The Girl Who Drank the Moon: Chapter 46 Summary & Analysis

The madwoman skids to a stop on the wall. Antain runs into the Protectorate while Luna helps Xan down. Luna looks into her mother’s eyes and watches them skitter through many emotions. Luna can see that she’s either mad or broken, and hopes that she can be fixed. Luna says she needs to get high up so she can protect everyone. She thinks that the swamp might already be gone. The madwoman leads Luna and Xan up, and Luna considers her mother’s magic. It’s like a jumble of magical trinkets, but it buzzes with love. Fyrian lands on the wall and townsfolk scatter, screaming.

The volcano spews smoke and Luna asks if they can stop it. Xan says they can’t—stopping it last time was a mistake. She suggests that together, they can protect. Luna sobs, but Xan reminds Luna of how they used to make bubbles around flowers. Luna takes Xan and the madwoman’s hands and Xan shows her how to make bubbles. The volcano explodes.

Three weeks later, the Protectorate is still covered in ash. The sun barely shines through, even though Luna creates rains that clear the air. People seem hopeful anyway. After the volcano exploded, they put the Elders in jail. “Gherland” is now an insult, Wyn now runs the library, and the Road is open to anyone. Antain vows that he’ll never leave his family again.

Xan and the Sorrow Eater stay in the hospital wing of the Tower. Xan knows that she’ll die any day and isn’t afraid. Meanwhile, Luna and the madwoman move into Luken’s room in Ethyne and Antain’s house. It’s filled with paper, and the madwoman draws every day. Luna sets about discovering her mother’s name, and finally tells her mother that her name is Adara. She promises to remind her mother of her name until she starts to remember, and the two hold hands.

Luna, Ethyne, and Adara visit Gherland in prison. Gherland spits that he should’ve drowned Luna, and says that he’s dreamed for years about the children he sacrificed, though he knows they died. Luna says that none of the babies died and Gherland should learn to listen. Adara softly says that the new Council will pardon Gherland once he apologizes. Gherland scoffs at the idea. Ethyne says that she forgives him anyway, but it might help Gherland to heal if he does. Gherland asks to see Antain as the women leave. Gherland never apologizes and stays in jail until he dies. Eventually, people forget him entirely.

Fyrian grows bigger and bigger. On his back, Luna flies to the Free Cities. Everyone there grieves for Xan when they learn she’s going to die. Luna tells them the story of a town under the control of a horrible Witch who feeds on sorrow. She explains about the Day of Sacrifice and the good Witch who saved the babies and brought them to the Free Cities. The Star Children’s parents hold their children’s hands tightly, but Luna says that she’s in the same situation. She was taken from her mother and was raised by a loving grandmother. She can love them both: her joy and her love can expand.

Glerk stays by Xan’s side and looks longingly at the Bog. Eventually, Xan tells him to take daily bog baths since he stinks. Glerk promises to take Xan to the Bog with him when she’s ready. As Xan’s health declines, Luna decides to sleep with her in the Tower. She assures Adara, whose eyes fill with tears, that her love is multiplied, not divided. The first group of Star Children arrives at the Protectorate. The Sisters throw the hospital windows open. The Sorrow Eater croaks for the Sisters to close them, and cries in pain. Xan asks them to leave it open. They hear cries of joy. Luna and Xan say that they love each other as Xan dies.