The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games)
CHAPTER 13
by Barnes, Jennifer LynnThe chapter opens with the protagonist gathering Grayson, Xander, and Eve in the library to reveal a mysterious disk and a cryptic message. Eve reacts with hesitation, sensing the disk’s significant value, while Grayson notes the absence of a ransom demand. The protagonist reflects on three possible motives for Toby’s kidnapping, with revenge emerging as the most likely. The group decodes the message, linking it to the tragic Hawthorne Island fire decades earlier, which claimed three lives—an event tied to both the protagonist’s and Grayson’s families.
The discussion shifts to the fire’s aftermath, revealing Toby’s reckless role and the victims’ identities: David Golding, Colin Anders Wright, and Kaylie Rooney. Xander summarizes the incident as a mix of arson and tragedy, while the protagonist realizes the Rooney family—her maternal relatives—may seek vengeance against the Hawthornes. Grayson confirms the familial connections, highlighting the Rooneys’ criminal background and their hatred for the Hawthornes. The tension escalates as the protagonist steps out to confront her grandmother, a volatile figure with a history of violence.
In a tense phone call, the protagonist confronts her grandmother, who responds with threats and hostility. The grandmother implies she has kidnapped a Hawthorne grandson, but the protagonist deduces she is bluffing, as Toby’s survival remains unknown to the Rooneys. The call ends with vicious barking dogs and a chilling warning, leaving the protagonist shaken but certain the Rooneys are not behind Toby’s disappearance. Nash Hawthorne arrives, offering comfort as the protagonist steels herself, revealing her preparedness for conflict.
The chapter concludes with Nash comforting the protagonist, who asserts her physical and tactical skills despite her emotional turmoil. The exchange underscores her resilience and determination to protect her family. The unresolved tension with the Rooneys and the looming threat of revenge create a cliffhanger, setting the stage for further investigation into Toby’s kidnapping. The protagonist’s internal conflict and external threats highlight the chapter’s themes of family legacy, vengeance, and survival.
FAQs
1. What are the three possible motives for Toby’s kidnapping that the narrator considers, and which one becomes more likely after analyzing the message?
Answer:
The narrator initially considers three motives: 1) The kidnapper wants something from Toby, 2) The kidnapper wants to use Toby as leverage, or 3) The kidnapper wants to hurt him (page 50). After decoding the revenge-themed message and recalling the Hawthorne Island fire that killed three people (David Golding, Colin Anders Wright, and Kaylie Rooney), the third motive—wanting to hurt Toby—becomes more likely. This suggests the kidnapping may be an act of retribution for past events rather than a transactional crime.2. How does the narrator’s phone call with her grandmother reveal both strategic thinking and emotional tension?
Answer:
The call demonstrates strategic thinking as the narrator carefully avoids revealing that Toby (not a Hawthorne grandson) is the actual kidnapping target, letting her grandmother assume incorrectly (page 52). This preserves key information while probing for clues. Emotionally, the interaction is charged with hostility—the grandmother’s violent threats (“bullet in her myself”) and dog imagery contrast with the narrator’s controlled responses despite her clenched fist and viselike grip (page 52-53), showing tension between her Rooney lineage and current Hawthorne allegiance.3. Analyze how the Hawthorne Island fire connects multiple characters in this chapter. What does this reveal about the story’s themes?
Answer:
The fire links the narrator (through her aunt Kaylie Rooney’s death), Grayson (implied through “one mine”), and the unknown kidnapper seeking revenge (page 50-51). Xander summarizes it as “a long, tragic story involving daddy issues” (page 51), suggesting generational trauma. This web of connections emphasizes themes of legacy and consequence—past actions (Toby’s arson) continue to haunt present characters, blurring lines between victims and perpetrators. The shared history also forces allies like Eve to confront dark family secrets they didn’t know existed.4. Why does Nash Hawthorne’s intervention at the chapter’s end provide both comfort and irony?
Answer:
Nash offers physical comfort (holding the narrator, stroking her hair) and verbal affirmation of her capabilities (“You sure do, kid”) when she lists her defensive skills (page 53), providing emotional stability. However, this is ironic because his protection contrasts with the narrator’s demonstrated competence—she’s armed (“knife in my boot”) and strategically outmaneuvered her grandmother moments earlier. This juxtaposition highlights her complex position: both vulnerable in family dynamics and formidable in crises, reflecting the dual nature of her identity.
Quotes
1. “The day before, I’d come up with three motives for kidnapping. The kidnapper wanted something from Toby. The kidnapper wanted to use Toby as leverage. Or the kidnapper wanted to hurt him. One of those options seemed much more likely now.”
This quote reveals the protagonist’s chilling realization about the kidnapping’s motive—shifting from ransom or leverage to pure revenge. It marks a turning point in the chapter’s tension and foreshadows the dark family history about to be uncovered.
2. “Three victims. Three families. How many suspects does that give us in total?”
This concise exchange between Jameson and the protagonist highlights the mathematical approach to solving the mystery while emphasizing the scale of potential suspects connected to the Hawthorne Island fire tragedy. It represents the analytical core of their investigation.
3. “If my worthless daughter had taught you the first damn thing about this family, you wouldn’t dare have dialed my number… If that little bitch hadn’t run, I would have put a bullet in her myself.”
The grandmother’s brutal words reveal the Rooney family’s violent nature and generational trauma. This quote is significant for establishing the dangerous family dynamics and explaining why the protagonist fears their involvement in Toby’s disappearance.
4. “Tell me, girl, what do they say happens if you lie down with dogs?… Around here, we have a different saying… They’re hungry, and they’re mean, and they have a taste for blood.”
This threatening metaphor underscores the Rooney family’s criminal mentality and serves as both a warning and psychological warfare. The animalistic imagery makes it particularly memorable while revealing the stakes of confronting this dangerous family.
5. “I’ve got a knife in my boot. I’m an excellent shot. I know how to fight dirty.”
This declaration shows the protagonist’s hardened resilience despite emotional vulnerability. The juxtaposition of seeking comfort while asserting combat skills demonstrates her complex character development and preparedness for the coming conflict.