Absalom comes down for breakfast and finds Jonas reading a newspaper. The lead story is about Sophie leading the Hardtackers' faction in Parliament. Absalom is not amused, and Jonas tells him that he's making too much of it. His father points out that Jonas has always taken after Piety, and notes that it's Absalom that she'd rather Jonas took after. Jonas suggests that he watch Absalom in Parliament later that day, even though it isn't in session because Sophie will be receiving her father's supporters at his funeral. Absalom reminds Jonas to keep in mind that magnanimity in politics goes a long way to disarming one's enemies. He suggests that they go riding in the country together, and Jonas claims that he has to attend to his studies. Once he's out in the hallway, Jonas leaves.
At Parliament, Sophie is receiving mourners as Ritter lies in state. Jonas watches her from the gallery.
At the hotel, Vignette wakes up and finds Tourmaline doing a sketch of one of her customers from the previous night. They talk about her customers and how some of them are grateful, and then how they missed each other. After a moment they kiss, but are interrupted when Fleury comes in and says that there's been another killing.
At the station, Flute is wondering if there's a pattern to the three killings. Berwick reports that a cabbie picked Morange up on the Row but doesn't know why he was there, and Flute sends him to check out the hotel where Morange was at. Dombey tells Flute that just because Philo couldn't find a connection between the victims doesn't mean there isn't one.
On the row, Runyon looks at a poster of one of his shows featuring the kobolds that he lost. Quill and the other Puck march down the street, chanting to the fae to show their faces while flagellating themselves. Runyon takes the poster and leaves.
Afissa brings Imogen a dress from Agreus for the charity auction she's attending with him that afternoon. Imogen is impressed by the dress' quality and expense, and Ezra comes in and stares at her. His sister realizes that something is wrong, and Ezra tells her that their father's friend Morange was murdered.
At Portia's breakfast table, boarders Bagstock and Grayson discuss Morange's murder. Portia listens as Bagstock says that Philo left after midnight, and notes that one can hear everything in the house. After Grayson leaves, Bagstock tells Portia that unless she stops sleeping with Philo, he will vacate his quarters. Portia insists that she's in charge of her own life, and Bagstock demands his deposit upon his departure. She gives him his money and tells him to be out by the end of the day.
Sophie takes a moment alone with her father, and everyone leaves except her Puck servant Jenila. Jason secretly watches as Jenila congratulates Sophie on her performance, and Sophie slams the coffin lid down. They hear Jonah and he hides behind a pillar, but steps out when she threatens to call the guards. He says that he came to pay his respects, and points out that she cleared the room so she could pretend to grieve her father. Amused, Sophie calls him down from the gallery.
When Jonah does so, he admits that she isn't what he expected, displaying affection for her Puck maid. Sophie admits that she was performing in Parliament leading the Hardtackers, and she would have been a fool not to give it. Jonah mentions the rumors that Sophie had a difficult birth and was a simpleton. Sophie explains that the delivery cost her mother her life and made Ritter overly protective. She talks about her lonely childhood and how she grew up among politicians, and knows that Ritter didn't kidnap Jonah. Sophie hints that Piety had Jonah abducted. She says that they have much in common but she is free of her parents, and leaves.
Philo comes in from his night's investigation and finds Portia in his bed waiting for him. She kisses him and suggests they make a real go of it with him staying with her. Philo warns that he can't give her the things she wants, and Portia says that she already has. He tells her that he's been hiding that the murders are connected to him. Philo explains that Montage was killed because Querelle brought him to Montage to clip his wings, and Querelle was his mother. He tells Portia that he's half fae, and she angrily tells him to get out and leaves.
Vignette is on the row taking lot numbers and notices Berwick pass. She sees a poster for the "Treasures of Tirnanoc" and a warning that no unaccompanied fae are permitted at the museum where the exhibition is taking place. Vignette sneaks in and looks at the exhibit. There's a recreation of the mimastery library and the book that she showed Philo. Crying, Vignette remembers her time there with Philo and the subsequent attack, and screams in anger.
Philo visits Darius at the prison and says that he needed a place to think. Darius figures that Philo's past has finally caught up with him, and admits that he always knew because he could smell it on him. Philo says that he told Portia and doesn't know why, and Darius warns Philo that if the information gets out it could destroy him. The prisoner points out that he's only alive because of Philo's intercession, and wonders what will happen to him if Philo goes down.
Cabal and the others continue walking down the street, calling on their god to show himself. A human foreman punches one of the Puck, saying it's the humans' job to frighten them. He beats the Puck with his own whip, and Cabal holds Quill back saying all is as the Hidden One favors it. Cabal says that the humans will never accept or understand them, and they can make no peace with the ignorant.
