Varun is 'periscoping'-it is projecting a spirit-image of itself as a prelude to full materialization. The Empire's military branch, the Cohort, has abandoned the planet save for a few holdouts in the barracks following the arrival of Resurrection Beast Number 7, Varun. We Suffer's faction is in conflict with the militant, anti-negotiation 'Merv Wing,' commanded by Unjust Hope, which publicly burns to death all 'zombies' (anyone suspected of being necromantic). We Suffer hopes that Nona will prove to be a Lyctor who can aid them in the execution of this objective. Troia reports to We Suffer, who controls a BoE faction seeking to negotiate with the Nine Houses, with the secret objective of gathering the necessary materials to open the Locked Tomb. She, Camilla, Palamedes, Pyrrha, and Coronabeth (now called 'Crown') are together working as 'Troia cell,' an operation run by the Blood of Eden (BoE) rebel group. Nona works as a teacher's assistant at a school where she befriends local kids. Nona displays several magical abilities: she heals faster than a Lyctor, and she understands any language (including body language). Despite carrying out a number of tests, Camilla and Palamedes are unable to determine Nona's true identity, though they believe she is either Gideon or Harrow.

Harrow, along with the cavalier Pyrrha in the Lyctor Gideon's body, was rescued by Camilla and Palamedes (who are now sharing a body) from the River at the end of Harrow the Ninth. Nona, an unknown being housed in the body of Harrowhark, awakens on an unknown planet. It is the third book in the Locked Tomb series, after Gideon the Ninth (2019) and Harrow the Ninth (2020), with Alecto the Ninth to follow.

Nona the Ninth is a 2022 science fantasy novel by the New Zealand writer Tamsyn Muir.

The locked tomb book 4