Well, another milestone down! Bane & Butterflies, Book #3 in the Rose Cross Academy series, hit the markets at the beginning of 2018 and the series has been going strong. So now, let’s get down to discussing the second book in the series, Grimms & Garms. In much the same way I explained the chapter titles for Book #1, Risers & Dreamers,  I will explain why I picked chapter names for Book #2, their meanings, and any other tidbits of information that might prove interesting.

And as before . . .

Spoilers for Grimms & Garms abound, but I have excluded spoilers for Bane & Butterflies.

Book Title Explained

Why Grimms & Garms? The two main demons that arise to give our protagonist June a run for his money are Grimms (as in the grim reaper) and legions of demon dogs called Garms. In this novel, we meet two Grimms on opposing sides: Haven who works for antagonist Elan Zeal’s sister, and Judge who serves and protects the Faust twins, Bahrun and Ehrin.

Garms are the legion hunters in a Grimm’s army. In Book #1, Risers & Dreamers, a pack of Garms surrounded the Barrier in which June and Jackson hid when June was kidnapped and pulled into Below, the demon world. It was the presence of these Garms that earned Dehmion Faust the nickname Mr. Grimm.

And guess who just happens to show up in the Waking World to make life difficult for our hero? Mr. Grimm himself, lending to the third Grimm of the novel

Book Cover(s) Explained

As with Risers & Dreamers, Grimms & Garms also went through an evolution in cover design as I learned more about the elements that go into covers for different genres. The original black covers followed the theme of weaponry, with Risers & Dreamers displaying the lacquered red rose lapel pin used to power and unlock a Cross’ weapon. With Grimms & Garms, I used a reapers scythe, the weapon carried by the Grimms of the series we’ve met so far.

As I researched covers, I found a common theme. The Rose Cross Academy series is urban fantasy, and most urban fantasy covers highlighted the ‘urban’ portion of the story. I developed a continuing theme of Above and Below, with the skyline of Vancouver–our urban location–representing Above and the forests of Eops representing Below.

Chapter Titles Explained

The Fog – As with the previous novel, this novel opens with a nightmare. And let’s face it, fog makes everything just a little creepier.  I can think of nothing creepier than a graveyard shrouded in fog. In our opening nightmare, a young girl named Jessica is lost in a foggy cemetery with the distinct feeling something is lying in wait for her.

As the creature in this nightmare draws closer and Jessica tries to escape, she’s confronted by the white-barked trees with the black rot used to indicate the demon world of Below.

Under The Shade of the Elder Tree – Keeping with the cemetery theme, the body of Jeremiah Barlett, the casualty of the demon invasion of the elementary school from Risers & Dreamers, is laid to rest in the Rose Cross Academy’s cemetery. In the cemetery grow Elder trees, symbolic of protection and good health.

Out With the Old – After the funeral, June and Petra are summoned before the Headmaster to recap the events of Risers & Dreamers. They meet first in the Headmaster’s waiting room, which had been destroyed at the end of Book #1. The Gothic-era interior design is being replaced with modern construction, but this is not the ‘old’ we see going out in this chapter. As June and Petra catch up, we realize it’s the aging Headmaster Rosenkreuz who will soon be on his way out.

Almost Busted – When June and Petra debrief with the Headmaster, he asks them to review a curious piece of footage from his waiting room–the same footage of Petra getting a bit too handsy with an unconscious June. Luckily for Petra, the Headmaster doesn’t show that portion of the footage, and only shows the footage of the Ghast breaking it into his waiting room and attacked them. Phew! Petra’s naughty escapades almost got her busted!

Cream, Sugar, & Grimm – After the debrief with Headmaster Rosenkreuz, June invites Petra out for coffee (but it’s not a date, says June!) All seems right with the world until Mr. Grimm arrives to crash the date. Coffee and the coffee shop are regular locations throughout the series. It’s here where some of the major turning points in the novels take place. In this case, it’s the arrival of Mr. Grimm into the real world.

Follow The Leader – Mr. Grimm leads June and Petra through Stanley Park with the hopes of introducing them to someone. An ongoing theme throughout the novels are nursery rhymes and children’s names. Here, June and Petra are accidental players of Mr. Grimm’s game of follow the leader, wherein one child is chosen to be The Leader, and all the other children mimic what they do, including following them through odd locations.

Tiptoe Through The Park – Mr. Grimm introduces June and Petra to his second-eldest brother, Morghen, and June and Petra try to avoid a confrontation. Not only are June and Petra treading carefully around this newcomer because they do not know his powers, they also want to prevent any form of confrontation that could harm innocent people enjoying the park. They tip toe around Morghen and keep their distance.

Stonewalled – Headmaster Rosenkreuz and Professor Ronald Jefferson pay a visit to a curious prisoner: Professor Charles Nevin. The chapter title’s purpose is two fold: the walls of the prison are carved from water-tight bedrock upon which Vancouver sits. This is pointed out later as a feat of master engineering by the Freemasons who built the Rose Cross Academy. And second, Nevin refuses to give up any information to the Headmaster, thus stonewalling him.

