Ianthe Tridentarius

Ianthe Tridentarius illustrated by [starcanist.tumblr.com/ @starcanist]

> *"Alas. I have a bad personality and a stupefying deficit of attention."*
>
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**Ianthe Tridentarius** *(E-AHN-thay Try-den-TAR-ee-us)* is the Heir to the House of the Third and the Princess of Ida—titles she shares with her twin sister Coronabeth. Thought by outsiders to be the weaker of the twins from her pallid, quiet personality, Ianthe is a necromantic powerhouse determined to advance to the ranks of Lyctor by any means necessary.

## **Biography**

### **Early Life**

Ianthe Tridentarius was born of a cesarean section after her twin sister, Coronabeth's, birth left her without oxygen. Her father hoped for twin necromancers so when, at six years old, it became apparent that Coronabeth had no necromantic ability, Ianthe became necromancer for the both of them.

To preserve the illusion, Ianthe and Coronabeth received only home instruction in the necromantic arts and never sought placement with the Cohort. Despite this, the sisters were quite visible in society and developed close (if sometimes antagonistic) relationships with Judith Deuteros of Second House and Fifth House.

### **Gideon the Ninth**

#### Act I

Ianthe Tridentarius, Coronabeth Tridentarius, and Naberius Tern receive a summons from The Emperor to come to The First House and compete for the position of Lyctor. As the summons dictates only the Heir of the House attend, and Corona has no magic of her own, Third House sends the three as a set—claiming that the twins were born at the exact same time.

When they arrive at Canaan House, the additional body in the shuttle causes a delay, and The Third Priest attempts to straighten out the mess. With Teacher's permission, the Tridentarii are allowed to compete together with one cavalier—though Teacher implies it will cause them problems in their attempt to ascend.

Inside Canaan House, the Tridentarii and Naberius join the other competitors in tea and prayer. Naberius is awarded an iron key ring for their House, and Teacher (vaguely) explains the bounds of the competition. Left with more questions than answers, the Tridentarii and Naberius are led to their rooms for the night by a construct.

#### Act II

The next morning, Ianthe, Corona, and Naberius explore the building together, descending the stairs into the hallway near the pool room at the same moment Gideon Nav is hiding in the shadows. Naberius complains about the competition's vagueness, the food, and anything else he can think of, while Coronabeth and Ianthe pose questions and theories regarding their purpose at Canaan House.

The conversation quickly turns ugly as Ianthe begins to insult Corona's powers and intelligence and Naberius attempts to defend her. Corona and Ianthe immediately close ranks and chastise Naberius for insubordination. He becomes sulky, and he and Corona continue down the hall. As the two leave, Ianthe appears to look directly at the darkness where Gideon is hiding, and threaten her.

Ianthe spends the next several days exploring Canaan House alone. At some point, she learns of the Facility and acquires her hatch key from Teacher, but does not see fit to share this information with her family. Instead of completing the Facility trials for keys, Ianthe attempts to reverse engineer their necromantic theorems.

Third House attends Abigail Pent and Magnus Quinn's anniversary dinner party, and Ianthe makes conversation with Silas Octakiseron about the details of her birth. Naberius interrupts, chastising her for talking harshly of her sister, but she shuts him down immediately.

#### Act III

Ianthe arrives on the scene of the Fifth House murders and joins several other necromancers in bleeding themselves to call forth their spirits. Failing, Ianthe and her sister work side by side to attempt to raise Abigail and Magnus, leaving and returning some times. Though Corona lacks any true ability, they make a show of kneeling and holding hands—leaving Ianthe drenched in blood sweat. Ianthe turns to her specialty, cannibalizing chunks of Naberius's hair, nails, and flesh to power her theorems to no result.

In the following meeting upstairs, Ianthe chooses to remain silent and withdrawn until Teacher pressures her to admit that she is in possession of a Facility key—a fact she had still not shared with Corona or Naberius. She keeps her composure, but Corona and Naberius are angry enough to walk out. Ianthe follows them out, and the meeting dissolves. In the next days, she follows the other postulants to learn more about the laboratory studies.

