Quentin accompanies Julia to the underworld on a journey to help her recover her shade. Penny has plans to use his Neitherlands Library position to gain access to a mysterious room that houses literature about god killing, for Kady. Eliot and Margo discover that a strange spell has been cast over Fillory, turning many of its inhabitants into rats. With the help of Reynard, Senator Gaines begins to realize his birthright.