Alex met Pamela Dawes at the Hutch and they walked to the Payne Whitney intersection where Dean Sandow had staged Tara Hutchins’s murder rite. Spring flowers had begun to grow at the empty lot. Alex, now hearing Grays constantly since the events at the president’s party, struggled to ignore their voices. She had not seen the Bridegroom (North) since the party and wondered at his absence.

Alex had sent a recording of Sandow’s confession to the Lethe board. The board deemed it grotesque but primarily dangerous and chose to keep Blake Keely as the public culprit, not wanting Lethe tied to ritual homicide or the concept of forging a nexus. Sandow’s death was publicly attributed to a heart attack at his welcome-home party, and Professor Marguerite Belbalm was reported missing after being seen entering the president’s office with Sandow. Alex ensured the board did not hear about Wheelwalkers or Belbalm’s true nature.

Alex and Dawes passed Book and Snake and considered, for the future, seeking help to find Tara’s soul, but postponed that goal for a more urgent task. They entered Grove Street Cemetery, where Sandow’s burial drew a modest crowd that included Michelle Alameddine and Detective Abel Turner. Turner, still frustrated, had earlier confronted Alex about leaving a body and Sandow’s death; Alex insisted Sandow killed Tara and that he died of a heart attack, which was technically true.

After the service, Alex signaled Michelle and led her with Dawes to a quiet spot among the graves. Alex declared that Darlington was not dead but had been transformed into a demon when the hellbeast consumed him. She explained that during her time near the borderlands she had heard nonhuman entities whisper what she now understood as “gentleman demon,” which she believes referred to Darlington and indicated fear.

Michelle objected that such a transformation was impossible, asserting demons are created only by the union of sulfur and the sin of murder. Dawes defended Darlington’s character, and Alex noted that absolutes like “never” do not hold. Alex reiterated that a hellbeast had been sent to kill Darlington, that he survived and was expelled into hell, and that they intended to retrieve him.

Despite skepticism, the conversation ended with Alex and Dawes committing to a rescue and implicitly asking Michelle to join. A cold wind swept the cemetery as Alex framed the next step: they would go to hell to bring Darlington back.