Wildwood

In North Wood, the mystic meditation continues for hours. Finally, Iphigenia gives Prue some vital information shared by the Council Tree about the Dowager’s grand plan. “She means to feed the child to the ivy,” Iphigenia says. “The blood will revive the slumbering plant and make it subject to the Governess’s will. Gaining that, she means to wipe out everything, every plant and animal in the Wood” (407). The mystics have been instructed to muster an army in North Wood to stop Alexandra.

In the Wildwood bandit camp, Brendan decides that Curtis is worthy of joining their group. The boy swears a blood oath and is welcomed into the alliance. As the bandit army assembles and weapons are handed out, Brendan receives both a cutlass and a pistol. He overhears a girl named Aisling complain when she’s refused a gun of her own, so Curtis gives her his. In exchange, she gives him a slingshot just as the bandit army begins its long march to the Ancient’s Grove where Alexandra means to sacrifice Mac at noon. 

In North Wood, an alarm bell is sounded to gather all the inhabitants. At first, they are hesitant to arm themselves until Iphigenia explains the situation:

The ivy knows no boundaries. It will consume and consume until it is instructed by its commander to cease. And clearly, its commander is nothing short of a madwoman, bent on the complete annihilation of the Wood as we know it. (426)

Even though they have no weapons, the creatures of North Wood take up axes, shovels, and pitchforks. Prue is dismayed by their meager numbers in the face of Alexandra’s large army. She resolves to seek help from the bandits. Prue mounts her bike, still towing Mac’s wagon, and sets off in search of the bandit hideout. She tries to spot the Long Road through the trees since she plans to use it as a shortcut.

As Curtis and the bandits begin their march down the Long Road, Curtis realizes that he might not survive the conflict. The farther the band travels, the more Curtis longs for his cozy, safe home. His resolve begins to weaken, wondering “[when] had the retrieving of this kid—someone he wasn’t even related to—become something worth losing his life over?” (438). She notes that Prue isn’t even there. Curtis is just on the point of quitting when he hears a clanking sound on the road behind him. It’s the sound of a bicycle. 

Curtis calls Prue’s name until she sees him and rides up to meet him. The two are overjoyed to be reunited. When Prue says that she’s riding in search of the bandits, Curtis announces that she’s found them. Explanations are exchanged, and Brendan agrees to lead his bandit army to the Gap Bridge where the North Wood army will be arriving shortly.

After a long wait, the rag-tag North Wood militia appears. They are averse to cooperating with the bandits who have robbed them in the past until Iphigenia intervenes and gets everyone to work together. As they resume their combined march, Iphigenia comments that it’s rare to meet two half-breeds in the same day. Curtis is puzzled because he doesn’t know how he could be a half-breed like Prue.

Soon, the bandits alert the rest of the army that they have spotted coyote soldiers on the opposite ridge. Under cover of the woods, the bandits deploy archers and grapplers to deal with the enemy. Once the coyotes are vanquished, the bandits and militia continue their advance.