Philo meets his father and learns how the man met his mother. The darkasher strikes again, but Philo learns who its controller is. Imogen and Agreus have another assignation, and Jonah confronts ABsalom about his parentage.

Portia recants her testimony against Philo, but Philo refuses to recant his half-blood nature. Imogen and Agreus grow closer, and Jonah gets a new tutor after an assignation with Sophie.

Philo discovers who Querelle's benefactor was, but his confession to Portia puts his career at risk. Vignette visits the museum to see an exhibition on Tirnanoc, and Agreus and Imogen attend a charity event together.

Philo tries to find the connection between the two victims, and Imogen invites Agreus to tea. Vignette begins her new job as a lot runner, and Sophie arrives in Parliament to take her dead father's place.

The killer takes another victim: a headmaster from Philo's foundling home. The Black Ravens realize that a mole is in their midst and suspect Vignette, Alistair confronts Ritter about Jonah's abduction, and Philo chooses which world he belongs in.

In the past, Philo and his men set up at a fae mimasery. He meets Vignette and the two soon fall in love... but circumstances drive them apart.

Piety brings in a fae witch to help find the missing Jonah. Vignette meets some new friends after fleeing the Spurnrose house when Ezra directs his attentions to her. Philo makes the acquaintance of a unique puppeteer while investigating the gruesome death of a fae singer.

A Fae, Vignette Stonemoss, takes refuge on a ship delivering her people from Tirnanoc to The Burgue and is taken in by Spurnroses. Inspector Rycroft "Philo" Philostrate tries to solve a series of murders among the Fae in The Burgue and discovers that there's more to the case than he ever believed possible.