Rowan tries to raise Lasher as a child but is confronted by his freakish spurts of rapid growth, enormous appetite and prodigious strength. Young Lasher is no ordinary human child. Realising that his proximity is mysteriously supercharging her healing powers, she takes a job at the Mayfair family's hospital. Meanwhile, Tessa's sister Moira, whose special power is mind reading, arrives on the scene, holding Lasher responsible for Tessa's death. Ciprien takes steps to prevent his memory being erased again but soon discovers the Talamasca have designs on both him and Lasher.