Sorcery of Thorns

Elisabeth awakens in the middle of the night to find the walls of Thorn Manor shrieking and weeping blood. She hurries to Nathaniel’s room but stays in the hallway, unseen by the sorcerer. She hears an agonized Nathaniel cry, “He’s brought them back again, Mother and Maximilian” (221). Silas gently assures him that he was dreaming and gives him a sleeping draught. The sorcerer clasps the demon’s hand until he falls asleep.

Silas tells Elisabeth that Nathaniel’s nightmares cause his magic to lash out, which frightened away the household’s human staff years ago. Elisabeth tells Silas that she isn’t afraid. The demon decides to give her Demonslayer, which one of her old teachers at Summershall sent to her. Silas kept the sword from her because he thought she might use it to banish him, leaving Nathaniel all alone. Elisabeth worries that she isn’t worthy of wielding the sword because she isn’t sure what’s right and what’s wrong anymore, but Silas encourages her.

At Elisabeth’s request, Silas explains the circumstances of Alistair’s death. Consumed by grief, the sorcerer exhumed the bodies of his wife and younger son. The young Nathaniel witnessed the ritual that would have taken his life if Silas hadn’t intervened and killed Alistair.