Vlad decides that the only way to save Cawti is to end the revolution by killing Kelly and his top-ranking followers. He sneaks into Kelly's headquarters, but Franz's ghost appears before he can start the job. After conversing with the ghost, Vlad becomes unnerved and abandons the plan. He returns the next day looking for Cawti, but winds up in an ethical debate with Kelly over their respective lifestyles. Kelly's accusations closely mirror Vlad's own self-doubts. Still committed to saving Cawti from self-destruction with the revolutionaries, Vlad concocts a plan to solve all his problems at once. During another altercation between the revolutionaries and the Phoenix Guard, Vlad tricks Herth into entering Kelly's headquarters. He hopes that Herth would kill Kelly, the revolutionaries would kill Herth, and the Phoenix Guards would kill the revolutionaries. Vlad teleports into the headquarters and recklessly decides to kill Herth himself. Miraculously, Vlad disables all of Herth's bodyguards while Ishtvan kills Herth's assassin and disappears. Kelly convinces Vlad against his better judgment to allow Herth to live. The next day, Vlad has an epiphany on how to solve his problems. He offers to buy all of Herth's holdings in South Adrilankha, using the remainder of his fortune. Herth agrees and retires from the Organization, thus ending all of his conflicts with Vlad and the revolutionaries. Vlad breaks the news to Cawti and they tearfully embrace. Though many unresolved issues still loom between them, Vlad feels relieved that the most pressing dangers are gone. The events and arguments of this book are acknowledged by Brust to be influenced by his lifelong interest in Marxist theory and practice, especially as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Since Brust is a self-identified "Trotskyist sympathizer," this topic frequently comes up in interviews with him. The House of the Teckla is the only Great House in the Dragaeran Empire to not have noble status. Over 90% of the Empire's population is Teckla, forming its peasant class. Teckla that live in the cities work as servants and common laborers. They are treated as second-class citizens and assumed to be naturally inferior to members of the Noble Houses. The colors of the Teckla are rustic greens, yellows, and browns. Teckla generally have sturdy frames and round faces, with a lack of a noble's point that reveals their common status.