Splendors and Glooms

Clara hears her name and realizes she’s alive and full-sized again. Using magic, Cassandra commands Clara to come to her in her tower. There, Clara is entranced by the magical items, which can turn emotions into power. Clara wonders at her response: she might “be happy for the first time since the Others died” (217). Cassandra explains that she has brought Clara into the phoenix-stone so they can talk. Clara feels both troubled and grateful that Cassandra understands how trapped Clara feels by her life. Cassandra says stealing the stone is the only way for Clara to be truly alive and happy again, but Clara doesn’t believe her, given that Cassandra is neither alive nor happy. Clara tries to escape the tower but can’t find the door; suddenly, she’s back in her puppet form, watching Parsefall sleep.

Lizzie Rose waffles between feeling grateful for her situation and guilty for enjoying the privilege so much. On the fourth day, Cassandra sends for the children and offers them almost anything from her house as a Christmas gift. The children may go wherever they like, except the tower, and take whatever they want, except for her phoenix-stone.