Chapter 39 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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 the two School Masters embarking on parallel missions: Rafal, the Evil brother, searches for a student, while Rhian, the Good brother, begins to consider the need for a Dean. Rhian has long believed he could teach the Evers alone, but a visit to the new School Masters' tower changes his mind.

Rhian dives into the lake and swims to the base of the spire, where he finds a steel door with no visible latch. When he runs his hand across it, the door glows and opens on its own, magically recognizing his touch. He muses that his brother was thoughtful to make the door responsive to him, noting that he himself might have locked Rafal out for fun.

Inside, Rhian climbs a long staircase lit by white-flame torches. The walls are lined with shelves holding the Storian's tales, their colorful bindings gleaming like gems. At the top, he parts diaphanous silver curtains and enters a massive gray stone chamber filled with more bookcases. He notices the titles—Finola the Fairy Eater, Ten Dead Princes, Children Noodle Soup—and smiles, recognizing that Rafal has deliberately stocked the office only with Evil's victories, no matter how old they are.

A familiar scratching sound draws his attention. The Storian is writing in a fresh book on a white stone table near the window. Rhian sighs with relief, glad that the Pen is back at work and, as Rafal had mentioned, writing a new tale that has nothing to do with them. He reflects on Rafal's recent behavior—his fear when accused of distrust, his determination to preserve their love. Rhian concludes that whatever happened to Rafal in Monrovia Prison taught him a lesson about straying. Rafal has recommitted to his brother and to the school, and his poor Nevers will suffer the brunt of this commitment, but there is no question: Rafal is back, and the Storian is settled because of it.

Then Rhian notices what the Pen is painting: two shadows kissing in a forest, while a third spies on them from behind a tree. As the Storian writes beneath, Rhian reads the words: “Fala watched them, heart in his throat.” He gasps. The name Fala feels familiar—obviously a former student—but he cannot recall any student by that name. He dismisses it, thinking they have had thousands of students and he cannot remember them all.

Now aware that Rafal is off to find another student, Rhian looks around the big, lonely chamber where he will spend the rest of his immortal days. He and his brother are each other's sole companions. But instead of thinking about Fala or his recommitted brother, Rhian's mind drifts to his early days with Vulcan—the excitement and possibility before Vulcan tried to kill him—and then to the Pirate Captain, who stole the Storian. Both times his interests were misplaced, but clearly his soul yearns for energy and kinship beyond his twin, just as Rafal has Hook.

Tapping his finger against his thigh, Rhian decides he needs a Dean—a Dean that would be his own Hook. He can hear Rafal's voice shouting him down, but he brushes it away. It was Rafal who abandoned him and broke their trust first; it was Rafal who decided Rhian's love wasn't enough, which is how he found Hook in the first place. Hook is gone and Rafal is back, but a Dean would be Rhian's insurance in case Rafal ever deserts him again. He tells himself he is doing this to protect himself and the school, and if it gives him a little company and fresh blood, what is the harm? This time things will go better; this time he will find a true friend.

Rhian leaves the chamber humming, glowing at the thought. He does not see the Storian pause its writing and raise its tip in his direction, like a canny little eye.

Key Events

Rhian swims to the new School Masters' tower and enters through a door that magically recognizes his touch.
He climbs a torch-lit staircase lined with the Storian's tales and enters a stone chamber filled with bookcases containing Evil's victories.
He observes the Storian writing a new tale and is relieved it has nothing to do with him and Rafal.
He reads the name “Fala” in the Storian's text but cannot recall any student by that name.
He reflects on Rafal's recommitment after Monrovia Prison, believing his brother has learned his lesson.
He recalls his past failed partnerships with Vulcan and the Pirate Captain, both of whom betrayed him.
He decides he needs a Dean as his own companion and as insurance against Rafal deserting him again.
He leaves the chamber humming, unaware that the Storian is watching him.