After human remains are found in the incinerator and Dulcinea Septimus is found collapsed on the garden terrace, all of the necromancers gather to examine the cremains. Ianthe pronounces the ashes to be three months dead and notes that the ashes seem to be from two separate people. She makes a number of crass and ill-timed comments at Protesilaus's expense but does not seem to care about the murders. Gideon remarks that it does not seem as if she's healed the rift with her sister.

Silas Octakiseron arrives with Dulcinea's keys and Judith Deuteros tries to assert her authority by taking them from him. Failing that, she forces a duel between her cavalier, Marta Dyas, and Camilla Hect for the Sixth's keys. Corona claims that Naberius will represent the Sixth, but Ianthe forbids Naberius from interfering. When Corona tries to convince him to go against her twin, he refuses. Camilla wins in an upset but is injured in the fight. Despite this, Ianthe presses Naberius to challenge her himself.

Coronabeth protests, but Ianthe insists that she is doing this to secure a Facility key for her. Judith protests, claiming she has no cause and it is against the rules but Ianthe throws every argument and discussion Judith has used to defend her own position back into her face. She coaxes Corona gently, and her sister falls in line. Camilla is readying herself to fight when Ninth steps in and volunteers to represent the Sixth, with Jeannemary close behind demanding the next duel. Faced with two strong duelers, Naberius withdraws and the gathering breaks up.

#### Act IV

Palamedes and Harrow gather the remaining postulants and bring them to Dulcinea's sick room. With Protesilaus' decapitated head in hand, Palamedes proposes that Protesilaus has been dead the whole time and has been reanimated by flesh magic called the beguiling corpse—which Dulcinea confirms. Ianthe seems to find this amusing, making several debatably helpful quips throughout the conversation. By the end of the conversation, she is again fighting with Naberius and the leave.

Ianthe, searching for her next lead on the Lyctoral Theorem takes it upon herself to investigate the bodies of Fifth House. Realizing that Abigail has a key concealed inside her side, she cuts into her and takes the key back—stunning and horrifying Silas Octakiseron and Colum Asht who guard the bodies.

Taking the key, Ianthe, Corona, and Naberius proceed to the Lyctor study. Inside, Ianthe learns the final piece to the puzzle, kills, and consumes Naberius—ascending to Lyctorhood. She does not deny her actions when the Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth House come in, and triumphantly claims the victory.

Ianthe explains that her skill in animaphilia is just a front and that she has always been interested in large-scale energy transfers. As she explains, Naberius fights her control causing her to pant, suffer great pains, and her eyes to shift colors. She claims that this is right and fair, as God has helped come up with the theorem himself. Silas takes great moral offense and sentences her to death—naming Colum executioner.

They fight viciously, Ianthe pressing her advantage of Lyctoral power and Colum pressing his advantage anytime her strength fails to keep up with Naberius's skill. It is no competition. Ianthe's necromancy quickly overtakes Colum's skill, and Silas reneges on his promise. Though he does not attempt to become a Lyctor, Silas ignores Colum's pleas and forces him to obey. He forces Colum under, siphoning huge amounts of energy to fight Ianthe. Silas drains her energy, siphoning Ianthe and Colum simultaneously. For a moment, it seems like he might be victorious-- Naberius's resistance distracting her enough for the Eighth to get the edge. Colum manages one more slash at Ianthe's back before he is overcome.

Everything human in Colum drops away, his eyes turning completely black moving "like there were six people inside him, and none of those six people had ever been inside a human being before." Lights and slithering things are visible under his skin. Silas makes an aborted attempted to recall Colum, but whatever was inside of him kills Silas. Colum continues to devolve into a horror of teeth and tongues, until Ianthe steps in and breaks his neck. She warns the remaining group that *"there are worse things than myself in this building,"*  before stepping back, melting into a puddle of viscera, and disappearing.

Ianthe reappears just as Camilla is about to be killed, and stabs Cytherea in the abdomen. She creates a thin shield out of blood and repels dozens of bone attacks from the immobilized construct. Cytherea walks off the rapier, and the two Lyctors go at each other. They fight almost faster than can be watched, and demolish the room around them as they go, cracking the floor and bringing down the walls.

