Starling House

After fighting two more beasts, Arthur knows that he made the right choice by giving Elizabeth his three keys to various parts of the house. He knows that once he finds the fourth key, which unlocks the door in the basement, he will be able to go to Underland; in fact, he plans to die there. Suddenly, he hears Opal at the front door, and is shocked to realize that he did not sense the moment that the gate was opened. Arthur pulls Opal inside and kisses her, and they have sex.

Opal spends the night at Starling House and dreams about the river in which her mother drowned. She finally remembers that Arthur was there that night; he was the one who pulled her out of the water. She realizes that she did not let go of her mother’s hand, as she always thought she had. Instead, she was pulled away. Knowing this, she now feels less guilty about her mother’s death. She tells Arthur about the letter she stole and asks him why he stayed at the house when he didn’t have to. She realizes that the two of them have more in common than she once thought.