In the Subverted Garden, a number of challengers to Astir's superiority arrive - but in a different batch of locations, each with their own dangers - not in the least Astir himself, and a new villain - Vorka Stark, who, after the death of Butler, is on the search for power, his motivation slipping and shifting with the help of his dark book of magicks. In GLoG, Czernov continues to tinker with an unknown device, and Amelia lies dying in his cell, as her powers, removed by Vorka, which were keeping her alive, reveal their somewhat devastating effect on her biology.