As they fight, Gideon, with Harrow in tow, makes her way over to Camilla and frees her from the bone she is impaled on. As the room crumbles, the three of them stumble outside. As Ianthe and Cytherea fight, Cytherea's wounds return and Ianthe adds to them. She seems on the point of victory when Cytherea grabs at her throat and siphons her, healing completely. Cytherea steps on Ianthe right arm and cuts it off. Camilla throws one her knives, spearing Cytherea in a lump on her back. Cytherea removes it, siphons from Ianthe again, and turns to Gideon. Gideon and Cytherea fight, but it is hopeless. Even with a direct hit, Gideon can't wound her. Harrow comes to and sends skeletons after Cytherea, who in turns summons the construct. Harrow builds a shield of bone around herself, Gideon, and Camilla, leaving Ianthe and Cytherea on the outside.

### **Harrow the Ninth**

#### Ten Months Before the Emperor's Murder

As Gideon the First continually attempts to murder Harrow, Ianthe occasionally assists Harrow in making her escape. On one occasion, she wraps Harrow in a mass of flesh and rolls her down the hall to safety.

#### Nine Months and Twenty-Nine Days Before the Emperor's Murder

Harrowhark and Ianthe are in an unknown location, likely aboard the Erebos. Harrow has written twenty-four encrypted (and cursed) letters for Ianthe and herself, each labeled with a specific circumstance for opening. They have reached the end of their planning phase, and it is time to embark on "the procedure." Harrow plans to perform brain surgery on herself. Ianthe begs Harrow to explain why she is doing this, but Harrow only explains that she has chosen Ianthe because she *"know[s] what it is to be—fractured."* As her eyes shift, she impresses Ianthe to begin and they perform the procedure.

After aiding Harrow with the opening of the skull and helping to guide her as instructed, Ianthe is sent behind a screen to wait out the rest of the procedure. After, as Harrow rests, Ianthe uses necromancy to search Harrow for signs of what she has done but is unable to find any concrete signs of damage or change. In a fit of pique, she changes Harrow's hair follicles so that her hair will grow faster. She meditates on Harrow and thinks that one day she will marry her. After, she leaves *"to see a man about a queen."*

#### Nine Months Before the Emperor's Murder

Following Harrow's talk with the Emperor, Ianthe visits Harrow's room. She gives Harrow a letter, written in Harrow's own blood and with her own childhood cipher. Written 48 hours after the Battle at Canaan House, the letter explains that the former Harrow has done something which she cannot reveal and gives the current Harrow a list of rules to abide by in her new life as well as 22 additional letters, to be read at various times. As the letter instructs, Harrow kisses Ianthe and confirms her jaw and tongue are her own before swearing her allegiance. Ianthe produces a set of pearlescent clothing, and she and Harrow quibble over the terms of the agreement and the contents of the letters-- including whether Coronabeth is likely to be alive. As Ianthe goes to leave, Harrow makes a snide remark about Naberius Tern. Thrusting his trident knife first into her own hand, healing, and then into Harrow's, she proves that Harrow has no wonderful Lyctor regeneration. Ianthe warns Harrow never to suggest her sister is dead and leaves.

Ianthe is collected (presumably by Mercymorn) and sent to the shuttle bay to await their departure from the Erebos. Mercymorn returns with Harrow and shoos the two of them into the shuttle. Ianthe shares with Harrow that the Cohort has suffered the loss of three warships, but that otherwise she hasn't been told much. She openly eavesdrops as Mercymorn, Admiral Sarpedon, and God Himself argue over the shuttle's depature. The Emperor boards and asks after Harrow's health. At her dodge, Ianthe offers to watch out for her, which the Emperor accepts. He begins to argue with Mercymorn, but on seeing Ianthe's blatant eavesdropping, the argument abruptly goes non-verbal. The argument ends, and the Emperor instructs Ianthe to fasten down the boxes in the hold. She sits, listening to the departure rituals with obvious excitement.

In space, the Emperor informs them that the only way for them to reach their home, the Mithraeum, in a timely manner is to go through the River, a liminal plane filled with mad, Lyctor-eating ghosts. Beginning their descent into the River, he explains that he will guide the ship and their physical bodies into the River, but that they must hold their souls. He instructs them to get on the floor of the ship and use the principles of the Imaging/Response chamber in the Facility to bind their souls to their bodies, warning them that if they fail they will be killed. Ianthe and Harrow pull their hoods over their faces, and the shuttle submerges. In the River, Ianthe begins to panic, thrashing in terror. When the ghost ward explodes, she contorts before going slack. Harrow loses focus, and the Emperor instructs Mercy to accelerate and get them out of the River.

