Editing Blake Thorburn (section)

===Bonds===

The story begins with Blake returning to the Hillglades House at the beckoning of Rose Thornburn's lawyers, after running away from home three years ago. There he reconnects with his cousins Paige and [[Molly Walker]] and learns of his little sister, [[Ivy Thorburn]]. Attempting to avoid the family drama, he nevertheless becomes hostile at his grandmother's deathbed. He then learns that the next to inherit the Hillglades House is Molly. When Molly asks everyone to leave, he wishes her well and returns to Toronto.

Four months later, however, Blake has a prophetic dream of the events in Jacob's Bell, culminating in the death of Molly. Waking to find that [[Rose Thorburn Junior|Rose]] has taken the place of his reflection, he flees for the Hillglades House for sanctuary at Rose's instruction. Borrowing his[[Joel Monte| landlord's]] car, he drives towards the small town while questioning Rose; en route he is attacked by [[Feorgbold|mask-wearing humanoid creatures]] that drive him off the road in an attempt to murder him. With the help of Rose and a hitch-hiker, he makes it to the Hillglades House. Once inside he and Rose discover a hidden room: the study of Rose Sr., containing all her esoteric knowledge.

The next morning, police officers Pat Macguin and [[Laird Behaim]] approach the house and question Blake about Molly's death; they reveal that she seems to have been mauled to death. Laird, who admits that he is a major practitioner in the town, then takes him out for coffee under an oath of protection, and demonstrates the use of [[Shamanism]] before leaving. However, Blake realizes that Laird's deceptive use of magic to alter time has caused the police officer's oath of protection to expire, and he is soon preyed upon by [[Padraic]], Ev, and Keller. The intervention of Rose allows him to escape and they return to the house, where Laird reappears and says that he would prefer to keep things civil. Laird also advises Blake to carry out the awakening ritual as soon as possible.

The next day, Blake orders a pizza in an attempt to get food without leaving the house. Witnessing the death of the delivery man at the hands of predatory Others staking out the house, Blake reasons that only the house, and not the surrounding land, is safe. Later, both Blake and Rose perform the awakening ritual and become [[Practitioner|practitioners]]. Blake checks on [[Barbatorem]], a dangerous demon that Rose Sr. had bound to the attic, before getting ready for a council meeting with local practitioners at Laird's suggestion.