A Darker Shade of Magic
Chapter 23: Thieves Meet IV
by Schwab, V. E.Lila frees herself from confinement after an exhausting struggle, leaving her knife ruined and her patience frayed. Frustrated and in pain, she retrieves her second dagger and revolver, lamenting that she could have killed Kell if armed earlier. Her attention shifts to the summoned sword, which she admires but distrusts due to its unnatural allure. Despite her desire to keep it, she recognizes its dangerous magic and throws it out the window, resolving to seek solace in alcohol instead of dwelling on unanswered questions about Kell’s disappearance.
Meanwhile, Booth, a drunken patron of the Stone’s Throw, stumbles into an alley to relieve himself and accidentally discovers the discarded sword. Intoxicated but greedy, he marvels at its rare, dark beauty and imagines the profit it could bring. However, his excitement turns to horror when he realizes the sword has fused to his hand, its magic seizing control of his body. Despite his drunken struggles, he cannot release the weapon, which begins to infect him with its sinister power.
The sword’s magic overwhelms Booth, forcing him to impale himself as it dissolves into his body. His veins turn black as the foreign energy takes hold, transforming him into a vessel for the dark power. After a moment of eerie stillness, he rises, his eyes now pitch-black, and examines his new form with unsettling calm. The once-human Booth is no longer in control, his body and mind usurped by the sword’s malevolent force.
The chapter juxtaposes Lila’s rejection of the sword’s temptation with Booth’s tragic succumbance to its curse. Lila’s intuition and self-preservation contrast sharply with Booth’s greed and vulnerability, highlighting the sword’s deceptive danger. The encounter underscores the theme that magic, when cleverly disguised, is far more perilous than overtly evil forces. The chapter ends ominously, leaving the reader to ponder the consequences of the sword’s new host and Lila’s unresolved pursuit of answers.
FAQs
1. How does Lila’s reaction to the summoned sword reveal her understanding of magic’s dangers?
Answer:
Lila’s decision to discard the sword despite her intense longing demonstrates her nuanced understanding of magic’s deceptive nature. Though the weapon matches her desires perfectly (“everything she’d imagined it would be”), she recognizes its allure as an “impostor of longing” rather than genuine want. This mirrors her earlier experience with the stolen rock, where magic operated like a pickpocket’s sleight of hand. Her labeling it as “clever magic” rather than simply “bad magic” shows she grasps how magical threats often disguise themselves as desirable things. By throwing the sword away, Lila proves she values self-preservation over power, understanding that clever magic poses greater risks because it exploits human weaknesses.2. Analyze how the chapter contrasts Lila’s and Booth’s encounters with the black sword. What thematic purpose does this serve?
Answer:
The juxtaposition highlights how knowledge and self-awareness determine survival in this magical world. Lila, though tempted, analyzes the sword’s danger through her thief’s lens (“a pickpocket’s sleight of hand”) and acts decisively. Booth, drunk and greedy, sees only profit (“a very pretty penny”) and falls victim to the sword’s corruption. The sword’s identical effect on both—creating an irresistible physical connection—emphasizes that magic is neutral; outcomes depend on the wielder’s discernment. This reinforces the theme that true danger lies in human vulnerability to temptation, not the magical object itself. Booth’s gruesome transformation into a vessel for the magic underscores the consequences Lila avoided through critical thinking.3. What does the sword’s behavior with Booth reveal about the nature of magic in this world?
Answer:
The sword demonstrates that magic here is sentient, predatory, and corporeal. It actively resists being discarded (“couldn’t seem to free his fingers”) and takes control of Booth’s body, forcing him to stab himself—a violent ritualistic transfer where the sword “melted… into Booth’s blood.” The transformation of his veins and eyes into “the color of true magic” suggests magic is a corrupting force that consumes hosts. Unlike passive tools, magical objects here have agency, choosing victims through their desires (Booth’s greed versus Lila’s calculated appreciation). This establishes magic as a symbiotic yet parasitic force that requires human conduits but obliterates their original identity in the process.4. How does the author use physical descriptions to foreshadow the sword’s malevolence before Booth’s attack?
Answer:
Subtle sensory cues build unease: the scabbard “hummed beneath her fingers” like the rock, suggesting latent energy. The “glittering black hilt” and blade’s darkness (“black as oil”) associate it with unnatural materials, while its “smooth as rock” texture echoes the earlier magical artifact. When Booth touches it, the progression from “prickle” to “jolt” to invasive spread (“beneath his skin”) mirrors infection. Most ominously, the veins turning black visualize corruption before the attack, showing magic’s physical takeover. These details create a pattern—magic here manifests through tactile sensations (humming, pricking) and bodily transformations, preparing readers for the sword’s violent assimilation of Booth.5. Why might the author have chosen to interrupt Lila’s storyline with Booth’s encounter? How does this structural choice affect the narrative?
Answer:
The abrupt shift serves three purposes: 1) It confirms Lila’s wisdom by showing the fate she avoided, heightening stakes; 2) It expands the magic system’s rules by demonstrating consequences of contact (Booth’s transformation versus Lila’s escape); 3) It creates dramatic irony—readers know the sword’s danger while Booth doesn’t, making his demise feel inevitable. Structurally, this interlude maintains tension after Lila’s introspective moment, reminding readers that magical threats persist beyond her awareness. It also hints at future conflicts, as the now-possessed Booth could re-encounter Lila or Kell, turning a discarded object into an active antagonist.
Quotes
1. “Lila knew what it felt like to want something, knew the way it whispered and sang and screamed in your bones. And this felt like that, but wasn’t. An impostor of longing.”
This quote captures Lila’s internal conflict as she grapples with the unnatural allure of the magical sword. It highlights the theme of deceptive desires and introduces the idea that magic can mimic human emotions in unsettling ways.
2. “Bad magic, Kell had called it. No, thought Lila now. Clever magic. And clever was more dangerous than bad any day of the week.”
This pivotal moment shows Lila’s realization about the true nature of the magic she’s encountered. The distinction between “bad” and “clever” magic represents a key insight about how danger often comes disguised as something more sophisticated.
3. “Booth shook his hand harder and nearly lost his balance, but still, he couldn’t seem to release the sword. It wouldn’t let him.”
This quote demonstrates the sword’s malevolent sentience and marks the turning point where Booth transitions from finder to victim. It powerfully illustrates the chapter’s theme of magic as a corrupting, uncontrollable force.
4. “His head drifted up, and he blinked two black eyes and looked around, then down at himself, considering his form. He flexed his fingers, carefully, testing.”
The chilling conclusion shows the complete transformation of Booth by the dark magic. This moment serves as both a climax and a warning about the consequences of meddling with forces beyond human understanding.