Alptraum finishes his examination with Kaira and the verdict is … he and the Shadow are one. Well, it's one with the Barsunala spirit, which is one with him. It offers his a buffer of a sort. It's likely that he has added a century or two to his lifespan … but at the cost of being vulnerable to cold iron. When he returns to the outside world, Phalgaea and Mave give him another exam. He seems mostly fine except for a bald right hand and an oddly solid shadow. They Leave and Lilith comes in to get an update … and that's when the second cost of his union merges. the once soft skin on his right hand starts to grow a layer of chitin on it, dampening all sensations on the back … much like a supernatural gauntlet.