Room With a View – After discovering there’s another demon brother loose in his city (and possibly two), June rents Dehmion and Morghen Faust a room at a local hotel to keep them in one place until The Order can deal with them. The purpose of this title will become apparent once the third brother, Ehrin Faust, appears, but for now this hotel apartment has a rather lovely view of English Bay, the western harbour of Vancouver.

The ‘I’ In Team – While Dehmion and Morghen figure out how they’re going to find their lost brother, Ehrin, June wants to handle the Fausts by himself, but his delivery of this notion to Petra is tactless, which angers hers. We’ve all heard this phrase, that there’s no ‘I’ in team, meaning team members must learn to work together to accomplish goals. June forgets this notion when he tries to ditch Petra to deal with the Fausts by himself.

Leapfrog – Dreamer Team Four (June, Noel, and Stella) sets out deal with the Fausts, but runs into Ehrin Faust in the process. Once again, the theme of children’s games comes into play here, pun intended. The game of Leapfrog is played with a group where children squat down in a line and take turns hopping over each others back. We’ll learn later that Ehrin’s mastery is over the amphibian world, and he embodies this in his mannerisms and actions. Here, Ehrin chooses to hop over the hood of a car and perch atop it as if its hood is a lilypad.

It’s Always the Quiet Ones – June and Dreamer Team Four track Ehrin Faust back to the hotel room, where it turns out Ehrin has a rather explosive personality. We’ve all heard the phrase to beware the quiet ones. In popular belief, those who keep to themselves and rarely socialize end up being the villainous and dangerous ones of the world. Ehrin Faust is no different. He never talks. Never. But when he does . . .

Will the Real Mr Grimm Please Stand Up? – June, Noel, and Stella chase the Fausts to Stanley Park where the three brothers have escaped on the backs of giant black birds. In doing so, our hero’s run into that most feared of demons, the Grimm Reaper. When June first fell to Below in Risers & Dreamers, he met Dehmion Faust–the man he’d later come to refer to incorrectly as Mr. Grimm. Upon meeting a real Grimm, June becomes confused as to who or what Dehmion Faust really is. Although at first you may equate this chapter title to Eminem’s The Real Slim Shady, wherein he asks “Will the Real Slim Shady please stand up?”, but the phrase originated from an American game show, To Tell the Truth, where contestants must discover the real person among the imposters.

When The Wind Blows – The last two brothers, Jhordan and Bahrun Faust, attempt to survive in Eops (Below) long enough for Dehmion to bring them into the Waking World. The phrase “When the wind blows” is a verse from the lullaby and nursery rhyme Rock-a-Bye Baby. “When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.” On the surface, this lullaby sounds cute and harmless, and many mothers have sung it to their children to lull them to sleep. A theory dating back to the Glorious Revolution was that the song was a euphemism for the proud and ambitious, “who climb so high they generally fall in the end”. When the Wind Blows is used first in an obvious manner when the wind in Eops brings the smell of death and fire to Bahrun, but it’s also a foreshadowing of what happens to his family in Book #3, Bane & Butterflies.

The Queen of Skulls – June and Dreamer Team Four have to team up with the three Faust brothers in order to escape the Grimm, Haven. I chose this chapter title because of Haven’s ability to bend June’s Barrier, and the subsequent effects that has on him–a skull-crushing dread that comes when his heart stops. I fashioned the chapter title from Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland), who’s catch phrase will come in handy in a later chapter.

The Quill Is Mightier – When the group tries to escape Stanley Park for the safety of the Rose Cross Academy campus, Haven follows and attacks campus with a pack of demon dog demons called Garms. I used a play on the phrase ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’, meaning that written communication is more powerful than physical violence. While the Academy unknowingly holds the Garm army at bay, the Fausts must find a place to hide. Morghen breaks into the Elysium Conservatory by using a feather quill to pick the lock. Instead of participating in the battle, the Fausts attempt to peacefully remove themselves from the conflict.

Sleight of Handgun – June has a plan for taking down Haven, but he needs the gunslingers to help him. The title is, of course, a play on words for the magical art of sleight of hand, but in this case it’s those who wield the guns on campus who are lending their talents.

Off with her Head – June has a unique, albeit gruesome, way of taking down the Grimm, Haven. That technique should be obvious from the title. Although the phrase originated from Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Lewis Carroll is the most famous wielder of this phrase for the Queen of Hearts in his novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, thus tying this chapter to The Queen of Skulls chapter.

Playing Stupid – So, June’s defeated the bad guy . . . uh, girl. You’d think the professors would be happy. Nope, just the opposite. Sensing something weird in the air, Noel, Stella, and Petra go along with the professor’s paranoia (they play stupid) to not only evade punishment for defying orders, but to see if they can figure out what’s going on.

Knock Knock – Professor Jefferson finds the source of the invasion: a door leading to a mysterious place called The Bastion. Building on the running theme of children’s nursery rhymes and games, Knock Knock is a series of jokes where one says “Knock, knock” and the other person asks “Who’s there?”.

