Phantasma

Ophelia feels Cade’s life force enter her body. She enters a shimmering golden door that takes her out of the challenge, but she senses something is wrong as she reenters the manor. She sees the physical embodiment of the Shadow Voice, a monstrous creature. The Shadow Voice tells Ophelia that by killing Cade with her bare hands, she released the Shadow Voice into the world. Ophelia chases the Shadow Voice through the manor, past mirrors with terrifyingly wrong reflections of her own face, until the Shadow Voice pounces on her and attacks her, ripping at her chest until her skin flays. Ophelia tries to call Blackwell for help, but the Shadow Voice tells her that he won’t come, and she’s alone. Ophelia replies that she can call for help if the Shadow Voice gets too loud, as she realizes the idea of her not being alone scares the Shadow Voice. She calls for Blackwell again before passing out.

Ophelia wakes up to Blackwell healing her. The Shadow Voice was not real, but instead the manor was attacking her through her worst fear: accidentally hurting herself because of the Shadow Voice. Blackwell found her tearing at her own chest and stomach, hurting herself badly. He healed her and saved her. Blackwell takes Ophelia back to her room and begs to stay with her. She asks him to make her forget what happened, and they have emotionally charged sexual intercourse. They are interrupted by the arrival of Genevieve.

Genevieve pushes into Ophelia’s room as Blackwell quickly uses his powers to dress himself and Ophelia. Ophelia introduces Genevieve and Blackwell, then Blackwell gives them space to catch up. Genevieve teases Ophelia for having more fun than her in Phantasma. Ophelia argues with Genevieve about her decision to enter Phantasma, and Genevieve tells her why she came. She discovered letters from Gabriel to their mother, revealing that they met during Phantasma. She tracked Gabriel to New York, the last location of Phantasma. She also followed her mother when she tried to make another deal with a Devil, which is when she discovered that Tessie’s debt stemmed from her purchase of another house in case she and the girls needed to run away from Gabriel.

Ophelia is shocked. They discuss the challenges, including Ophelia’s blood bargain with Blackwell, and Genevieve reveals that she too is a Specter, but unlike Ophelia, she’s known about her powers since childhood and can easily control them. She used her powers to escape the haunts and survive. Genevieve never told Ophelia about her powers because she didn’t want their mother to discover them and become overly controlling of her like she was Ophelia. That’s also why she didn’t tell Ophelia about her friends; she didn’t want to rub her life of freedom in Ophelia’s face. Ophelia apologizes for their fight, and Genevieve assures her that Ophelia’s words did not drive her to Phantasma. They agree to work together, and Ophelia feels hopeful.

Night Nine of Phantasma

Ophelia, Blackwell, and Genevieve plot together to win Phantasma. Blackwell and Genevieve get along well. Genevieve wants to share a room with Ophelia, so Blackwell gives them their space, though he tells them to be careful, as some contestants are beginning to hunt other contestants since only one contestant can attempt Level Nine. Ophelia wants Genevieve to forfeit, but she wants to wait until after Level Eight. Blackwell advises them against that, as Level Eight has very high stakes. They’re interrupted by Sinclair, who flirts with both sisters and claims to be glad that they safely found each other, though his motivations are dubious. Ophelia tells Genevieve to forfeit at dinner, and she agrees.

Genevieve and Ophelia tearfully part ways before the Fraud level. Genevieve surrenders to Phantasma and leaves, and Blackwell reminds Ophelia that only two levels stand between her and her freedom, though she knows Blackwell’s freedom isn’t guaranteed. Charlotte and Ophelia meet at the start of Level Eight, which is run by Sinclair. He gives them a simple hint: “Choose wisely” (373). He seems pleased Genevieve is not present, which alarms Ophelia.

When she enters the level, she finds two Genevieves, both claiming to be the real Genevieve. Ophelia calls for Blackwell, and when he arrives, he tells her that she must choose the real Genevieve, but if she’s wrong, the Genevieve living outside Phantasma will die. Ophelia does the math of when Gabriel entered Phantasma the second time and realizes that he guessed wrong at this level, which killed Tessie. Ophelia cries and panics as she tries to discern who the real Genevieve is, until she realizes it’s a trick. Neither of them is Genevieve. Blackwell tells her she’s right, and a portal appears for them to walk through.