Ianthe arrives at Cytherea the First's funeral somewhat harrowed by her trip through the River, and is placed in a pew with an unconscious Harrow. When she wakes, the two attempt remain quiet and still so as not to intrude of the funeral of the woman they killed. They watch God, Mercymorn, and Augustine mourn and eulogize Cytherea with stories of her life. Mercymorn notices Harrow and Ianthe are awake, and the Emperor brings them to Cytherea's casket. Augustine introduces himself and asks several funeral-inappropriate questions of the girls. The third and final original Lyctor arrives, announcing that the Seventh Resurrection Beast is within 10 months of Mithraeum. He calls the Emperor "John" and asks if they are going to stay and fight or run, to which the Emperor chooses to stay.

The next day, Ianthe finds Harrow in the chapel, her sword plunged into Cytherea's corpse. She is not particularly surprised or disturbed.

#### Six Months Before the Emperor's Murder

Realizing the danger that she and Harrow, as "baby Lyctors" are in on the Mithraeum, Ianthe throws herself into training and ingratiating herself to the older, more powerful Lyctors. She trains primarily with Augustine, who she was able to charm into a lopsided friendship. He instructs her in planet-killing, stretching the skills she will need to battle the Resurrection Beast as well as clearly large masses of thalergy from it's path, swordsmanship, and even cooking. A dutiful teacher, his instruction is comprehensive and helpful, however he cannot abide her unwillingness to trust Naberius's fighting skill nor her inability to use her attached arm. The constantly argue in the training room, and Ianthe goes so far as to walk out on lessons.

Harrow frequently comes to Ianthe as a reluctant ally, and they share what they are learning. Though Harrow is hopeful at her own improvement, Ianthe believes that they are still hopelessly doomed against the Beast. Harrow offers various solutions her arm problems, but Ianthe rejects them all. She asks Harrow to remake her arm, but given her inexperience with flesh Harrow refuses. Numerous times Ianthe attempts to impress on Harrow how delicate their situation is and advises her to get realistic about her chances and options, but Harrow refuses to listen. The morning after Harrow kills her thirteenth planet, she arrives at Ianthe's door to tell her that she has seen Cytherea walking the halls of the Mithraeum, and Ianthe closes the door in her face.

#### Four Months Before the Emperor's Murder

As the Resurrection Beast draws nearer, Harrow and Ianthe are left to each others company as the "adults" delve into complex planning. The elder Lyctors attempt to explain the Heralds of the Beast to their new siblings, but struggle to make sense. Ianthe continues to attempt to train her swordsmanship with Augustine, but repeatedly fails to produce results consciously or while submerged in the River. One night after training, Harrow comes to Ianthe's room with the news that she caught Gideon defiling Cytherea's corpse. Ianthe laughs it off, and it turns into an argument when Ianthe insults God. Harrow wants to make it a fight, but Ianthe gives up and goes to sleep, summarily shooing Harrow from her room.

Later, she finds Harrow emotionally raw, naked, and half-mauled from another attempt on her life, but leaves again before Harrow can say anything.

Ianthe's swordmanship training continues to go poorly, as she grows more and more convinced of her own psychological block and Augustine remains unable to get through to her. Augustine finally gives her an ultimatum—If Ianthe cannot manage to get her sword arm to cooperate in five days, he will no longer bother attempting to train her. Around this time, John asks Harrow to make dinner for everyone, and she obliges. At dinner, John serves her mediocre attempt at soup and the Lyctors attempt to be polite in giving suggestions on how she can improve. As they discuss her soup, Harrow explodes Gideon with her own marrow she has cooked into the soup. John freezes everyone with his necromancy and chides Harrow. She pleas that he protect her from Gideon's attacks, but he only asks her when she last slept. At her response, he heals Gideon and sends everyone but Mercymorn out of the room—instructing Ianthe to put Harrow to bed.

