Chapter 26: Callum — Summary, Themes, and Character Study

⚠️ 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

Callum returns to the Society’s London house after his compulsory two days in Mykonos, eager to share news about the elimination process. He finds Tristan hungover and visibly distressed, standing in the painted room. Callum quickly senses that Tristan already knows the Society’s requirement: one candidate must die. Tristan admits he learned this from Parisa, who had visited him the previous night. Callum is irritated that he wasn’t the one to reveal the information, and he presses Tristan for details, but Tristan deflects, clearly shaken.

Callum and Tristan walk in the gardens, where Callum lays out his reasoning about who might be eliminated. He suggests Rhodes (Libby) is the most likely target, given her perceived lack of usefulness and her close association with Nico. Tristan becomes upset, defending Libby and insisting she is not interchangeable with Nico. Callum dismisses Tristan’s reaction, accusing him of being overly sentimental. The conversation ends with Callum telling Tristan to nap, frustrated by his friend’s apparent weakness.

Callum then confronts Parisa in her bedroom. She admits she altered Tristan and Libby—changing their thoughts and feelings—and that the changes cannot be reversed. Callum accuses her of being no better than him, but Parisa counters that she at least feels sympathy. Their verbal sparring escalates, and Parisa proposes a public demonstration of their abilities, with Dalton as referee. Callum agrees, seeing it as a chance to prove his superiority.

The next morning, they meet in the painted room. Dalton reluctantly agrees to referee, and the duel begins. Parisa starts with a simple question, but Callum quickly turns the tables, using his empathic abilities to expose painful details of Parisa’s past: her childhood, her brother’s possessiveness, her marriage, and her flight to Paris. He manipulates her emotions, leading her through the house and onto a rooftop terrace, where he convinces her that her beauty is a curse and that she deserves to suffer. Parisa, overwhelmed, climbs onto the railing and falls.

As Libby gasps, the scene abruptly resets. Parisa snaps her fingers, and they are all back in the painted room, dry and unharmed. She reveals that the entire sequence took place inside Nico’s head, not on an astral plane. She had chosen Nico because he was the most guileless and had the fewest mental defenses. Parisa declares Callum the winner, acknowledging that he broke her emotionally, but Callum realizes she has outmaneuvered him. By allowing him to expose his ruthless nature, she has made the others see him as a threat. Callum understands that he must now appear weak to regain their trust, and he begins planning his next move.

Key Events

Callum returns to find Tristan hungover and distressed; Tristan reveals he already knows about the elimination.
Callum deduces Parisa told Tristan and confronts her.
Parisa admits she altered Tristan and Libby, and the changes are irreversible.
Parisa proposes a public duel with Dalton as referee; Callum agrees.
During the duel, Callum psychologically manipulates Parisa, exposing her traumatic past and driving her to a rooftop fall.
The scene is revealed to be a simulation inside Nico’s head, orchestrated by Parisa.
Parisa declares Callum the winner, but Callum realizes she has exposed his nature to the others.
Callum decides he must appear weak to regain the group’s trust.

Character Development

Callum: This chapter reveals Callum’s arrogance and his belief in his own superiority. He enjoys manipulating others and takes pleasure in Parisa’s anguish. However, he also shows a strategic side: after realizing Parisa has outplayed him, he quickly pivots to a plan of feigned weakness. His internal monologue shows a growing awareness that his strength is isolating and that he must adapt to survive.
Parisa: Parisa demonstrates her cunning and control. She admits to altering Tristan and Libby without remorse, and she orchestrates the duel to expose Callum’s true nature. Her willingness to let Callum “break” her in the simulation shows her long-term thinking—she sacrifices a temporary emotional defeat to gain a strategic advantage.
Tristan: Tristan is portrayed as vulnerable and shaken. He is clearly affected by Parisa’s manipulation and by the revelation of the elimination. His defense of Libby suggests a deepening emotional attachment, which Callum dismisses as weakness.
Libby: Though not a focal point, Libby’s reaction to the simulated fall—gasping in horror—shows her empathy and her growing concern for the group’s safety.
Nico: Nico is used as an unwitting pawn in Parisa’s scheme. His lack of mental defenses makes him an easy target, and he is startled to learn he was the host of the simulation.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The elimination as human sacrifice: The chapter confirms that the Society’s initiation requires one candidate to die, framing the competition as a literal life-or-death game.
Manipulation of thought and emotion: Both Callum and Parisa use their abilities to alter others’ perceptions and feelings. Parisa’s admission that she “changed” Tristan and Libby highlights the irreversible nature of such interference.
Isolation as a weapon: Callum uses forced isolation to break Parisa, leading her to the rooftop and convincing her she is alone. The motif of isolation recurs as a tool for psychological destruction.
Beauty as a curse: Callum’s manipulation of Parisa centers on her beauty, which he frames as a source of suffering and a reason for her self-loathing. This theme ties to Parisa’s past and her fear of her own power.
Strategic weakness: Callum’s decision to appear weak at the end underscores the theme that vulnerability can be a tactical advantage, especially when trust is at stake.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal because it reveals the true stakes of the Society’s elimination process and exposes the psychological warfare among the candidates. It shows Parisa’s ability to outmaneuver even Callum, setting up a power dynamic that will influence future alliances. Callum’s realization that he must appear weak marks a turning point in his character, as he begins to understand that raw strength is not enough to win the group’s loyalty. The chapter also deepens the theme of manipulation, demonstrating how thoughts and emotions can be weaponized, and it foreshadows the moral compromises the characters will face as the competition intensifies.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Callum become irritated when he learns Tristan already knows about the elimination?

Callum is irritated because he wanted to be the one to reveal the information, as it would give him a sense of control and superiority. He also feels that Tristan’s knowledge, obtained from Parisa, undermines their alliance and shows that Tristan is being influenced by someone else.

2. How does Parisa use Nico’s mind to her advantage during the duel?

Parisa chooses Nico as the host for the simulated duel because he is the most guileless and has the fewest mental defenses. By staging the entire confrontation inside his head, she can control the environment and ensure that Callum’s actions are witnessed by the others without any real harm occurring. This allows her to expose Callum’s ruthless nature while maintaining her own safety.

3. What does Callum mean when he decides he must “appear weak” at the end of the chapter?

Callum realizes that his display of strength and emotional manipulation has frightened the others and made them distrust him. He understands that humans are more likely to trust someone who shows vulnerability, so he plans to feign weakness in future interactions to regain their confidence and secure his position in the group.