Ophelia steels her heart for her meeting with the Prince of Devils. If he does not grant her wish, she will “show him her teeth” (378).

Ophelia plans to summon the door to the Prince of Devils. Sinclair tries to advise her to stop, but she refuses to listen. She turns to Blackwell and makes him promise that this isn’t their final moment together, that they’ll see each other again. He promises, and she says Salemaestrus’s name and steps through the door. In the room, she stands in a glowing circle of light. She tries to summon Blackwell, but he doesn’t immediately arrive. She hears his voice, then she sees him. He reintroduces himself: He is Salemaestrus Erasmus Blackwell, the Prince of Devils, who goes by Salem.

500 years before Phantasma

Salemaestrus goes to the palace of his father, the King of Devils, in agony, as his beloved mortal lover Angel has been taken by the King. When he arrives, he begs his father to release Angel, but instead the King has Demons drag her out from the dungeon. Salemaestrus rushes to Angel, but she’s been badly tortured and beaten. The King reveals that he knows Salemaestrus’s true name, which Salemaestrus has told only to Angel: Blackwell. With this name, the King can control him. He forces Salemaestrus to watch as he rips Angel’s heart out. The King then tells Salemaestrus that he will be confined to Phantasma until he can find a way to escape, but if he escapes, the King vows to forget his true name. After Salemaestrus leaves, the King speaks with another Demon, who was able to capture Angel’s soul within a locket. The King decides to wait 500 years before allowing the soul to be reborn into a paranormal being’s body. They decide to give the necklace to Hestia Grimm, a necromancer in Hell’s dungeons, and instruct her and her descendants to never remove the locket.

THE END OF PHANTASMA

Present Day

Ophelia is bewildered by Blackwell’s true identity. His Devil Mark is his white hair, so Ophelia missed the visual clue that he was not merely a Phantom. He explains the loss of his lover and his father’s punishment of him. In Phantasma, his memory is impaired, and he only gains knowledge of his true identity when a player reaches the final level. However, Ophelia did not actually reach the final level, as she summoned the door before the rest of the contestants either forfeited or lost Phantasma, so she will not receive the Devil’s Grant. She tells Blackwell/Salem that she would have used her Grant to free him from Phantasma, which shocks him. Ophelia then realizes that the heart and the key Blackwell/Salem has been looking for is her heart, willingly loving him, and the key is the locket. She tells Blackwell/Salem that she loves him and takes off her locket, giving it to him. The locket opens and shines Grimm blue as Blackwell/Salem’s powers return to him. The curse immediately hurts Ophelia physically, and her heart slowly stops beating after she gives him the locket, which severs Blackwell/Salem’s tether to Phantasma. As her heart slows, Blackwell/Salem tells her that he can give her a working heart as a reward for freeing him, and she agrees. Her heart starts beating again, but she’s still cursed.

Blackwell/Salem tells Ophelia he can break Phantasma’s curse on her, but she has to make a deal with him and sign her soul over to him. She cannot agree to give him her soul, as her mother’s warnings about not making deals with Devils, especially the Prince of Devils, ring in her head. Blackwell/Salem tells her that he can feel Phantasma crumbling, and without his tether he will be dragged back to the Other Side. He tells Ophelia she can be his tether, but she will live as long as he does. However, she doesn’t have to be near him even if she agrees to be his tether. He tells her that he loves her too and asks her for her decision.

Ophelia walks home past the old cathedral. Phantasma crumbled without Blackwell/Salem, leaving the cathedral to return to its original location. The Shadow Voice tries to taunt her as she walks, but its voice no longer bothers her as much as it once did. Ophelia has decided to shape her own legacy, using her powers to help other paranormal beings, to make Grimm Manor a haven for those who would otherwise make perilous deals with dubious beings. She also researches the Grimm family locket to understand where it came from and why it went into her ancestors’ hands. When Ophelia gets home, she finds Blackwell/Salem waiting at Grimm Manor for her. He used his powers, now returned to full force with Ophelia as her tether, to save Grimm Manor from destruction and to help the Grimm sisters with their financial struggles.

Ophelia surprises Genevieve with a vacation, which thrills her. Blackwell/Salem and Ophelia will join her later, but for now they have a few romantic days alone in the Manor.