Chapter 34: Collins – The Lady in White Returns

⚠️ 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

After Boone leaves to return to his property, Brady comforts Collins on the stairs and thanks her for calling Boone. Collins then confronts her twin Clarke about their mother’s unilateral decision to sell everything. Collins defends their parents, arguing that the Sullivans’ bad behavior forced their mother’s hand, and gives Clarke one day to be angry. To rebuild their connection, Collins initiates the old “Lady in White” ritual, covering themselves with a sheet. Under the sheet, they exchange secrets: Collins admits she lost her abilities and ran out of money, which is why she came home; Clarke confesses she has been communicating with the ghost of Wilder Wilkes, Leith Sullivan’s deceased father. During the ritual, the ghost Earnest appears and hears them clearly for the first time without static. Then the Lady in White—Adeline Bennett—materializes. Earnest touches her palm, and Adeline smiles for the first time in decades. Collins’s abilities return.

Key Events

Brady comforts Collins on the stairs and expresses willingness to do anything for her.
Collins confronts Clarke about their mother selling everything; Collins defends the parents and sets a one-day limit on Clarke’s anger.
Collins and Clarke perform the Lady in White ritual, covering themselves with a sheet and exchanging secrets.
Collins reveals she lost her abilities and ran out of money, which drove her return home.
Clarke reveals she has been talking to Wilder Wilkes, Leith Sullivan’s dead father.
During the ritual, Earnest hears them clearly for the first time and sees Adeline Bennett.
Adeline Bennett appears, touches palms with Earnest, and smiles—a first in over fifty years.

Character Development

Collins steps into a leadership role, defending her parents and initiating the ritual. She shows vulnerability by admitting her loss of abilities and financial trouble, strengthening her bond with Clarke.
Clarke softens after hearing Collins’s secret; her own confession about Wilder Wilkes reveals she has been using her abilities independently, marking a role reversal.
Brady remains a steady support, reinforcing his commitment to Collins.
Earnest and Adeline Bennett transition from distant ghosts to responsive presences, hinting at deeper lore.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Secrets and Trust: The sheet ritual symbolises a safe space where the twins reveal hidden truths, rebuilding trust.
Sibling Reconnection: Collins and Clarke bridge their emotional distance through shared vulnerability and a childhood tradition.
Sacrifice and Blame: Collins argues that their parents acted out of misguided love, urging Clarke to move past anger.
The Return of Abilities: Collins’s powers come back precisely when she reconnects with her sister, linking family bonds to paranormal strength.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for Collins’s arc. Her abilities, lost for months, return through a ritual that reconnects her with Clarke and opens the door to communicating with Adeline Bennett. The appearance of the Lady in White, smiling for the first time in decades, sets up a major subplot about Adeline’s unfinished story. It also deepens the sisterly bond and hints at Clarke’s own growing abilities.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Collins insist on giving Clarke only one day to be angry?
Collins believes their parents acted out of love and that holding onto anger will damage the family further. She wants Clarke to process her feelings quickly so they can move forward together.
What does Collins’s secret reveal about her reasons for coming home?
Collins admits she came home not just to help Clarke but because her abilities had gone quiet and she had run out of money. This confession shows her vulnerability and explains her earlier emotional distance.
How does the Lady in White ritual affect Collins’s abilities?
The ritual, combined with the honest exchange of secrets, clears the static that had blocked Collins from hearing ghosts. When Earnest hears them clearly and Adeline appears, Collins’s power returns, demonstrating that emotional connection restores her gift.