Character Development

This chapter deepens Rhian's character by exposing his loneliness and his fear of abandonment. Although he is the Good School Master, he is not immune to insecurity. His initial relief that the Storian's new tale does not involve him and Rafal shows his desire for stability, but his subsequent reflection reveals a deeper unease. Rhian's memories of Vulcan and the Pirate Captain are not just nostalgic; they are evidence of a pattern of misplaced trust. He acknowledges that his soul yearns for kinship beyond his twin, which is a significant admission for a character who has always been defined by his bond with Rafal.

Rhian's decision to seek a Dean is a rationalization of his emotional needs. He frames it as insurance against Rafal's potential desertion, but the text makes clear that he also craves company and fresh energy. His internal argument—that Rafal broke their trust first, so he is justified in seeking a backup—reveals a defensive, self-protective side. He is not purely altruistic; he is trying to secure his own happiness and security. The fact that he hums as he leaves suggests a sense of excitement and hope, but the Storian's watchful eye hints that his plans may have unintended consequences.

Rafal, though not present in the scene, is characterized through Rhian's thoughts. Rhian believes Rafal has recommitted, but his fear of abandonment suggests that the trust between them is fragile. Rhian's decision to seek a Dean is a direct response to that fragility, showing that even the Good brother is capable of strategic, self-serving thinking.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Loneliness of Immortality: Rhian's reflection on the “big, lonely chamber” where he will spend his immortal days underscores the isolation that comes with eternal life. Even with his twin, he feels a void that he hopes to fill with a Dean.
Fear of Abandonment and Betrayal: Rhian's past with Vulcan and the Pirate Captain, both of whom betrayed him, fuels his need for insurance. His decision to seek a Dean is driven by the fear that Rafal might desert him again, despite his brother's apparent recommitment.
Parallel Missions: The chapter opens with the explicit statement that the brothers are on parallel missions—Rafal searching for a student, Rhian searching for a Dean. This symmetry highlights their separate paths and the growing distance between them.
The Storian as Observer: The Storian is not just a tool but an active presence. It watches Rhian as he leaves, suggesting that the Pen is aware of his intentions and may play a role in the unfolding story. The Storian's painting of Fala and the spying shadow also introduces a motif of observation and hidden motives.
The Need for Kinship Beyond the Twin: Rhian's desire for a Dean mirrors Rafal's relationship with Hook. Both brothers seek companionship outside their bond, which creates a parallel and a potential source of conflict.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal because it sets up Rhian's own quest, mirroring Rafal's search for a student. It introduces the name “Fala,” which will likely become significant in the larger narrative, and it establishes Rhian's vulnerability and his willingness to act independently of his brother. The chapter also deepens the theme of trust and betrayal, showing that even the Good School Master is not immune to doubt. Rhian's decision to seek a Dean is a major plot development that will have consequences for the school and for his relationship with Rafal. The Storian's watchful gaze at the end foreshadows that Rhian's actions are being observed and may not go as he hopes.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Rhian decide he needs a Dean, and what does he hope to gain from it?

Rhian decides he needs a Dean because he feels lonely and fears that Rafal might desert him again. He recalls his past betrayals by Vulcan and the Pirate Captain, which makes him want insurance against future abandonment. He hopes a Dean will provide him with companionship and fresh energy, while also serving as a safeguard for the school. He rationalizes that this time he will find a true friend, unlike his previous failed partnerships.

2. How does Rhian's perception of Rafal change or remain the same in this chapter?

Rhian believes Rafal has recommitted to the school and to their relationship after his time in Monrovia Prison. He sees Rafal's fear and determination to preserve their love as evidence of a lesson learned. However, Rhian's decision to seek a Dean shows that he still does not fully trust Rafal; he wants a backup plan in case Rafal leaves again. Thus, while Rhian's outward perception of Rafal is positive, his actions reveal lingering doubt.

3. What is the significance of the Storian's painting of Fala and the spying shadow?

The painting introduces a new character, Fala, whose name Rhian cannot recall, suggesting that this tale is not connected to the School Masters' past. The image of two shadows kissing while a third spies hints at themes of secrecy, jealousy, and hidden observation. The Storian's subsequent attention on Rhian as he leaves implies that the Pen is aware of Rhian's plans and may be setting up a narrative that involves him, despite his belief that the new tale has nothing to do with him and Rafal.