Part Nine Summary

On Sunday morning, Rose goes to visit Paul McGuire. He shows her the manor house, Alex's inherited home, called Fawney Rig. While touring the library of rare books, Rose mentions she's heading back to Los Angeles the next day. Paul tells her he was an under-gardener at the mansion when he met Alex. He shows her the conservatory, where roses are growing, and the huge kitchen. Paul needs to rest but tells Rose to continue to explore. She finds a secret passageway into a cellar.

In the cellar is an androgynous person who claims to be Rose's grandfather, who impregnated Rose's sleeping grandmother. Rose broods on how harsh love is, but before she can question her grandfather more, Paul comes in. Rose thinks she's fallen asleep, but her grandfather's heart-shaped lighter is on the floor.

In Loki's realm, the Corinthian and...