Ianthe puts Harrow to sleep in her bed, where she wakes once long enough to warn her about Gideon's thanergy void powers. As Harrow sleeps, Ianthe's desperation to fix her arm and solve her problems fighting before Augustine's deadline grows. She finally grows desperate enough to attempt to rectify the situation herself and Harrow wakes to find Ianthe on the floor in the process of cutting her attached arm off—defeated by her self-healing Lyctor powers. Harrow drops down beside her and takes over. With a bone knife, Harrow cuts her arm off in one move and begins sealing the flesh and creating a new skeletal hand. She weaves tendons and nerves into the bone where necessary for Lyctor healing, and doesn't bother with flesh. Ianthe adds her own palm of flesh to help grip her sword, and it is finished. She picks up Naberius's rapier to experiment, and fights beautifully with all his skill. Ianthe leaves to challenge Augustine who pushes her into the River and fights her body. 25 minutes later, Ianthe returns satisfied that it will work. In thanks, she promises to help Harrow kill Gideon.

Delighted with her renewed relationship with Augustine, Ianthe and her mentor become thick as thieves. In this, she asks him to lend assistance to the plot to kill Gideon the First, and Augustine unexpectedly agrees. He promises her that he will come up with a way to distract the Emperor so that Harrow can make her move, and that he will have it ready the next day. Harrow now spends a majority of her nights in Ianthe's bed, unable to trust her own wards. As they lay there, Ianthe relays Augustine's information. They talk about Coronabeth, their life before Canaan House, and if they have regrets (they don't). Ianthe compliments Harrow's foresight, and Harrow quotes a piece of the Noniad at her.

The next afternoon, Harrow and Ianthe find an invitation to a dinner hosted by Augustine. Despite Harrow's best protests, Ianthe delights in dressing her for the occasion. She sews Harrow a slinky dress and does her hair for the dinner. Harrow repaints her face and returns to find Ianthe dressed as in a purple gown. Following their instructions, they go to Augustine's rooms. He claims that Gideon will leave on cue, and that he will give Harrow and Ianthe a signal to follow him into the training room. Mercymorn joins their meeting and Augustine swears by his sword in order to get her to commit to his plan. When he reveals his idea, calling it only Dios Apate, minor, she resists but grudgingly upholds her promise. They all leave to attend the dinner.

Ianthe is delighted to find herself at a drunken dinner party, hearing all of the gossip and sentimental stories of the older Lyctors, and to find herself beside a very drunk Harrowhark who is plainly displeased at the evening. When Augustine finally makes headway into his plot and irritates Gideon into leaving, Ianthe remains draped by Harrow. She teases her, divulging to the Emperor how drunk Harrow is, and welcomes her to *"the special world of sisterhood"* promising to *"reveal everything [Harrow does], contradict [her] at every turn, and hold back [her] hair in the morning."* When Augustine and Mercymorn begin to seduce and kiss the Emperor, she ushers Harrow out of the room.

Outside of the dinner, Ianthe and Harrow express mutual distaste at being forced to see their much older peers engage in sexual activity. Before she leaves, Ianthe goes to kiss Harrow, but she turns away and gently declines stating her ties to the Locked Tomb. Ianthe makes a snide remark, wishes her luck, and walks off to her rooms.

#### Two Months Before the Emperor's Murder

One night, an emergency alarm goes off throughout Mithraeum. Mercymorn has spotted the Seventh Beast and raised the alarm, shuttering the windows of the Mithraeum and beginning a lock down. Mercy screams over the comm, having accidentally looked at the Beast and fallen victim to it's psychological effects. Augustine pronounces the Beast early and sends everyone back to bed.

#### One Week Before the Emperor's Murder

As the battle draws nearer, the residents of the Mithraeum meet to discuss battle strategy. Mercymorn outlines the plan of attack—tiring the Beast out in the upper levels of the River, and then dragging it down and into the stoma when it tries to flee. Ianthe suggests that they send a Lyctor out to the corpus of the Beast to plant a bomb under his skin, but Mercymorn counters with the story of Cytherea going mad for a week. Similarly, she counters Augustine and Gideon's arguments and suggestions with failures from previous battles. In the end, Mercy's strategy wins and each Lyctor is assigned a direction of the Beast to each Lyctor (save Harrow and John). Ianthe is assigned the eastern part of the beast.

