The Ghost

SPOILER WARNING

by PhantomRin

**The Ghost**, also known by his real name **Larkin Gorm Garret**, is a half-faerie, half-human and member of the Court of Shadows, the spy group that worked for Prince Dain and now answers to the Queen.

## Physical Description

He has sandy-colored hair, which is normal for a mortal but unusual for a faerie, and ears that come to very subtle points, showing his human heritage. He has hazel eyes. He is lean and handsome.

## Personality

The Ghost is willing to follow orders, even if those orders are morally wrong. He is clever and skilled at sneaking quietly, and likes to have fun during his jobs. He seems happy when Jude says that while they don't need to be good, they should try to be fair.

## Biography

### Early Life

The Ghost was born in the human realm one hundred years ago. His father was mortal. He has said that he was a happy child due to having magic.

Later in his life, the Ghost poisoned Liriope with blusher mushrooms under Prince Dain's orders. Dain wanted to kill his unborn child that Liriope was carrying.

* The Cruel Prince
* The Wicked King
* The Queen of Nothing

The Ghost meets Jude when she joins the Court of Shadows. He teaches her how to hang from rafters and not be seen, how to line up a shot with a crossbow, and how to steady her shaking hands. He teaches her how to climb trees silently and how to put down a foot without snapping a branch or crackling a dried leaf. Jude thought she already knew how to do those things from her teachers, but he corrects her mistakes that her teachers didn't bother to. Even though she fails multiple times, he still tells her she did well and to continue practicing, suggesting she sneak up on her sisters.

During the coronation ceremony when Balekin stages his unsuccessful coup, the Ghost kills Princess Caelia when she was willing to crown Balekin High King in order to stop the bloodshed. The Ghost shot a bolt from the shadows of the rafters, which struck Caelia in the chest.

As a result of this the Ghost is imprisoned in the dungeon. Both the Bomb and the Roach save him.

After the coup, an injured the Ghost returns to the lair of the Court of Shadows where Jude has taken Prince Cardan prisoner. Instead of treating Cardan like a regular prisoner, the Ghost and the rest of the Court of Shadows allow Cardan to drink and play cards with them.

It is revealed that the Ghost is the one who poisoned Liriope. Later, he tells Jude that murder is a cruel trade. He believed Prince Dain would have been as fair a High King as any prince of the Folk, but that mortals wouldn't have considered Dain to be good. He tells Jude that she would do well to decide how much she cares for goodness before she goes too far down the road of spycraft.

The Ghost is shocked when Jude tells him that Liriope's child survived. He tells Jude that he doesn't want to find a new position, he wants to stay and serve the next High King. He smiles when Jude tells him that while they don't need to be good, they should try to be fair, as fair as any prince of Faerie.

The Ghost has been added to King Cardan's personal guard which allows him to keep Cardan safe and know his habits.

It is revealed that the Ghost is working with the Undersea when Jude goes to the Tower of Forgetting with the Ghost and Vulciber. The Ghost ambushes her with three of the sea folk. The last words that the Ghost speaks to her before Jude is taken to the Undersea are, “I served Prince Dain, not you.” giving the reason for his betrayal.

The Bomb later states that the Ghost then set of some of his own explosives and collapsed part of the castle along with the lair of the Court of Shadows and the old catacombs where Mab’s bones lie. The Ghost is then unable to be found by the Bomb or the Roach.

While trying to escape Madoc's war camp, Jude discovers the Ghost manacled, chained, and bruised in a cave. He tells Jude that he knows he deserves her gloating and that he was a fool. He tells Jude that after he killed Liriope he was stricken with guilt and went to Locke, Liriope's only other child, and offered him his protection and gave Locke his real name, thus giving Locke the power to control him. Locke ordered the Ghost to take Jude to the Tower of Forgetting and let the Undersea abduct her.

He tried to leave Insmire so Locke couldn't control him again and was caught. The Ghost learned that Locke had given his real name to Madoc as his dowery for Taryn. He wants Jude to kill him because he believes it's the only way for him to escape Madoc. Jude refuses and wants to rescue him instead.

Jude tells Cardan and the Roach the truth behind the Ghost's betrayal but Madoc commands him to kill Cardan. Taryn then locks the Ghost up in the dungeons and stops him before he kills Cardan. He is reunited with the Roach and the Bomb and helps Jude and Cardan. He is given special privileges for being part of the Court of Shadows by Cardan and he also receives a special magical mask from him.

## Relationships

### Jude Duarte

The Ghost is friendly with Jude when she joins the Court of Shadows. The Ghost teaches Jude how to hang from rafters and not be seen, how to line up a shot with a crossbow, and how to steady her shaking hands. He teaches her how to climb trees silently and how to put down a foot without snapping a branch or crackling a dried leaf. Jude thought she already knew how to do those things from her teachers, but he corrects her mistakes that her teachers didn't bother to. Even though she fails multiple times, he still tells her she did well and to continue practicing, suggesting she sneak up on her sisters. The Ghost wants Jude to succeed and find happiness. When he allows the Undersea to abduct her, all he says is that he served Prince Dain, not her. However, Jude forgives him after learning the truth behind his betrayal and they return being friends.

### Taryn Duarte

When the Ghost is given orders by Madoc to kill Cardan, he goes to find Jude to warn her but finds Taryn instead. He asks Taryn to lock him up to prevent him from making an attempt on Cardan's life, even though going against Madoc's orders hurts his health. Taryn chains him, but she also knows his real name from Locke. She uses that to command him to forget Madoc's orders and saves him. Towards the end of *The Queen of Nothing*, after Cardan's curse breaks, he watches Taryn all night as she tells stories to the musicians at the celebration. After Cardan gives him his magical mask, he immediately turns toward Taryn, hinting that he has romantic feelings for her.

## Gallery

by PhantomRinby PhantomRinby Rachel Hankeby Cloud.DOby Missescara\_2