Empire of Wild

Joan ultimately decides to leave Zeus at home, even though he is angry about this decision. As she begins driving north, she comes across a newspaper article mentioning that a development agreement has been signed between a First Nations community and a consultant; from the photo, she recognizes that the consultant is Thomas Heiser. Joan is growing increasingly suspicious of the man.

After driving for a long time, Joan checks into a motel and asks about the traveling ministry. She is told that they are expected to arrive soon. In her room, she receives an email from Heiser containing a photo of Victor with another woman in his arms (Cecile). Devastated, Joan heads to the local bar, where she ends up drinking with a handsome man named Gerald. She considers sleeping with Gerald but realizes that “even if [Victor] was lost to her forever. Even then, she didn’t want anyone else” (218).

As Gerald continues drinking and talking, it becomes clear that he does not know that Joan is Indigenous. Gerald speaks in ignorant and racist ways about Indigenous peoples, arguing that Indigenous communities often stand in the way of projects like “mining, forestry, pipelines” (221). He explains to Joan that the traveling ministries are used strategically to pave the way for these development projects: After Indigenous individuals convert to evangelical Christianity, they become much more amenable to accepting the development projects.

Joan becomes enraged, punches Gerald in the face, and then runs out of the bar, back to the safety of her motel room.

Terrified by the sinister presence in his clearing, Victor begins running, but the monster pursues him, threatening to eat him and wear his skin. The rogarou menacingly tells him that “the tearing will be a horror, but the fit will be couture” (223). Victor desperately hopes that Joan will find him soon.

Cecile, Ivy, Victor/the Reverend, and the other members of the ministry are staying at a lodge in a national park. Cecile is committed to her plan of bringing about Victor’s downfall. Cecile chats with Garrison, a member of the ministry, who gossips to her about Heiser’s illicit relationship with Ivy. Cecile is angry that she mistakenly thought Ivy was pursuing Victor. Her plan continues to clarify in her mind, as she thinks that the “message [was] as clear as if [God had] leaned through the foggy glass and whispered in her ear” (231).

The rogarou tells Victor that he is also trapped. While usually a rogarou would possess the individual they have taken over, something has gone awry in this process, and the rogarou is now, like Victor, trapped somewhere within his unconscious. Nonetheless, the rogarou poses a very real threat and threatens to consume Victor.

Joan wakes up in her motel room and drives back to Arcand. She finds that Zeus is at her house when she gets home. As Joan is explaining to him that she was unable to find Victor or the ministry, she receives a Facebook message request from Cecile. Joan is very confused but opens the message. It contains a location indicator for Leamington, Ontario, and one word: “Hurry.” Joan and Zeus decide to go to Leamington since they worry they might not have another chance to access Victor.

In Leamington, Zeus and Joan check in to a motel and argue about whether or not Zeus should go with her as she attempts to rescue Victor. Joan tricks Zeus and sneaks out of the room while he is in the shower. Joan heads toward the lodge, while Zeus sends her angry messages.

At the lodge, Joan lurks outside. She sees Victor come outside and stand in front of the lodge, speaking to another man. She also sees Cecile through a window; Joan sees Cecile gesturing for her to wait outside. Thinking nervously about Heiser and the possibility of him being a rogarou, Joan takes the bone salt and creates a circle, hoping she can trap him within it if necessary. This may give her the opportunity to “run him through with her blade where he stood” (248). After a short time, a fire alarm goes off and Joan hears Cecile shouting that the lodge is on fire and everyone needs to go outside.

Inside the lodge, the narrative describes Cecile waiting for the sighting of Joan and setting a fire within the lodge. She plans to pin the arson on Joan. Cecile also lures Ivy into a small room, pretending that she needs help as people are evacuating the burning building. Cecile hits Ivy on the head and leaves her there. She is planning to get out of the building and then lure Victor back inside to help Ivy. However, Cecile trips and then becomes overwhelmed by heat and smoke. She is unable to escape and ends up burning to death.

The moment is coming closer for the rogarou to consume Victor. The rogarou urges Victor to surrender, implying that Joan is the one who is making him resistant. Victor also asks where he is; the rogarou explains that his enclosure is formed out of “wherever the betrayal happened” (258). The implication is that Victor is trapped in a version of the land inherited by Joan since he was taken by the rogarou after he tried to persuade Joan to sell this land.

Victor’s memory of Joan is growing more and more hazy, which leads to the rogarou gaining power. However, suddenly the rogarou begins to howl in pain and distress. Vivid memories of Joan are coming back to Victor, and these memories seem to be weakening the rogarou.