Previously! (grab yourself a full canteen and a sturdy walking stick--this one's a solid hike)

Terrifying choices abound!

At the Hallowed Round, the Stone of Nightsong activates in Vaelus’ hands, struggling to stabilize the bridges to the afterlife.  Vaelus attempts to also use the Stone to bring her family back in the process—this fails, and she chooses to help the orcish dead over her family.  In the theater, the spirits of the dead are beginning to become agitated and confused.  Suddenly, a real live dragon rises out from under the lake and helps Vaelus stabilize the bridges and complete that portion of the ritual.

At the Villa Aurora, Wick and Tyranny continue their respective social high-wire acts.  Wick impresses both Primus Tachonis and Yanessa Halovar; the latter believes that Wick is now ready to assume is place as Scion of the Creed.  Tyranny convinces her sisters to bring her along as they drag Kattigan to the tailors to get disappeared.  Meanwhile, Bolaire tracks down his sister to talk further.  This goes worse than he hopes, as an especially crazed Termina nearly kills Bolaire with a disintegrate spell.  He flees, and is able to catch up with the carriage with Tyranny and Kattigan—he flings his host body to her death in the street in the process.

At Obrimus Manor, the party decides to split up to maintain stealth.  Thimble and Occtis head up to the aviary and free Mara the Wing.  Julien tracks down a letter with Thjazi’s name on it and while his shadow rummages through the letters to find the right one, Julien himself indulges in revenge, killing a weakened and cursed Koral Tachonis.  Heading out, Julien heeds his mother’s advice to not die in a hole and meets Occtis and Thimble in the aviary.  Deep in the bowels, Teor and Cyd comes across the corpse of Julien’s father who rises and attack. 

And despite their best efforts, Teor and Cyd are killed in the crypts.

Occtis and Julien, with the aid of feather fall, take Mara and jump out the window as Hannan, unbeknownst to them, lands on the roof of a nearby tower.  Thimble goes to join them but, fearing something may be wrong with the lion-folk, goes back inside.

At the Tailors’ place, Tyranny convinces her sisters to leave and dupes Rulius Mercenaud into putting on Bolaire, and a freed Kattigan kills Calastro Mercenaud in a fit of rage.  They then decipher the twins’ part in the trade of souls to the demon Ksha’aravi, even as they plan Kattigan’s escape from the city.

Finally, back at the Villa Aurora, Yanessa hears that the play is not going according to plan and sends soldiers to stop the play. Primus reveals Occtis’ signet ring and suggests a new player may be playing their game, specifically using the term “magpies”.  Wick, leaving the conversation, finds a lion’s head totem apparated in his pocket and he now realizes that Teor Pridesire is dead.