Meanwhile, enjoying each other's company, Aden and Adriana begin to speak in elevated, dramatic tones.  They talk about "the end" being near.  Adriana tries to leave and Aden won't let her.  He claims to know that she's returning to "him."  When Adriana asks him what they can do, Aden says he has a solution.  At once, he produces a knife out of thin air and offers it to Adriana.  With loving words, she cuts his wrist.  Immediately, the knife disappears and the two of them look confused, unaware of what's just happened.

 

The next night, Casey discovers, much to her alarm, that there are snakes coming out of all the drainpipes in the House.  She rushes to report to Adriana.  Suddenly, Casey and Adriana begin to have the same dialogue about the mysterious man, this time, Casey taking on the role of the male.  Aden overhears the conversation, Adriana calling herself River and Casey calling herself Stephan.  When Casey produces a knife and Adriana starts to cut her wrist, Aden tackles them and the illusion ends.  The snakes vanish.  In another part of the House, Ariadne noticesthat Aden is only willingly interacting with Adriana, Philip, and herself.  She and Philip observe that they are all immortal and wonder if that is why he's keeping Tranns away, due to his inability to deal with death.

 

The next evening, Lucien is complaining to Cirrus and Inigo about Tranns' absense.  When Ariadne joins the conversation, Lucien and Ariadne both begin to enact the very same scene over again, this time, Lucien playing Stephan and Ariadne playing River.  When Cirrus tries to break them apart, he goes flying into a wall.  The ground opens up under Inigo and starts sucking him down like quicksand.  When Ariadne cuts Lucien with the knife, the scene ends and the knife vanishes, leaving all parties confused.  They determine that River and Stephan are probably the undead echoes of people connected to the House.  Lucien agrees to search the guest registry for them but has limited success until his research is paired with an old newspaper article Lex finds about the deaths of a Brother Stephan Hayne and River Tam in the Phoenix House in the room the new chapel is being built.

 

Casey recognizes River Tam as the trophy wife of her family's disloyal advisor, Balthasar.  She realizes that "the end" River keeps referring to in the possessions must mean that she knew Balthasar was bringing down the Ebene.  Stephan must have been her lover and they must have killed themselves in the House to escape the coming doom.  The theory is quickly confirmed by a residential contract signed by a Stephan Hayne.  Lex and Casey suppose that the poltergeists have returned to the House to complete unfinished business, but they are mystified as to the nature of the business. 

 

Ariadne tells Adriana the truth about Aden sending Tranns away.  Heartbroken, Adriana reveals to Ariadne the full extent of her return to life.  In exchange for Adriana's return, the PTB has not only taken away her unborn child, but they have robbed her of her immortality.  Adriana confronts Aden about what he's doing.  The two of them get into a fight in which Adriana reveals the truth about her immortality.  Aden is shocked.  Suddenly, swarms of bees begin attacking the House.  Aden and Adriana run to the lobby where they find Ariadne and Philip possessed.  The two enact the scene, but when the knife cuts them, neither dies and the conversation carries on.  Aden and Adriana realize, through watching, that love is stronger than life or death.  They reconcile.  The spirits of Stephan and River are appeased and vanish, leaving the House as it was.