attention to the newlyweds.

Shade and Dorothy attended Princess Mona’s wedding banquet at Lake View Manor, where Shade planned to prove his strength, Wisdom, and Charm to earn a drop of divinity from the Goddess in the Lake. The banquet began with their greetings to the bride and groom, while Shade looked for a way to complete his task without provoking the groom.

• Leisha explained the banquet dress code and told Shade that Priest Augustus and Doctor Schneider were unlikely to attend.
• Dorothy changed into a purple dress, and she, Shade, and Mia traveled to Lake View Manor.
• Shade revisited the manor and remembered the vanished Moon Scar and the place where Lassoya had died.
• Dorothy told Shade about the evening’s games and said Leisha might invite him to view a handwritten copy of Summer Night Collection at eight.
• Shade planned to prove his strength, Wisdom, and Charm, but worried that dancing with Mona Cavendish could be seen as a provocation toward the groom.
• Shade and Dorothy presented their gifts, exchanged greetings with Mona Eisberg and her groom, and entered the manor house.

Shade visited Miss Galina and Miss Sylvia at the wedding banquet, helped Princess Angelina escape a mathematics lesson, and agreed to join a horseback race. Miss Galina warned him that something large seemed ready to emerge from Schluch Lake.

• Shade went to Miss Galina’s resting room, where he found her, Miss Sylvia, and Princess Angelina.
• Shade suggested that Angelina take her mathematics questions home, and she left to prepare for the Lake View Manor Cycling Race.
• Shade agreed to race and asked Miss Sylvia to review his paper on imaginary numbers.
• Miss Galina told Shade that something big seemed about to emerge from the middle of Schluch Lake.

Shade learned that a location-type relic was expected to manifest in Schluch Lake that night, but Miss Galina and Miss Sylvia believed it posed little danger. He left them and joined the wedding banquet, where he opened a Lucky Red Box before heading toward Princess Angelina Cavendish.

• Miss Sylvia explained that a location-type relic would probably manifest in Schluch Lake between eight and ten that night, and Miss Galina said the Church had arranged protection for Margaret Anjou.
• Shade left the Witches and went to the courtyard to find food before Angelina's horse race.
• Shade met Baron Lavend at the Lucky Red Box game and opened a box containing a pink gauze scarf, while the Baron had to keep a small doll in his pocket.
• Shade admired the banquet decorations and lively tents as he walked toward the manor gates with Mia.
• Princess Angelina Cavendish waved to Shade beneath the sunset.