The night before the Resurrection Beast is due, Harrow comes to Ianthe's rooms for help. She brings her back to her own rooms and bids that she look under her bed. Harrow insists that the body of Cytherea is there, but Ianthe claims not to see the corpse and refuses to investigate further. Unbeknownst to them both, Gideon can also see the body, and believes Ianthe is only pretending to be unable to see the corpse. Ianthe asks Harrow if she has slept and, when Harrow continues to insist, excuses herself and returns to bed.

#### The Night Before the Emperor's Murder

Ianthe waits in her rooms in Mithraeum waiting to do battle with the seventh Resurrection Beast. The Heralds begin their attack on the Mithraeum in the East quadrant, and Harrow and Ianthe are hit with the worst waves of psychological attack from them. The Heralds continue their attack on Mithraeum for almost an hour as the Lyctors wait out the waves of fear in darkness. Ianthe comes to Harrow's rooms on the Mithraeum and offers to protect her in the imminent battle with the seventh Resurrection Beast. When Harrow refuses her off, Ianthe attempts to sway her, stressing how dangerous this battle is for Harrow and attempting to convince her to reach for her full power. When she is refused again, Ianthe leaves Harrow alone and takes her place for battle. On the Emperor's cue, she sinks into The River.

In the River, both Mercymorn and Augustine quickly drop out, returning to the Mithraeum. Left alone with Gideon and Number Seven, Ianthe also walks out and ends up fighting Heralds in the kitchen. Surrounded by dead Heralds, Harrow walks in. Ianthe is pleased until she notices her golden eyes and bad attitude—Gideon Nav has surfaced in her body. Gideon immediately challenges her claiming she's been awful to Harrow. Refusing to fight her, Ianthe fills Gideon in on the fight she's missed and Gideon likewise explains that Mercymorn was the one to kill Harrow. Interrupted by the sound of more Heralds, they run out to the hall to see that Augustine has already taken care of the issue. Augustine starts to give instructions before noticing Harrow's new eyes and running out of the room. Ianthe takes Gideon back to her room and gives her Harrow's letter.

Reading the letter and putting on the enclosed sunglasses, Gideon again challenges Ianthe's claim on Harrow. Ianthe tries to claim that Harrow could never have loved her because she erased, and Gideon quickly corrects her. She explains that she has always known Harrow couldn't love her because she was already in love with the corpse in the Locked Tomb. Gideon warns Ianthe to stay away from Harrow, but Ianthe insists that as Lyctors *"the centuries will entangle [them] whether she wants them to or not."* Ianthe ends the conversation and makes to take Gideon to the Emperor.

#### Thirty Minutes Before the Emperor's Murder

Ianthe and Gideon approach the Emperor's chambers and find the doors open. Sneaking into the foyer and hiding behind a coat rack, they spy through the next door into the main room. There they see the corpse of Cytherea, who now calls herself Commander Awake Remembrance of These Valiant Dead Kia Hua Ko Te Pai Snap Back to Reality Oops There Goes Gravity, attempting to interrogate the Emperor and charge him with *"acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the human race."* The Emperor interrogates her in return, demanding to know her mission and her business on Ninth House. They argue about necromancy and talk of dead children and bombs before Mercymorn and Augustine stride in.

Mercymorn and Augustine both appeal to the Emperor to come clean, saying *"It's over, John. It's all come out ... it took ten thousand years, but it's all come out."* The Emperor asks if he is in trouble, and then directs their attention to Cytherea's body and introduces his Lyctors to Commander Wake. Mercymorn and Augustine draw their rapiers and the Emperor, puzzled that they have met, asks for clarification. Wake claims that Mercymorn and Augustine were working for her, which the Lyctors deny. The Lyctors and Wake argue over the details of the plan and whatever went wrong, but no one speaking clearly enough what Gideon or the Emperor to understand exactly what they are talking about.

The Emperor silences them with a burst of necromancy. He again asks what Wake was doing on Ninth House and she explains that she was going to break into the Locked Tomb. Wake explains that she came armed with a baby that she had birthed herself, much to Augustine's horror, after Mercymorn's dummies and ova had died. The Emperor is explain exactly how the plan would not have succeeded when Gideon the First walks into the foyer, steals Gideon Nav's sunglasses, and walks into the Emperor's rooms. Gideon the First walks up to Wake and shoots her in the head. The Emperor protests, but her ghost is already gone. At Augustine's question, he shares that the Number Seven has fled.

