Shortly after returning, Lucien pays a visit to Insa.  She is angry with him for leaving, but manages to forgive him, admitting she will always love him as her cousin.  As the two of them reconnect, Lucien learns of Insa's situation.  He is furious with her for hiding her condition and keeping it from Tristan, over identifying a bit with his own present situation.  Insa insists that she does not want her child become a Niflheim curiosity to be gawked at.  At first, Lucien accepts this explanation, but as the days go by and his relationship with Tranns further deteriorates, he decides that Tristan has a right to know.

 

Stealing a Watcher Diary from Aden's collection, Lucien researches the runes necessary to open a gateway to the Niflheim homeland.  He steps through and finds his way to the palace.  There, he is intercepted by Skokan who, learning his intentions, agrees to lead him to Tristan.  Lucien goes through a doorway, however, and instead finds himself in a chamber much like Quinn's dollhouse.  Immediately, he is ambushed by horrible images from his life and own self doubtes; Blossom declaring her love for Philip, Tranns telling him that he can never escape from her mysterious hold on him, Aunt Audi haunting him, Katar, torturing him, and the like.

 

Meanwhile, back at the House, Lucien's rune portal is discovered.  Casey determines that Risan bloood activated it and very quickly, Lucien is fingered as the carver.  Quinn warns that if any non-Niflheim attempt to cross over into the Niflheim realm, there could be trouble.  While everyone is debating what to do, Casey slips through on her own and heads off to find Lucien.  Her new, and rather unstable, powers lead her to the palace.  There, she encounters Tristan and Uri, the head carver.  When she tells them that Lucien is presumed to be in the area, Uri leaves to retrieve him while Tristan comforts Casey, who is deathly afraid of the Niflheim realm following her last visit.

 

Uri rescues Lucien from the chamber of illusions and kindly offers to take him to see Tristan.  Once there, Lucien blurts out the truth to a shocked Tristan and Casey, right as Skokan rushes in to try and stop him.  Uri takes Lucien and Casey back to the House, confirming Lucien's report.  Tristan returns to the Phoenix House, much to Insa's annoyance.  A meeting of Niflheim elders is called and it is decided that the status of Insa and Tristan's child will be determined after it has been born.  Meanwhile, Skokan's actions are looked on with disdain; he clearly knew more than he was letting on, leading Tristan to suspect his motives.