Chapter 37: Summary, Analysis, and Key Takeaways

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens with Rhian teaching in the Good castle when the water raids begin. The scene is set by explaining how the School Master ended up in the classroom at all. After the chaos at Vulcan's feast, where Good teachers were trampled and abused, several resigned. Dean Mayberry was among them. She confronted Rhian in his office the day after the battle, listing her grievances: the precipitously moved Snow Ball, the glass castle, protests and revolts, Evers taken prisoner by Nevers, and teachers dragged into a mud-pit. She announced she was taking the next Flowerground back to Earlingscourt, first class. Rhian sent bouquets of her favorite gardenias and apologetic letters, expecting her to return. She never did.

With classes suddenly unstaffed, Rhian had to teach the students himself until a new Dean could be found. He didn't mind the change. As an immortal, he felt restless, facing a wasteland of years of monotonous Good victories and the stress of managing an Evil twin. He craved a challenge, a distraction. His past attempts at shaking things up—building the new Good castle and inviting in an Evil substitute—had gotten him into trouble. He hoped teaching could be a safe outlet, and even considered not hiring a new Dean at all.

In a glass classroom overlooking the field between the two castles, Rhian posed a question to his students: what is the one thing Evil can never have and Good can never do without? Hephaestus guessed a moral purpose, but Rhian countered that Evil believes it has moral purpose too. Madigan guessed a happy family, but Rhian noted that Nevers can be happy in their own way. Aladdin joked about princesses, and Kyma shot back about ex-girlfriends, leading to a tense exchange about the stolen Storian. Aladdin defended himself by saying he couldn't live without Kyma and would do anything to get her back. Kyma's anger cooled.

Rhian revealed the answer: love. Evers love, Nevers don't. Evil shuns love in favor of power—treasure, thrones, wealth—while Good chooses love because they believe love is power, a pure and infinite feeling that soothes their souls and makes them feel immortal. Kyma asked whether this love was the reason Rhian and his brother were immortal. Before Rhian could fully respond, a screech interrupted.

Outside, a flock of stymphs flew over the field, dumping water from their beaks and bellies into the enormous trench the man-wolves had dug. The birds sprayed their loads like angry dragons, then flew toward the Savage Sea to refill. Rhian realized his brother was building a lake between the schools. He looked up at the Evil castle and saw man-wolves raising black scaffolding. On the balconies, Nevers—no longer in Vulcan's glamorous uniforms but in shapeless black sacks like prison garb—were waving at the Evers. One held a sign reading