Chapter 25 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
In May 2024, in Glasgow, Stephanie arrives at Clem's flat about half an hour after a phone call. Clem asks about DC Sanger, and Stephanie explains he is in Orkney viewing the fire site. Quinn is present but doesn't look up when Stephanie enters. Stephanie declines coffee and sits at the dining table with Quinn, opening her iPad.
Stephanie reveals that they found Erin's TikTok account through Senna's still-active account. Senna was last active at eight o'clock on Wednesday, May 1st—the night of the fire. Clem and Quinn are unaware of Erin's TikTok presence. Stephanie shows a series of paused video clips, most featuring Erin with varying hair colors, some including Freya.
The first video Stephanie plays is from about five months earlier. Erin, with shoulder-length blonde hair and a new raven tattoo on her shoulder beneath the words “Second Skin,” sits cross-legged on her bedroom floor with candles flickering in the background. She lays out tarot cards in a cross: the Ace of Swords, the Lovers, the Two of Cups, and the Devil. Leaning close to the lens, she says that the Green Man's hands must be bound. Stephanie pauses and asks what they make of it. Quinn dismisses it as a stretch, but Clem's breath catches, recalling Erin's notebook.
Stephanie explains that the Green Man is a mythological figure from Beltane, a pagan festival marking the beginning of summer and celebrating fertility. The Green Man represents new growth, and Beltane falls on May 1st—the day of the fire. Stephanie lets this hang in the air.
Stephanie then plays the last TikTok Erin posted, dated January 21st of that year. Erin, now with pink hair, says she knows what to do about her problem but must wait until Beltane, as it involves a fire ceremony. She crosses her fingers. Stephanie suggests this indicates a plan—that they were performing a ritual fire ceremony that got out of hand. Clem counters that it sounds like an accident, but Stephanie notes that it doesn't explain Senna's disappearance.
Stephanie then shows a duet video featuring both Erin and Senna. In it, Senna laughs that it's not a recruitment video, while Erin announces she is officially a member of the Triskele. Erin describes the Triskele as a special group that believes in nature as magic and the loss of that connection due to consumerism. Stephanie pauses and then plays another clip from February, where Erin, walking to her café job, credits a person named Paul for helping her with a fire ceremony spell in Orkney. Stephanie asks who Paul is and why Erin joined a pagan cult.
Key Events
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Stephanie arrives at Clem's flat and informs them that DC Sanger is in Orkney viewing the fire site.
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Stephanie reveals Senna's TikTok account is still active, last online on May 1st, the night of the fire.
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Through Senna's account, they discover Erin's TikTok, which includes a tarot reading video from five months prior.
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In the tarot video, Erin states that the Green Man's hands must be bound, and Stephanie connects this to Arlo's bound hands before his burning.
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Stephanie explains the Green Man as a Beltane figure, with Beltane falling on May 1st.
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A second video from January 21st shows Erin saying she must wait until Beltane for a fire ceremony.
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Stephanie suggests the fire was a planned ritual that got out of hand, but it doesn't explain Senna's disappearance.
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A duet video shows Erin and Senna discussing the Triskele, with Erin declaring herself an official member.
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A February clip shows Erin crediting Paul for helping her perform a fire ceremony spell in Orkney.
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Stephanie asks who Paul is and why Erin joined a pagan cult.
Character Development
Clem is visibly shaken by the videos, especially the tarot reading and the mention of the Green Man. Her internal reaction—her breath catching and her recollection of Erin's notebook—shows she is connecting dots she hasn't shared with the others. She tries to downplay the significance, suggesting the fire was an accident, but her unease is palpable.
Quinn remains skeptical and defensive, dismissing the tarot reading as a stretch and questioning what Stephanie is accusing Erin of. Her grumpiness and hard voice suggest she is protective of Erin or unwilling to accept the implications.
Stephanie emerges as a methodical investigator, piecing together social media evidence and explaining pagan concepts. She gently but persistently pushes the theory that the fire was a planned ritual, while also acknowledging it doesn't explain Senna's disappearance.
Erin is revealed through her videos as someone deeply involved in occult practices, with a new tattoo and a confident declaration of joining the Triskele. Her statements about binding the Green Man and waiting for Beltane suggest a deliberate, ritualistic mindset.
Senna is present only through her account activity and the duet, but her laughter and casual tone in the video contrast with the gravity of her disappearance.
Paul is introduced as a mysterious figure who helped Erin with a fire ceremony spell, raising questions about his role and connection to the events.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
The Green Man and Beltane serve as central symbols. The Green Man, a figure of new growth and fertility, is twisted into a warning about binding his hands—a direct parallel to Arlo's bound hands. Beltane, a festival of fire and renewal, becomes the date of the tragedy, suggesting a perversion of pagan tradition.
Social media as evidence is a key motif. The investigation relies on TikTok videos and account activity, showing how digital footprints can reveal hidden intentions and connections. The contrast between Erin's curated online persona and the grim reality of the fire highlights the gap between performance and truth.
Nature magic and cults are explored through the Triskele, a group that believes in nature as magic and the loss of that connection. Erin's enthusiasm for the group and her willingness to perform a fire ceremony suggest a dangerous blend of spiritual longing and manipulation.
Accident versus intention is a recurring tension. Stephanie argues the fire was a planned ritual, while Clem and Quinn resist this interpretation. The chapter leaves the question open, but the evidence tilts toward premeditation.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal because it provides concrete evidence linking Erin to the fire through her own words and actions. The tarot reading, the Beltane reference, and the fire ceremony plan all point to a deliberate ritual that went wrong. It also introduces the Triskele as a potential cult influence, and the mysterious Paul as a possible accomplice or instigator. The chapter deepens the mystery of Senna's disappearance by showing that the fire alone doesn't explain it, and it raises the stakes for Clem, who now must reconcile her knowledge of Erin's notebook with the public evidence.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does Erin's tarot reading video reveal about her intentions, and how does Stephanie connect it to Arlo's death?
Erin's video shows her laying out tarot cards and stating that the Green Man's hands must be bound. Stephanie explains that the Green Man is a Beltane figure, and Beltane falls on May 1st, the day of the fire. Since Arlo's hands were bound before he was burned, Stephanie sees a direct parallel, suggesting Erin's words were not coincidental but a reference to a planned ritual.
2. How does the chapter use Senna's TikTok account to uncover Erin's activities?
Senna's account is still active, and her last online time was May 1st at 8 p.m., the night of the fire. By going through the accounts Senna follows, Stephanie finds Erin's TikTok. This digital trail connects Senna to Erin and reveals Erin's videos about the Green Man, Beltane, and the fire ceremony.
3. What role does the Triskele play in the chapter, and why is it significant?
In a duet video, Erin announces she is officially a member of the Triskele, describing it as a group that believes in nature as magic and the loss of that connection. This introduces a cult-like element, suggesting Erin may have been influenced by the group's beliefs to perform the fire ceremony. The Triskele's philosophy could explain Erin's actions and raises questions about who else is involved, including Paul.