Silent Circuit summary

Silent Circuit, the second book in the Mysterious Fields trilogy, opens with Thessaly Lytton-Powell doing her best to navigate the expectations of the Fortier family. It’s going badly, especially since there is nasty gossip about Thessaly’s friendship with Vitus Deschamps. Childeric Fortier, Thessaly’s fiancé, makes it clear – backed up with threats – that any further similar behaviour will have severe and unpleasant consequences. It means Thessaly can’t get support or kindness from Vitus, the one person who’s cared most about her through the loss and grief of Enchanted Net. 

Matters are also unsettled in Thessaly’s own family. Her aunt Metaia’s murder in June changed the balance of family power. Now Thessaly’s father and his family want more control and influence, especially over Thessaly and her sister Hermia’s choices. Thessaly’s Cousin Owain – also on the Council, as Metaia had been – keeps a watchful eye out and lends his support quietly. 

Vitus, for his part, is busy establishing himself as a talisman maker as he finishes his apprenticeship. He’s taken on a commission for the upcoming Council Challenge, making a piece for Theo Carrington as well as assisting with some pieces for the Council itself. He’s also continuing to strengthen his friendships within the Four Metals, one of Albion’s secret societies particularly interested in innovative magical crafting. 

As the summer rolls into autumn, there are a series of worrying events. The Lammas rites at Arundel, the Fortier demesne estate, have a host of bad omens. Childeric’s aunt and uncle – Laudine and Dagobert – seem to be excluded from a number of family decisions, with no obvious reason. Thessaly has an unpleasant conversation with several Council wives, making it clear exactly how closely people around her will be watching for any flaw or misstep. 

Finally, Thessaly gets a chance to talk with Vitus in the main library. He suggests some materials that might explain why her family has been behaving so oddly about Aunt Metaia’s will. The next day, she finds out why. Metaia left the bulk of her substantial estate, including Bryn Glas (a home in northern Wales) to Thessaly. It’s hedged round with protections and trustees to make sure neither Thessaly’s parents nor the Fortiers can take it away. 

Thessaly immediately moves there, retreating to a place of safety she never expected to have. It also finally gives her a space where she and Vitus can speak privately, without fear of gossip or confrontation. Even though her marriage agreements with Childeric allow for friendship with others and even a lover, Childeric has made it clear he will have none of that. He intends to control every part of Thessaly’s life. Neither Thessaly nor Vitus see any real way forward.

Besides the personal issues, there are larger problems at play. The Council is concerned about what led to Metaia’s murder, and there are unusual magical reactions in play. People Vitus knows are seeing something similar, odd readings on a new magical device intended to help deal with industrial pollution. And Childeric’s behaviour is more and more worrying, including direct threats to Thessaly and to Vitus if she even considers stepping out of line. Henut Landry, (whose son Philip died mysteriously right around the same time as Metaia) is lurking at Arundel, with her own particular self-assigned tasks and goals. 

As the Council Challenge approaches, various people make final preparations. Theo Carrington tests the talisman Vitus has made, and is delighted with the effect and work. Thessaly has dress fittings that make it clear how little her opinion counts for anything. There’s a little gossip about the other challengers, including Cyrus Smythe-Clive, who was a yearmate of Thessaly’s at school. The Fortiers are preparing for a grand celebration, certain Childeric will triumph. 

On the autumn equinox, four people enter the Challenge chamber at the Council Keep. One more turns away before entering. A short time later, Childeric’s body – marked with a few odd wounds – appears on the stones outside the door, dead. Hereswith Rowan, Head of the Council, draws the Fortiers into a private room to tell them, and Childeric’s mother refuses to believe what’s happened. Thessaly strategically chooses to faint, rather than be pressured into something worse. She wakes the next morning at her Cousin Owain’s home, finding herself suddenly able to make more choices than she’d expected. 

Childeric’s funeral is laden down with family customs, from silent vigil and the sewing of a shroud to a procession. Each person attending adds a small token – a metal bee – to the grave. The attendees include various members of the Council, including the successful Challenger, Cyrus Smythe-Clive, who awkwardly offers his sympathies to Thessaly. 

Once Thessaly is able to be home at Bryn Glass in private, she refuses any sign of mourning, wearing bright and joyful colours rather than the dull black that’s expected. Thessaly and Vitus can begin to think about a different future than they’d expected, but it’s still not a simple problem to solve. A wrong move could jeopardise Vitus’s future career and cause ongoing problems for Thessaly that money alone can’t solve. As the book ends, Vitus admits to his mother and brother that he loves Thessaly, whatever that ends up meaning for them both.