Nathan takes on the title of Askani’son, after Madame Sanctity announces him to her followers. During the reveling, Aliya pulls Nathan aside and encourages him to re-think his allegiance to Sanctity. She reveals that her teacher has been going mad for some time, and that Sanctity encourages a hive-mind mentality. Nathan now believes that it is Aliya, and not Madame Sanctity, who is destined to become his teacher.