Defy the Night

Allisander’s latest supply run was attacked by dozens of smugglers. The guards captured some of the smugglers, rebels, who surrendered. The rebels set some of the wagons aflame with torches and arrows. They also seemed to know the delivery schedule and supply run routes ahead of time.

Corrick goes to the Hold, and one prisoner says the Benefactors will strike again, but she won’t specify who the Benefactors are. Corrick recognizes one man, Jarvis, whom Wes and Tessa used to deliver medicine to. He is surprised that Jarvis would raid a supply run. The prisoners are all injured, even though surrender is supposed to result in imprisonment without physical harm. Corrick gets them medical attention and food. He bans Allisander from the palace for the time being. However, Harristan later says Corrick can’t ban Allisander.

Quint warns Corrick that he has a role to play and can’t appear merciful to criminals. Corrick continues considering who the Benefactors are, as they must be consuls or elites with money and governmental knowledge. Consul Lissa Marpetta appears and casts doubt on Tessa’s theory that the dosages are too high.

Corrick and Tessa share a carriage ride and discuss Harristan’s suspicions of Corrick. Tessa also confronts Corrick about his fake identity and death. He was trying to protect her by pretending to die, thinking she’d get into less danger if he wasn’t around. He would prefer to live like Wes, but can’t bring himself to abandon his brother. Corrick offers to let Tessa go if that is what she wants.

Tessa considers leaving the carriage, but realizes she’s in a unique position to help the general populace now that Harristan is willing to listen to her theories. She can tell Corrick wants to help, but is confused and in a difficult position. She and Corrick eat together in public to prove to everyone that she’s not a threat. Allisander interrupts them to complain that Corrick isn’t torturing the prisoners fast enough. Corrick introduces Tessa and explains her theories, which Allisander scoffs at because Tessa is a young girl and not a royal doctor. Corrick agrees to continue protecting Allisander’s supply run routes. Allisander threatens to stop providing medicine, but Corrick knows he won’t, as the business is still profitable and gives him control over others.

Corrick looks over data on how many deaths occur in each sector, trying to discern a pattern. The most deaths occur in sectors neighboring the Royal Sector, and the least occur in Sunkeep, which has a small population and warm weather (which may be a factor in slowing the pandemic). However, population has already been ruled out as a factor, as the pandemic doesn’t seem to spread through the air like other illnesses. Fewer deaths occur in Moonlight Plains and Emberridge—Allisander and Lissa’s sectors—because they grow medicine.

Corrick worries how people would react if Harristan mandated a lower dosage in order to spread the available medicine among more people. Elites who are used to purchasing as much medicine as possible would probably rebel; if Harristan made medicine free, Allisander and Lissa would have less motivation to grow Moonflowers. Corrick discusses his ideas with Tessa, who notices that some sectors border the ocean, which may make a difference. She wonders if the nearby kingdom of Ostiary is experiencing the pandemic and if they have any Moonflowers to spare. However, Corrick thinks Harristan wouldn’t want to pay for a trip to find out. Corrick and Tessa hear an explosion, and see the Royal Sector start to burn.

The Hold has been attacked, and most of the prisoners either escaped or were set free. The night guard caught two prisoners, and Allisander wants to execute them, and Corrick agrees. Tessa protests, but the men go to the Hold.

Harristan’s cough is still bad, so Tessa makes him a special tea. This makes him trust her more. Harristan appoints his personal guard, Rocco, to protect Tessa. Tessa asks Rocco to take her to Corrick.

Corrick slits the two prisoners’ throats, and is envious that Harristan doesn’t have to kill people. Tessa and Rocco arrive, and Corrick is upset that Rocco left Harristan and brought Tessa to the Hold.

Tessa admits that she wanted to stop Corrick from executing the two prisoners. She can tell killing is traumatic for him, and that Allisander is the one bullying him into doing so. Corrick is worried that Allisander will stop his supply runs, or that a revolution will take place and cause more deaths. He still doesn’t know who the Benefactors are, as every prisoner thus far has refused to reveal them. Tessa reasons that people might reveal this information to her and Wes.