Aden, Adriana, and Tranns return to the House from the Hylian healer who was treating Adriana. There, Adriana tries
to sort out the mess that's been created in her absence. Unfortunately, adding to the trouble, is the fact that the
phantom version of Ian has returned to warn her that she's dying. She screams and yells, trying to get rid of him, but
he remains stubbornly in the office with her until, rather abruptly, he exits. Confused, Adriana follows him out into
the lobby. Just then, Uri, who is visiting Insa and Tristan with Mithos and Thea, comes down the stairs. As Ian
vanishes, Uri explains that Insa refuses to allow his Carver staff in the room with her baby. He entrusts it to Adriana's
care and returns upstairs.
As Insa forcefully expresses her desire to remain Risan and for the baby to remain Risan as well, Ian returns to the
lobby. He snatches the staff out of Adriana's hands. Nadra is present and also sees this, proving once and for
all that Ian is not a figment of Adriana's imagination. Unfortunately, she is unable to get the staff back and Ian flies
up the stairs with it. Adriana and Nadra follow, just as Ian bursts into Insa's bedroom. There, he reveals his
true identity. He is actually Rehan, a Niflheim serial killer, unable to block out the thoughts of mortals from his
own head, who was banished a long time ago. He's spent years planning a way to fix his disability and now, he demands
that Uri fix him.
Uri tries to explain that he cannot change Rehan, but Rehan won't accept that. Angrily, he pulls out a bone knife
and slashes at the staff, carving out Queen Thea. An all out brawl ensues between Mithos, Rehan, and Nadra, with a frightened
and wounded Tristan looking on. Rehan threatens to carve out everyone in Mithos' family unless someone can do something
to help him. Frantic, Adriana suddenly blurts out that she can help. Nadra is anxious to exact revenge, but Uri
and Mithos order Rehan to be freed. Adriana offers to show Rehan a collection of ancient books about the Niflheim, one
of which might hold the answer to his problem.
Adriana leads him down to the library. As she goes through the books she gradually learns that Rehan had everything
planned the moment he realized Insa was pregnant. He knew Uri would come and he knew Insa's pride would cause Uri to
leave the staff with Adriana. He had been disguising himself as Ian for months just to get close to her. Adriana
is hurt, but relieved to realize she is not actually dying. After picking out the books she needs, she suggests Rehan
study in the nursery, with the magic-proof spell. Rehan readily agrees, hoping that the spell can, at least temporarily,
block out all of the voices in his head. He follows her to the nursery.
Immediately, Adriana closes him inside the nursery, where he can't slip out through the shadows. As he looks
through the books, Tristan and Nadra arrive, armed with a shadow box which Casey built years ago to trap Quinn. Adriana
knocks Rehan into the floor and starts beating him with the Carver staff. Uri arrives on the scene and rescues his staff.
Nadra then opens the shadow box. Rehan is pulled into it. Everyone returns to Insa's room where Thea is restored.
Rehan's punishment will be decided at a later time.
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