(a dangerous sedative the Neverseen developed), as though he’d been betrayed by the order and left for dead. Alvar remained unconscious for weeks, and when an antidote to the soporidine was finally acquired, his mind was completely erased. Despite the amnesia, Alvar was brought to Tribunal for his crimes. But the Council found themselves uncertain of how to punish someone who no longer remembered what he’d done and seemed genuinely remorseful. So, in an effort to be fair (and despite very vocal protests from numerous members of the Vacker family—including Fitz and Biana), the Council sentenced Alvar to six months of house arrest at Everglen. Alvar was moved to a heavily guarded new apartment that Alden Vacker had built for his son, and was required to wear a gadget called the Warden (designed by Dex Dizznee) to keep track of his every move and render him immediately unconscious if he should do anything suspicious. The Council used the time to study Alvar’s behavior and assess whether he’d truly changed—and all tests seemed to indicate that Alvar had legitimately become a different person. Unfortunately, though, Alvar’s amnesia turned out to be part of the Neverseen’s plan, and his memories were triggered during the most recent Celestial Festival. He did appear to hesitate once he remembered the role he was expected to play. But in the end, Alvar chose to open the gates of Everglen for the Neverseen and helped them unleash the newborn trolls from the illegal hive hidden on the property. The Neverseen then lost control of the situation, and one of their members—a Shade who called herself Umber—was crushed to death before the rest of the Neverseen fled to safety. Alvar tried to escape as well, but a series of events (which still remain murky) left him trapped inside one of the troll’s birthing pods. Everyone assumed he drowned when liquid filled the pod soon after. But it appears that Alvar’s mastery of basic skills allowed him to escape once again. He’s only been seen once since and apparently was in very poor health. But there’s no telling whether he’ll cause any final havoc before he dies—a fact which seems to infuriate Fitz more than anyone. He’s made it clear that he’s determined to ensure Alvar can never hurt anyone ever again, even if it requires deadly force. In fact, during the confrontation on the night of the Celestial Festival, Fitz came shockingly close to ending his brother’s life. The moment was broadcast by the Neverseen for everyone to witness, and many have mixed feelings about Fitz’s behavior. Fitz’s friends talked him out of causing any harm, and it’s unclear whether he regrets the decision. The Council may or may not regret it as well.
GOBLIN PROTECTION OF HIS OWN:
Given how many enemies Fitz is fighting, it’s not surprising that the Black Swan decided to arrange a goblin bodyguard for him. He’s now under the protection of Grizel, who volunteered for the position. She’s proven herself to be a fierce and fearsome warrior, but also appears to be quite high-spirited, often turning things into games or bets with interesting consequences. Additionally, there seems to be some sort of connection between Grizel and Sandor (Sophie’s bodyguard). Neither goblin has been willing to update the Council—or their queen—on their relationship status. But all evidence suggests they’re currently a couple.
BRAVE RECOVERIES:
Fitz has suffered numerous minor injuries over the years, as well as two major brushes with death. The first took place while he was living with the Black Swan, after he and his friends were caught breaking into Exile. During the confrontation with the Council, Councillor Clarette used her ability to call forth several arthropleura in an attempt at intimidation. And when the situation escalated, Fitz ended up impaled through the chest and shoulder by one of the creature’s antennae. Sophie Foster then negotiated a deal for his freedom, and Dex Dizznee rushed Fitz to the Black Swan’s physician, who was able to heal the wound and draw out the venom. (It should be noted that Councillor Clarette was found blameless for her role in what happened, as it was simply an unfortunate accident—and the arthropleura involved was not harmed.) Fitz’s second and perhaps more frightening injury occurred during an ambush with the Neverseen. He was with his bodyguard (Grizel) as well as Sophie Foster and her bodyguard (Sandor) when several members of the Neverseen appeared out of nowhere and attacked. Reports on the incident indicate that Fitz was tortured by the Neverseen’s