Chapter 73 of 78 · Book 5, The Butcher's Masquerade

Chapter 73 — Wonderwall, again

Book: The Butcher's Masquerade · Part: The Butchering · Previous: Chapter 72 — Cat-nac the Magnificent · Next: Chapter 74 — All Eyes on Me · Floor: Floor 6 — The Hunting Grounds · Series: the series

Opening

<Note added by Crawler Carl, 25th Edition>

Summary

Carl weighs charming Ferdinand with a potion that needs a litre of cat blood. The queen, 'Immortal-in-Waiting, Chosen Daughter of Apito', arrives bloodied from fighting, and Ferdinand is locked in Ballroom A now that the host is present. She greets Signet as her half-breed sister and warns that an assault would damn Signet's friends. Katia's Size-Up: 201 across the board, intelligence 300, susceptible to blunt force. The queen drags Carl before her and names his schemes — the changelings on her towers, his friends hiding in the trees. 'Gideon. Run.' Gideon and nearly thirty crawlers die, there because Carl asked. The Sledge crashes the Twister into both remaining turrets, and the queen, unable to leave either, takes a chair front and centre: 'Proceed.' Florin, holding it together, says the queen is Ifechi's twin: 'It's not right they're using her body like that.'

Samantha pulls the right-hand crystals — Ballroom A is unmuted and unbonded — and finds the left-hand pair already pulled: someone freed the hunters first. Mantises have beheaded the guards, and Carl realises Diwata is in the castle; he has Samantha put the left-hand crystals back, and a draconian's spell fizzles in his hand. Carl reads the enemy plan: Circe meant to break the ballroom link and storm the crawlers with nymphs, or failing that arm the hunters and get someone to break the seal while Imogen hits the crawlers and Signet first. Outside, the only stairwell left is locked under the castle until Imogen dies. The Sledge reports Prudence dead, protecting two babies. Carl sets aside his Doomsday Scenario — kill everyone to kill the hunters — tells Donut only that he has a plan, and tells Imani and Elle he will kill Eva and break the seal ('Donut is never going to forgive you.' 'As long as she's still alive, I don't care'). Signet, shaking, relays what D'Nadia told her: the universe is watching, and Circe sold half her possessions to help her child — 'It sounds like you're dancing at the end of the same strings as the rest of us.'

Samantha holds the door against Diwata, then loses it. Signet's fish tattoo was Edgar's gift the night her mother died; Tina, she says, wants not a recital but her mother back, and Carl sees it is Kiwi, who has been beside her the whole time. Horton plays Wonderwall. Then Samantha bites down on all the soul crystals: the third floor blows, and Diwata is knocked out, still birthing. Signet eats a fallen white acorn, Magical Fervor, resolved to prove to D'Nadia that her family is real. Ink Marauder needs a caster, a sacrifice and a killer; Signet tells Carl his plan will not work and hers is better, and readies herself to be all three. The Sledge's mantises were changelings, and free. 'We're back in business.' Stage plan A, escape plan D; Carl calls for Prepotente.

Characters

• Queen Imogen — Blooded from the fight, sealed in with her guests, on the dance card.
• Carl — Ready to kill Eva and go to the Nothing; then a better idea is offered.
• Tsarina Signet — Told the truth by an off-worlder; prepares to be caster, sacrifice and killer.
• Samantha — Pulls crystals, holds a door, and bites the soul crystals.
• Diwata — In the castle, Carl realises, when mantises behead the guards; knocked out, still birthing.
• Gideon — Dead with his team, the queen's 'friends hiding in the trees just outside'.
• The Sledge — Crashes the Twister; loses Prudence; freed by changelings.
• Prudence — Dies protecting her cubs.
• Ferdinand — Trapped in the wrong ballroom, 'hanging with my bird.'
• Florin — 'It's not right they're using her body like that.'
• Katia Grim — Imogen's stat sheet.
• Imani — Laughs on stage; 'I'll do it.'
• Elle McGibbons — 'Go fuck yourself, Carl. We need you.'
• Eva Sigrid — Waiting by the exit with her escape ring.
• Vrah — A plan Carl did not know; a middle finger.
• Horton — Wonderwall.
• Princess D'nadia — Told Signet her family was never real.
• Kiwi — Tina's mother, beside her the whole time.
• Big Tina — Wants her mother, not a recital.
• Princess Donut — Plan A, the whole performance.
• Prepotente — Summoned.

Locations

• The high elf castle — Sealed ballrooms; a third floor blown out; a roof of rubble.

Motifs

• The Butcher's Masquerade — The host is trapped by her own spell; who breaks the seal, and how.
• The river in Carl's head — Gideon's team dead; the dream of Texas.
• Waking the NPCs — Signet learns the universe is watching; her family declared unreal.
• The gods — Diwata inside the walls; Apito's peace.
• Donut's songs — Horton's rendition; 'OMG.'
• Mothers — Tina and Kiwi; Signet's fish; Circe's half-sold estate; Prudence.