The Emperor sits, and asks Gideon if he was aware that Wake was pregnant. He confirms he was and explains, to the horror of everyone, that he thought that it was his child. The Emperor insists that the plan would still not work, and Augustine and Mercymorn fill him in on Dios apate, major—their plan to steal his genetic material and create a child capable of opening the Locked Tomb. The Emperor asks if Wake and baby died on entry, and Gideon walks into the room and announces herself.

With Gideon in the flesh, the Emperor understands why his Lyctors are so upset. They argue over Alecto and how monstrous she was, and Mercymorn presses for the truth of what happened to her and how she was killed. The Emperor admits that he did not kill her, just *"switched her off."* Mercymorn and Augustine explain that what united them years ago was the realization that The Emperor had not killed Alecto, and what Gideon has caused them to realize that is that she was his cavalier and perfect Lyctorhood was possible. Ianthe decides to join them in the room, but says nothing.

As Mercymorn presses for any sign of regret for having killed all of their cavaliers, Augustine asks about Anastasia's failed attempt at Lyctorhood. The Emperor admits that she had nearly cracked it, but claims she had still made a mistake. Augustine asks the Emperor to put an end to his mission, but he refuses. Mercymorn promises that she will forgive him if he will do one thing: look her in the eyes and tell her he loved Cristabel, her cavalier. As he does so, she reaches inside of him and rends him into dust with her necromancy.

Mercymorn and Augustine explain that with the Emperor dead the Nine Houses will be dead and gone within three hours with no hope to save their inhabitants. Mercymorn expresses the desire to commit suicide, but Augustine refuses her saying that they have to go after the remaining Resurrection Beasts, sue for peace with Blood of Eden, and find a place for the remaining inhabitants of the Empire. Augustine asks Gideon the First if he will make any move against them, but Gideon the First does not have time to fully respond before the Emperor reforms and murders Mercymorn.

The Emperor asks each of his Lyctors if they will be loyal to him. Gideon the First and Ianthe answer in the affirmative and are spared. Gideon Nav is spared from answering due to the extenuating circumstances of being his daughter and being in Harrow's body, but tossed across the room and bound by his necromancy. Augustine answers in the negative, but before he can be killed Augustine drops the Mithraeum into the barathron River. The Emperor, Augustine, and Ianthe dive in.

Ianthe floats high above the stoma watching Augustine and the Emperor battle as the current sweeps them lower and lower into the River. As they approach, the stoma opens and horrible tongues and teeth appear around the void. Both Augustine and the Emperor are caught up in the tongue of the stoma and sitting in a stalemate—neither able to finish the other without getting dragged in themselves. Augustine yells something, presumably a call for Ianthe to help, but she ignores him. Ianthe swims down and frees the Emperor, pulling him to safety. Augustine is pulled in and the stoma closes.

### **Nona the Ninth**

#### Before Day One

Some time after the attempt on the Emperor's life, Ianthe became close friends with the not-quite-resurrected Kiriona Gaia, daughter of the Emperor.

#### Day Three

Ianthe, puppeting Naberius' body from somewhere off-planet, addresses the people of New Rho in a videocast, introducing herself as "Prince Ianthe Naberius". In the videocast, she describes the Emperor's conditions for a contract with the people of New Rho, seeking to end the anti-necromancer conflict in the city. In the same videocast, she introduces Prince Kiriona Gaia, the Emperor's only daughter. After stating that the populace has 24 hours to fulfill the conditions in the Emperor's contacts, the videocast ends.

#### Day Five

Ianthe, still using Naberius' body, reunites with Coronabeth and the Saint of Duty (actually Pyrrha in his body) outside the necromancer barrack, not knowing that it is a plot by Blood of Eden to get inside, or that they are listening in on the conversation via a wiretap. Coronabeth begs Ianthe for help with the ill Judith; after a short argument, Ianthe relents and lets the three of them in.

