A Darker Shade of Magic
Chapter 43: Masquerade IV
by Schwab, V. E.Kell is captured and interrogated by Astrid, who has possessed Prince Rhy’s body, demanding the location of a powerful magical stone. She reveals her plan to merge their dying London with Kell’s thriving world, seeking retribution for her city’s suffering. Astrid explains that the stone is broken into two halves, each retaining its power, and hints at their connection across worlds. Kell realizes the danger of reuniting the halves, as it could tear reality apart, but Astrid remains determined to overthrow his world’s throne with her brother, Athos.
Astrid taunts Kell, revealing she orchestrated his involvement to frame him if the plan failed or control him if it succeeded. She dismisses his defiance, knowing possession magic doesn’t work on Antari like him, but threatens compulsion instead. As Rhy’s body holds Kell at knifepoint, Lila suddenly intervenes from the balcony, aiming a pistol at Rhy. Astrid retaliates with magic, striking Lila and sending her falling into the darkness, prompting Kell to break free from his restraints using his blood magic.
Kell overpowers the guards and turns on Rhy, but Astrid mocks his reluctance to harm his brother’s body. Lila reappears, shooting Rhy in the leg, demonstrating her resilience. The confrontation escalates as Kell and Lila unite against Astrid’s manipulation, though the chapter ends mid-action, leaving their next move unresolved. The tension highlights the stakes of Astrid’s plan and the personal bonds complicating the conflict.
The chapter underscores themes of power, betrayal, and sacrifice, as Astrid’s ruthless ambition clashes with Kell’s loyalty to his world and brother. The magical stone’s duality symbolizes the fragile balance between worlds, while Lila’s return injects hope into the dire situation. The interplay of possession, compulsion, and blood magic adds layers of intrigue, setting the stage for a larger confrontation over the fate of both Londons.
FAQs
1. What is Astrid’s ultimate goal in possessing Rhy’s body, and how does she plan to achieve it?
Answer:
Astrid’s goal is to take the throne of Kell’s London as retribution for her own world’s decay, which she blames on Kell’s city. She plans to reunite the two halves of the magical stone to tear down the barrier between their worlds, creating a permanent merger. This would allow free movement between the Londons, enabling her and her brother Athos to rule both. She reveals that the stone’s two halves remain magically connected and that their combined power could destabilize reality itself, achieving her vision of “balance” through forced unification.2. How does Kell attempt to resist Astrid, and why does his plan fail?
Answer:
Kell tries to manipulate Astrid into transferring her possession from Rhy to himself by taunting her to “try on someone stronger.” His plan is to get her to place the control necklace on him instead, hoping his Antari blood would give him an advantage. However, Astrid reveals she knows possession doesn’t work on Antari, thwarting his scheme. This forces Kell to rely on physical resistance—using his blood to break his cuffs—once Lila distracts Astrid. The exchange highlights Kell’s quick thinking but also Astrid’s superior knowledge of magical limitations.3. Analyze the symbolic significance of the broken stone in this chapter. How does its duality reflect broader themes?
Answer:
The broken stone represents fractured unity and the dangerous allure of forced connection. Each half retains power independently (like the parallel Londons), but their reunion risks annihilation, mirroring how the worlds’ histories are intertwined yet must remain separate for stability. Astrid’s desire to merge them reflects a twisted notion of justice—repairing division through destruction. The stone also symbolizes Kell’s internal conflict: his loyalty to Rhy (one “half”) versus his duty to protect the worlds, emphasizing how bonds can both empower and endanger.4. Why does Astrid choose Kell to smuggle the stone instead of Holland, despite Holland’s prior involvement?
Answer:
Astrid explains that Kell was a strategic scapegoat: if caught, his history of smuggling would make him an easy target for blame, protecting her plans. Using Holland would implicate her own crown if discovered. Additionally, she wanted Kell physically present to prevent him from leading resistance against her takeover. Her choice also stems from personal vengeance—she earlier vowed to “own [his] life”—and her belief that Kell’s emotional ties to Rhy would make him easier to manipulate, as seen when she uses Rhy’s body to unsettle him.5. Evaluate Lila’s intervention. How does her arrival shift the power dynamics in the confrontation?
Answer:
Lila’s arrival disrupts Astrid’s control by introducing an unpredictable variable. Though initially overpowered by Astrid’s magic, her survival and return (after being shot off the balcony) demonstrate resilience that Astrid didn’t account for. Lila’s willingness to shoot Rhy’s body—something Kell cannot do—breaks Astrid’s assumption of safety while wearing the prince. This forces Astrid to split focus between two threats, allowing Kell to break free. Lila’s actions underscore the theme of unconventional allies tipping scales in magical conflicts, contrasting Kell’s restraint with her ruthless pragmatism.
Quotes
1. “‘To take the throne, of course.’ […] ‘In a dying London. And do you know why it dies? Because of you. Because of this city and its cowardly retreat. It made of us a shield, and now it thrives while we perish. It seems only just that I should take it, as reparation. Retribution.’”
This quote reveals Astrid’s core motivation—her desire to seize power in Kell’s London as vengeance for her own world’s suffering. It introduces the chapter’s central conflict about justice, survival, and the consequences of interdimensional separation.
2. “‘We are going to restore balance to the worlds. Reopen the doors. Or rather, tear them down, create one that stays open, so that anyone—everyone—can move between. A merger, if you will, of our two illustrious Londons.’”
Astrid’s chilling plan exposes the chapter’s high stakes: a forced merging of parallel worlds. This concept of breaking dimensional barriers becomes the philosophical and physical battleground, with catastrophic implications for reality itself.
3. “‘If a drop of your blood is enough to make a door, think what two halves of the stone could do.’ […] It could tear down the wall itself, thought Kell. Tear reality apart.”
This exchange crystallizes the danger of the magical artifact at the story’s heart. The dual nature of the stone’s power—both its potential and its peril—becomes clear as Kell realizes the apocalyptic scale of Astrid’s ambitions.
4. “‘I told you once, that I would own your life.’ […] ‘I wanted you here, where you belong. At my feet.’”
Astrid’s taunt reveals the personal nature of her vendetta against Kell, transforming the conflict from political to deeply intimate. The quote showcases her cruel methodology of psychological domination through Rhy’s possessed body.
5. “‘What do you plan to do now, Kell? You won’t hurt me, not as long as I’m wearing your brother.’ ‘But I will.’”
This climactic exchange demonstrates Astrid’s tactical advantage (using Rhy as a shield) being countered by Lila’s ruthless intervention. The moment encapsulates the chapter’s tension between familial bonds and necessary violence.