The Legend of the Sibling Swords is proven further when the group realizes that the third Sword has always been with them. Much to Sir Felix' surprise, his own sword - the Silver Dancer - is the mythical third sword that will mediate between the two blades.
Though David clearly has recovered from his imprisonment, it becomes apparent as well that his role as High King has ended. Caliburn refuses to allow him to draw it. When an attack from armored spellcasters reaches inside the walls of Tara Nar, the Oathcircle is forced to find a way to reach Lenore and Morwen without leading the enemies there. Steel and Glamour clash in a magical storm of anger and rage. Sir Felix learns the armored soldiers that are adorned with a Golden Falcon on their temples are actually members of what was once known as the Crystal Circle. And their loyalties lie now towards Danwyn, whose powerful Geas forces them to serve him. With the Geas tied to their True Names, Seamus has Sir Felix unleash a long kept gift from the founder of the Crystal Circle - a Time-delayed Naming effect - to release one of his alternate secondary identities which he had prepared in the past in any event that a Geas must be overcome.
Flynn Wordweaver soon learns that Caliburn has made a choice: Lenore is its chosen new High Queen. And the group escapes via another secret trod to hide in the last place where the enemies would look for them: a chamber deep inside the castle itself of Queen Mab.
There, the group realizes Lenore must prepare to face against Danwyn - sword against sibling sword - for the fate of the realm. And David, Morwen, and Merlin (Seamus' alternate identity) head back out to distract their foes, find Faerylith, and buy the others time.
*
Lady Songbird however struggles to find a way back to the group. Fate seems to have other plans for her as she encounters a group of commoners who had been hiding in a Trod hoping to evade the worse parts of the war. When her anger gets the better of her, the commoners lose one of their own in exchange for having her promise to spare the rest. And when Lady Songbird finally finds her way to the Kingdom of Apples, she revisits the Patrician and sees how much has changed in her absence. Even the once loyal servants who stood by her side no longer speak to her in the same way. And when she finally meets Danwyn, he does the unexpected.
He transforms one of the greatest threats of Concordia - Joseph van Noceti III - into a pitiful servant that is obsessively hoping to be of service to her with but a single usage of Naming. And then he does the next big thing: He hands her the Triumph Casque of Sorrows and tells her he would rather the greatest weapon through-out Concordia was in the hands of a person he trusted. Does he truly have no idea of her eventual plan to take him down?
*
And all over Concordia, Sidhe holdings are finding themselves attacked by doppelgangers wrapped in leathery straps and bonds. Reeking of Glamour and anger, the now referred to as Tithed Ones continue to assault Sidhe all over the world, speaking through the mouths of their targets, and seeking revenge for the abduction of their bodies.
The Tithed Ones are the souls of the human bodies the Sidhe steal.
Somehow, they are back. Powered by a Glamour seemingly from deep within.
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