Chapter Fifty-Nine

Summary

• The chapter opens with a conversation about Danika, a deceased acquaintance of the protagonists Bryce and Hunt, and her alleged involvement with a dangerous substance known as synth. Tharion, a merman, tells them she was seen on an Auxiliary boat carrying a crate of the substance.
• Synth, as Tharion explains, is a synthetic magic that can grant humans the strength of Vanir, a mythical race, in concentrated doses. Its original purpose was to assist in healing.
• Bryce suspects that Danika might have been killed by the creators of synth, as she likely confiscated their shipment, but Hunt warns this could be a dead end.
• Bryce then calls Fury, another acquaintance who hasn't been responsive recently. Fury verifies that synth is dangerous and recalls telling Bryce about it the night Danika died.
• Fury suggests Danika kept Bryce ignorant of synth as it can replace real magic, something Bryce lacks, and may be a temptation for her.
• Fury ends the call with a warning to avoid synth and a plan to see Bryce when she returns to the city soon.
• Bryce proceeds to research synthetic magic and learns it originated as a healing aid but is difficult and costly to produce in large quantities. She theorizes that the synth involved in Danika's case could have leaked from Redner Industries, where Danika worked.
• She calls her brother Ruhn and shares her theories with him. Ruhn praises her dedication to finding out what happened to Danika.
• The chapter concludes with Ruhn reminiscing about a run-in he had with Danika, where she defended Bryce passionately against him, revealing more about her character.