When Nona, disguised as Harrowhark, arrives at the barrack, Ianthe chastises her for her tardiness and other various things, to which Nona is unable to respond to. After negotiating with Pyrrha, Camilla, and Coronabeth, Ianthe grows suspicious of Nona's silence, stating that "Harrow's never this quiet, nor this passive." In panic, Nona screams in the language of the Resurrection Beasts, temporarily stunning Naberius's body and even causing Ianthe's real body to throw up.

Angered, Ianthe attempts to immediately drag Nona (who she still believes is Harrow) and Pyrrha (who she still believes is Gideon) back to the Emperor. She also agrees to help Corona with Judith, but threatens to kill Camilla, stating that she "only wanted the Sixth as a goodwill gift to God". Corona attempts to intervene, but Ianthe is set on killing her, either now or later.

To Ianthe's surprise, Camilla challenges Ianthe to a duel, using a challenge the Third House had issued but the Sixth House had not replied to, from their time in Canaan House. Ianthe attempts to dissuade her from dueling her, knowing that there is no way Camilla could win, but Corona threatens to kill herself if Ianthe rejects the challange. Annoyed, Ianthe accepts Camilla's challenge, the condition for victory being that Camilla must remove a handkerchief from Ianthe's pocket.

Ianthe immediately overpowers Camilla. She knocks Camilla down and stabs her through the heart, but Camilla, holding onto Ianthe's wrist, is able to transfer Palamedes' soul into Naberius's body. Palamedes forces Ianthe out of Naberius's body and takes control of it.

Later, at the entrance to the Locked Tomb, Ianthe traps Pyrrha, Paul, Nona, Kiriona, Crux, and Aiglamene in a puddle of fat and membrane. She frees Kiriona from the trap and tries to convince her not to awaken Alecto; in anger, Ianthe states that John loved Alecto, a memory that causes Nona to unravel. Ianthe and Kiriona rush to Nona's aid, but Pyrrha shoots Ianthe with a Herald bullet, paralyzing her. However, she recovers in time to follow the group into the Tomb as Nona crosses the lake to where Alecto's body lies.

#### Epilogue

As Alecto awakens, Ianthe rushes over and raises her weapon, but Harrow, regaining control of her body, threatens Ianthe and reminds her of their vow. After a short argument with Harrow, Alecto strikes Ianthe with her bare hand, knocking her into the water.

## **Appearance and Personality**

Gideon first describes Ianthe as thus:

> *"The other two were young women, both blond, though the similarity ended there: [...] The other girl seemed smaller, insubstantial, with a sheet of hair the anaemic color of canned butter and an equally bloodless smirk. They were actually the same height, Gideon realized; her brain had just deemed that proposition too stupid to credit on first pass. It was as though the second girl were the starved shadow of the first, or the first an illuminated reflection."*
>
>

To those who are not close to her, Ianthe is a quiet wraith of a girl. She speaks little to the other scions, allowing her sister to appear the dominant, charming Princess. To her inner circle, however, Ianthe is a caustic and driven necromancer. Both Coronabeth and Naberius have no choice but to bend to her desires, and she is ruthless in her pursuit of power. Despite this, she is also rather fearful. On her ascension to Lyctor and acceptance into the Saints inner circle, she quickly realizes that she has bit off more than she can chew.

## **Trivia**

* In the original, Ianthe and Coronabeth were "Cainabeth and Abella" after the famous biblical brothers.

## **References**

1. ↑  tazmuir, Tumblr.com.
2. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," Act III, Ch. 23
3. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," Act II, Ch. 15
4. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," Act IV, Ch. 34
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Gideon the Ninth," Cohort Intelligence Files
6. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," Act IV, Ch. 34
7. ↑ In Harrow the Ninth, this period of time is clearly marked as "Ten Months Before the Emperor's Murder," despite seeming to make little chronological sense.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Harrow the Ninth," Epiparados
9. ↑ "Harrow the Ninth," Act III, Ch. 30
10. ↑ "Harrow the Ninth," Act V, Ch. 48
11. ↑ "Harrow the Ninth," Act V, ch 48.
12. ↑ "Harrow the Ninth," Act V, Ch. 50
13. ↑ "Harrow the Ninth," Act V, Ch. 51
14. ↑ "Nona the Ninth", Day Three, Ch. 16
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Nona the Ninth", Day Five, Ch. 23
16. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," Act I Ch. 7
17. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," A Little Explanation of Naming Systems