Chapter 70

Carl's team arrives at Queen Imogen's castle for the Butcher's Masquerade party. Carl has documented a dangerous plan to survive what he believes is a trap designed to kill the crawlers. Queen Imogen herself unexpectedly appears in their carriage, revealing a shocking truth: she is Ifechi, Florin's deceased girlfriend.

Carl, Britney, and Princess Donut travel to the castle in a covered wagon with other crawlers participating in the masquerade's talent show and pet competition. The elf servant Theobold explains the party's rules: no weapons or magic outside of performance acts, separate ballrooms for crawlers and hunters under magical protection, and a security sweep upon arrival. Carl notes that the queen will not attend the pet show. In a private moment, Britney expresses anxiety about the security checks and the magical clothing they're wearing. Carl reassures her they should be fine. The caravan includes six wagons total: Theobold's, Li Jun and Li Na's juggling team, Carl's group, Imani and Elle's skit team, Tserendolgor and her pet Garret, and a final cart containing costumes and the non-crawler attendants including Samantha and a robed figure revealed to be Pearson the changeling disguised as Signet. Through their secure communication, Donut alerts Carl that guards in black jackets have arrived and are becoming agitated, possibly targeting the mysterious robed woman. When the guards approach the final cart, a figure suddenly materializes inside Carl's wagon next to Britney—Queen Imogen herself, fully materialized. She confronts Carl about smuggling someone who resembles her half-sister into the castle. Carl immediately communicates to Katia that their trap worked and they have drawn out the queen, revealing the shocking discovery: Queen Imogen is actually Ifechi, Florin's dead girlfriend.