House of Salt and Sorrows

Annaleigh awakens to Cassius’s voice. She’s in her bedroom, disoriented, and asks how she fainted and if he carried her here. Cassius is relieved but terrified. He tells Annaleigh that she never went to the Grotto and that there was no ball. She is confused, remembering the horrors of the ball. Cassius brings them to Camille’s room, where she is dancing while sleeping as if possessed; in Verity’s room, Verity is doing the same. Cassius warns against waking them. Verity’s face suddenly changes to that of the Weeping Woman, and she asks Annaleigh to dance. Cassius turns on the lights, and Verity collapses into Annaleigh’s arms. With tears, she holds her sister, trying to keep her awake. Verity falls back asleep, and Annaleigh lays her in bed. Annaleigh and Cassius hear a noise and voices in the hall, with a messenger saying a ship has been crushed because the lighthouse, Old Maude, has gone dark.

Ortun, the sailors, Cassius, and Annaleigh discuss Old Maude. Ortun gives orders to set sail for the crushed ship to save the sailors’ lives and cargo. Fisher is needed to relight Old Maude, and Cassius volunteers to wake him up.