In the introduction, Satchel discovers, as she’s taken to the Court of the Immortals, that the Prince betrayed her. He was the one who left her the amulet, which has actually been preparing her body to become the ideal Vessel for the Empress. The Messenger of the Immortals reveals himself to be Dylan, who has been molded into that role by the Empress. Dylan begins the ceremony that will kill Satchel and allow the Empress to enter her body. Rips between worlds open all over town.

Mikey, Mel, Jared, Nathan, Henna, and Steve head to the lake cabin where they eat dinner, watch a movie, and go skinny dipping. While swimming, they notice flashes of blue light over the town. They call home to find that the news is playing the flashes off as “freak lightning” and, deciding that they’re safer in the cabin, choose to head to bed. Mikey is annoyed by the idea that Henna might sleep in the same bed as Nathan, and Jared insists that there’s no way that would happen. Before he can say more, a mangled mountain lion with blue light in its eyes comes through the forest; Jared tries to heal it but fails.