Season 1, Episode 4
Written by Madhuri Shekar
Directed by David Semel
Original Airdate: 2 May 2021

“All time does is run out.”
Amalia True

SYNOPSIS

The women of St. Romaulda’s Orphanage bury Mary Brighton after the events of the previous episode. When a group of purists begins heckling them at the graveside, Inspector Mundi has them arrested on the spot. Amalia True does not attend the funeral. Instead, she spends her days in bars, drinking heavily, picking fights, and stealing from patrons — a spiral she barely acknowledges until she returns to the orphanage and lashes out at Penance when she tries to comfort her.

Primrose finds Myrtle sobbing in her room, surrounded by frantic drawings. Slowly, Primrose realises Myrtle heard something hidden inside Mary’s song — a secret message. With help from foreign speakers, they decipher the phrase: “Come before the dark.”

At the police station, Mundi interrogates the purists, who are terrified to discover he’s a former boxer. They reveal they were hired to disrupt the funeral. Mundi storms off to confront Hugo Swan, accusing him of orchestrating the stunt to frighten the women into joining his club. Hugo denies everything — and for once, he seems sincere.

Amalia, Penance, Lucy, Annie, and Horatio Cousens assemble a list of suspects behind Mary’s murder: Maladie, Lord Massen, the Beggar King, and even Auggie Bidlow. Penance speaks to Auggie, who insists he had no involvement. Annie confronts the Beggar King but is stopped by Nimble Jack, a Touched man who can create shimmering shields. He claims the King had nothing to do with Mary’s death.

Amalia visits Lord Massen, who calmly denies involvement and suggests Mary was killed because she represented hope for the Touched. The remark convinces Amalia he’s lying, and she decides to destroy his munitions warehouse at the docks.

Mundi discovers Maladie strangling his superintendent. She reveals she attended Mary’s funeral before fleeing. Mundi pursues her and manages to knock her unconscious.

At the docks, Amalia, Lucy, and Annie prepare to blow up the warehouse. But Amalia exposes Lucy as Lord Massen’s spy. Lucy admits she worked for him because he promised a cure for her ability — everything she touches breaks. She fights Amalia, who ultimately lets her escape by boat. Before leaving, Lucy reveals the location of the real munitions, and Annie detonates the warehouse.

Back at the orphanage, Amalia tells Penance about Lucy’s betrayal. Primrose, Harriet, and Myrtle interrupt with the full decoded message — not from Mary, but from someone speaking through her:

“Amalia, my lonely soldier. I didn’t leave you. I went inside the city. I was damaged… incomplete. I had to heal. Soon we will all be ready. But it’s dark. There’s a darkness. Find me. Let them help, those who will, but come below and find me. Come before the dark, and we can save…”

The final line is lost — cut short by Mary’s death.

Harriet believes the message wasn’t Mary’s voice at all, but someone else reaching out through her.

TRIVIA

CONTINUITY