The Devils Chapter 69: Deep Pockets – Summary & 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
Alex, now Empress, receives Cardinal Zizka in the throne room. Zizka offers a relic, but Alex counters by presenting the letter proving Zizka conspired with Duke Michael to have her killed. Zizka calmly admits the plot, explaining she served five popes and that such compromises are necessary. Alex demands the devils be released to her; Zizka refuses, arguing each is too dangerous — Vigga, Baron Rikard, the grave robber, Sunny the elf. Jakob is missing after falling from the tower. Zizka concedes she misjudged Alex’s character, and Alex agrees to consider reuniting the Churches of East and West — but warns it will come at a high price. Zizka replies, “God has deep pockets.”
Key Events
- Zizka enters the throne room with a delegation; she offers a relic of Saint Natalia.
- Alex presents the incriminating letter; Zizka admits her conspiracy without denial.
- Alex demands the devils be handed over; Zizka explains why each cannot be released.
- Zizka warns that the elves are coming and only a united Church can stand against them.
- Alex recounts the gruesome fates of the other candidates for the throne.
- Alex agrees to work toward ending the schism but insists the cost will be steep.
Character Development
Alex shows growing political maturity. She comes prepared with the letter, demands concessions, and negotiates from a position of bruised but real strength. Her final line — “it’s going to fucking cost you” — signals she has absorbed Baron Rikard’s lessons about leverage.
Cardinal Zizka emerges as a pragmatic, unflappable operator. She admits to attempted murder without emotion, justifies it as expediency, and calmly dismantles Alex’s request for the devils. Her admission that she misjudged Alex hints at respect, but her loyalty remains to a larger design.
Father Diaz (now a priest in the Eastern Church) supports Alex with a subtle nod at the key moment, demonstrating his role as trusted advisor.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Expediency vs. morality: Zizka embodies the theme that ruling requires painful compromises. “One woman’s evil, another’s … expediency.”
- The burdens of power: Alex learns that sitting on the Serpent Throne means making sacrifices she dislikes — including surrendering her protectors.
- Trust and betrayal: The letter is a physical symbol of broken trust, yet both women move past it for pragmatic reasons.
- Union of Churches: The schism between East and West represents the fractured world; reunification is framed as essential against the elven threat.
Why This Chapter Matters
“Deep Pockets” is a turning point. Alex solidifies her rule by confronting Zizka directly and extracting a political price for cooperation. The chapter forces Alex to abandon her hope of freeing the devils, deepening her isolation and hardening her resolve. Zizka’s philosophical arguments about necessity set the stage for the coming conflict with the elves. The title — and the final line — underline that power always comes at a cost, and that even God’s treasury is deep enough to meet Alex’s demands.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Zizka refuse to give Alex the devils?
Zizka argues each devil poses a unique, uncontrollable danger: Vigga is a werewolf, Baron Rikard wiped out regions in his bad moods, the grave robber deals with demons, and Sunny the elf might side with her own kind if they find her. Zizka insists containment is better for both Alex and the devils. -
What does Alex’s decision to not free the devils reveal about her character?
It shows she is learning to accept the hard compromises of leadership. She recognizes that Zizka is right, even though it hurts, and that she cannot keep the devils as allies without endangering her throne. This marks her transition from a thief relying on friends to an empress making calculated sacrifices. -
How does the theme of “expediency” drive the conversation?
Zizka frames all her actions — including the attempt on Alex’s life — as necessary evils for a greater good. Alex ultimately adopts the same logic by agreeing to a union with the Western Church despite her personal anger. The chapter argues that survival in high politics requires setting aside moral absolutes.