The Songbird and the Heart of Stone

Mische wakes in the Sanctum of Soul with Luce and Asar. She sees a younger, human version of herself reflected in the glass beneath her. Asar’s reflection is eerie, a “blacked-out silhouette, smoke pouring from it, as if seen through the depths of nightfire. Like he was burning eternal. The only visible feature was one bright white eye” (448).

They head to the Soul’s temple but are intercepted by a group of wraiths, including Malach. Malach attacks Mische but underestimates her, and she stabs him. Both Mische and Asar fight Malach, with Asar delivering the final blow. As Malach dies, Ophelia appears and forcibly pulls Mische away.

Ophelia takes Mische to the temple, driven by jealousy over Mische’s connection with Asar. She plans to feast on Mische’s life source. Mische, sensing Ophelia’s vulnerability, apologizes for what happened to her, which confuses and angers Ophelia. Despite this, Mische continues to show sympathy, and Ophelia eventually relaxes. Using her Shadowborn magic, Mische helps Ophelia’s soul pass to the Underworld by easing her fears and shattered hopes.

Asar and Mische begin the ritual to resurrect Alarus. He provides the tree branch for Body, the poppy petals for Breath, the ring for Psyche, and the arrow for Secrets. For Soul, Asar shocks Mische by asking her to continue the spell without him. Asar reveals that he has a drop of Alarus’s bloodline in his veins and therefore his life will provide the piece needed for Soul to complete the spell. Mische realizes that Asar’s strange reflection resembled the pictures of Alarus throughout scriptures, tapestries, and church walls. Though Mische refuses and wants to find another way, Asar forces her hand by stepping into the last circle, sacrificing himself.

The ritual completes, and a silhouette forms in the center of the circle. Mische refuses to let go of Asar’s soul, clutching to the anchor he placed in her chest at the beginning of their journey so that they’d never lose their way. Atroxus appears, believing the figure is Alarus, but Mische recognizes it as the piece of Asar she refuses to release.

Mische confronts Atroxus, accusing him of lying about sparing Asar. Atroxus claims he kept his word, as Asar isn’t dying by his hand. He expresses pride in Mische, thinking she’s close to completing her mission. However, Mische realizes that this quest was never about killing Alarus—it was about Atroxus gaining more power. When a god dies, another god grows stronger, and Atroxus plans to rid the world of all vampires, including her. In an act of defiance, Mische grabs the golden arrow—the weapon capable of killing a god—and stabs Atroxus in the neck.

Atroxus is taken by surprise as Mische stabs him. He grabs her, threatening to burn her alongside him. Mische, accepting this fate, withdraws the arrow from his neck and drives it into his heart. As Atroxus dies, they both are consumed by flames. Amid the fire, Mische clings to the magic binding her to Asar, ensuring that the resurrection spell reaches its completion.

Mische wakes cradled in Asar’s arms. Nyaxia arrives, demanding Alarus, but discovers that his power now resides within Asar. Though she is enraged, she spares Asar, accepting Atroxus’s death and the endless night it has caused as a consolation. However, in retaliation for not reviving Alarus, she refuses to help Asar save Mische. Despite Nyaxia’s cruelty, Mische still believes there’s light within her, deeming her worthy of redemption.

Nyaxia vanishes, and the gods of the White Pantheon—Vitarus, Ix, Srana, Zarux, Shiket, and Acaeja—appear. The gods want to execute Asar, but Acaeja points out that he is now a god and cannot be killed. Instead, they decide to harness his newfound powers for their own use. Shackled in golden chains, Asar is dragged away while Shiket lands a killing blow to Mische.

Mische finds herself in a garden with her sister, Saescha. She kneels by a pile of golden feathers, gazing at a dead firefinch. Saescha dismisses it as already dead, but Mische believes it’s not. After Saescha leaves, and as the sun sets, the bird miraculously revives and soars into the night sky. Mische smiles, touching the phoenix tattoo on her arm as she watches the bird rise, before standing up herself. Mische wakes in a field of flowers, where Vincent, the now-deceased former king of the Nightborn, approaches. He helps her up and welcomes her to the Underworld, claiming they have work to do.

The gods imprison Asar, chaining him in a dark room, where they occasionally visit to try and understand how much of Alarus resides within him. While Asar holds Alarus’s power and a drop of his blood, he lacks Alarus’s memories. Despite this, Asar knows the gods should fear him—because what he does remember is Shiket killing Mische in front of him. Asar is determined to find Mische again, however long it takes.