Not everyone is as they seem in The Fallen Star. Laylen is a vampire who is neither bloodthirsty nor evil, and Stephan—the leader of the Keepers—isn't as good as he's supposed to be. Throughout the book, Alex and Aislin are acting under his instructions with the belief that he wants them to save the world, but in the end, it's clear that he's working with Demetrius and that he is the one who made Gemma's mother disappear. As the book comes to a close, though, it looks like Alex is still firmly Team Stephan, betraying Gemma in her hour of need.
But is he really? Only future installments in the series will tell.
Questions About Betrayal
- Why does Stephan banish Gemma's mother to the Underworld? How is this a betrayal? Are there ways in which it's a display of loyalty? Give examples from the text.
- Why won't Alex and Aislin tell Gemma anything about her childhood? Who do they maintain loyalty to, who do they betray, and what are the stakes?
- Why do you think Stephan is working with Demetrius? How do his kids factor into this? Is he doing right by them in any way? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Alex thinks that Laylen doesn't trust Stephan because he holds a grudge against him for kicking him out of the community of Keepers, but in the end it's revealed that Laylen had real, valid reasons to suspect Stephan of some serious betrayal.
Gemma may find Alex infuriating, but she doesn't expect him to turn on her at the very end. When he ignores her bid for help and lets Stephan do what he wants to with her mind, she completely loses hope.