Berwick enters the brothel and Moira finally talks to him. He explains that Morange is dead after visiting the brothel, and Moira mentions that Philo was there. When Berwick returns to the station, he tells Flute and Dombey about Philo. Berwick suggests that Philo is taking Flint's death hard, and Dombey wants to know why Philo was following Morange on the night the doctor was murdered. Flute concedes the point and asks Berwick if there's anything else they should be made aware of. Berwick finally tells them about the darkasher and that Philo claims he's seen it.
Philo enters the station and Flute tells Berwick and Dombey to keep an eye on him. Berwick goes over and Philo says that he has to find new accommodations. He asks if Runyon was there and then goes to see him on his own. Dombey motions to Berwick to follow him.
A museum docent gives a group of ladies a tour of the exhibition. As the ladies giggle over the "naughty bits", the docent sees Vignette in the shadows and asks what she's doing there. Vignette yells at them to get out and flies up into the air, drives them out, and slams the doors shut behind them.
At her shop, Aioffe is examining an animal's entrails when the darkasher comes in. She says that she knows who it is, and it kills her. Aioffe snaps out of the vision and tells Piety that she saw her death. Piety wonders if she can prevent it since she's seen it, and Aioffe tells her that there is no cheating death. She prefers to talk about Jonah's faith, but Piety tells her that her safety is paramount and she'll stay there until the danger is past.
Constables drag Vignette out of the museum and take her away. Agreus and Imogen arrive a few minutes later and he escorts her inside. Everyone stares at the Puck, and he tells Imogen that he knows it isn't easy for her. He gets her some champagne, and Louisa Pembroke and her date Leslie Boythorne approach her. When Agreus rejoins them, Leslie says that he's surprised to see Imogen there and asks if Ezra has found his lost fortune. Agreus says that Ezra is putting his money into the shipping trade, and implies that Leslie is resting on his inheritance. Leslie talks about purchasing a painting, and Agreus implies that he's only interested in it for its value. Once an offended Leslie escorts Louisa away, Agreus tells Imogen that Louisa had sex with Leslie on the way there in the carriage because he can smell it. He jokes about it and Imogen chuckles, drawing everyone's attention. The auctioneer has everyone take their seats.
Querelle's things are removed from her apartment, and the wagon overturns in the streets. Urchins run off with the belongings, and Philo sees Runyon sitting nearby. He goes over to the man, who says that his kobolds are gone and nothing matters. Runyon figures that it's for the best that they were deported rather than stuck in the Burgue, but admits that he will miss them. He asks if he's found justice for Querelle, and Philo says that he wants to know more about her past. Philo explains that Querelle had a child and the circumstances of the child's birth may have gotten her killed. Runyon says that when Querelle was at the height of her fame, she was involved with someone but wouldn't say who. One day something changed and she went away for some times. When Querelle came back, she was sadder. Runyon figured that she went away to have a baby, but she never said and he never asked. She wrote a song that Runyon that was about her giving away the child, and sings it. Philo sings with him, remembering the lyrics from his dreams, and asks where Querelle would have gone to have the child. Runyon says that she stayed with a benefactor in the Crossing. He identifies the benefactor as the finest watchmaker in the Burgue and leaves. Berwick watches Philo from down the street.
The auctioneer presents a painting donated by Sir Elgenai and Lady Tripplethorne. Leslie bids heavily for the painting, and Louisa smirks at Imogen. Agreus outbids him and the auctioneer quickly closes the bid. Imogen smirks at Louisa, who glares angrily back. Afterward, Agreus offers to leave when Imogen says that everyone is staring. She refuses and asks Agreus if he intended to purchase the painting. He admits that he didn't, and that he outbid Leslie to see his face and let him know that he could take it from him because he took it for granted that it should be his. The Puck says that he will hang it in his home, and Imogen says that he's not at all what she expected. Agreus concedes that she isn't either.
That night, Portia is cleaning out Philo's room. As she looks pensively at the sheets, there's a knock on the front door. It's Dombey, who says that he's interested in why Philo left. Later, Dombey tells Flute and Berwick that he eventually found out that Philo is a half-blood. Portia also said that Querelle was Philo's mother, and Dombey figures that Philo killed them because they would have known the truth about Philo's heritage. Flute tells Dombey to bring Philo in.
Philo goes to the Spurnrose house and talks to Afissa about Mr. Spurnrose, who was Querelle's benefactor. Afissa confirms that he arranged for Morange to look after her and gave her a room. Morange left with the baby, and Querelle never spoke of the father. Afissa believed that Querelle was frightened of the father. The maid notes that often half-bloods don't survive for long, and wonders what became of him. Dombey and his men arrive and arrest Philo. Philo notices Berwick with them, and the officers cuff Philo. As they take him away, Philo tells Afissa that he was the child. Dombey hits Philo in the gut and Philo head-butts him back, and the constables beat Philo as Afissa watches from the door. Berwick pulls them away and has Philo put in the wagon, and they take him away.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 15, 2019