Three’s a Crowd – It’s a common expression, along side third wheel and the like, usually meant to point out that whatever the situation, it would be better if there were only two of us. After his stunt with Haven, June is put before Madame Sophie, the Discipline Mistress, to answer for his insubordination. Although there are three people in the interrogation (June, Headmaster Rosenkreuz and Madame Sophie), the three people in question are actually those within June’s head–June himself, Madam Sophie’s mind reading, and the residual influence of Dehmion Faust.

I Spy – Yet another reference to children’s game: a road-trip staple, I Spy wherein someone declares they see something, and the other must ask questions to guess what the person has in mind. Here, the phase is used in a more direct fashion. The professors go over surveillance footage of the Garm attach to find the source of their most recent demonic invasion.

Wild Goose Chase – The hopeless or pointless pursuit of something is often called a wild goose chase. Here, the phase has a double meaning. When Johann leads his team to discover who or what Haven’s target was, he comes up with nothing and ends up wasting time. Coincidentally, Petra happens to stumble upon Morghen, the master of birds, but a quick intervention from Dehmion makes her forget the whole encounter.

A Grimm Night – Noel and June head back to their dorm room for what they hope will be an uneventful and quiet night. Unfortunately, Dehmion and his brothers have other plans for the night. This chapter title is yet another double-meaning, as not only has this been a trying (or grim) evening, but June still refers to Dehmion as Mr. Grimm.

Wash Away the Day – Petra returns to her dorm she shares with Sanja and the two hatch a plan for melting away the stress of the day: a nice hot bath with a bottle of wine. Now, keep in mind the two are only sixteen years old.

Needles and Daggers – Jhordan and Bahrun Faust struggle to stay out of range of Elan Zeal as they make their way towards a portal to the Waking World. As we explore Bahrun’s personality a little deeper, we find they’re just something not right about the youngest of the brothers. He’s not entirely stable, mentally. His tendency to glare ‘needles and daggers’ as people typically warns others he’s about to suffer a breakdown of personality.

Thy Mother’s Glass – This phrase mean’s the children are typically reflections of their mothers and the upbringing she bestowed upon them. As Dehmion gives Noel and June the low-down about the war in Below/Eops, he reveals their primary reason for coming to the Waking World: to find their mother. Their human mother. The relationship between the Fausts and their mother is a key thread in the ongoing story line, one which will be revealed in Bane & Butterflies.

Far Fetched – A story either too good to be true or just completely unbelievable is said to be far-fetched. As Dehmion attempts to explain the reason he and his brothers are in the Waking World, his reasons become harder and harder to believe.

Family – Family is an ongoing aesop in the Rose Cross Academy series. Not just one’s true family, such as bothers and sisters, but those one relies on. In this chapter, Noel and June seek the help of their other ‘family’, the students at the Rose Cross Academy. Student Marshal ‘Mars’ Chang, who is good with computers, helps them figure out why the Academy’s defense system, the Bells, aren’t going off when the Fausts are clearly on campus.

Hurry up and Wait – Meet Jason Bae, June’s older brother and a ranked member of The Order of the Rose Cross: a Seneschal. June knows nothing of what his brother does, and Jason would like to keep it that way. In doing so, he often has his hands in one too many things. In this case, he knows what’s going on with June off in Vancouver, British Columbia, and wants to get there as soon as possible. However, navigating the tight and complex inter workings of the United States government is proving to be a challenge for him.

Mornings Suck – Let’s face it, they do. And mornings right after a demon invasion at school tends to suck even more. The student body is looking a little worse for where as Dreamer Team Four gathers in first period Demonology class where the day’s lesson becomes oddly specific to the attack that just occurred. Meanwhile in Below, Bahrun and Jhordan are struggling to stay just out of reach of Elan Zeal.

A Quick Chat – Those of us in business know there’s never such a thing as a quick chat. This is usually hiding a deeper and more important conversation. The head of The Order of the Rose Cross, Grand Master Von Goethe, requires a quick chat with Jason Bae to waste even more of his time. But revelations come to the surface, such as who started the war in Below and why, leading Jason to re-think his strategy for helping his little brother.

Who Watches the Watchers? – The phrase has come to mean that it’s hard to hold those in power accountable for their actions. When Rosenkreuz and Boehme have a video meeting with the Council, led by Von Goethe, they receive their standing orders for dealing with the infestation and June Bae. Unfortunately for the Headmaster, these orders are to basically leave both topics alone–the Council are now the watchers who are operating unhindered. The Headmaster and Boehme decide the Council’s orders don’t make sense and secretly formulate their own plan, thus also becoming the watchers operating unhindered.

A Rock and a Harder Place – The phrase is typically ‘a rock and a hard place’, meaning you’re put in a situation where no mater what you do, the outcomes will be bad for you or someone you know. After the day’s Alchemy lesson, Noel is called before the Headmaster for a briefing–one basically formulated to rat out June.

Convicted Bookworm – Those who love books are typically referred to as bookworms. In this chapter, Jason checks in on Mariposa Faust (the mother of the Faust brothers) in her current confinements. Although she’s human, there’s something undoubtedly demonic about her, so Jason asks that she be imprisoned under the Library of Congress.

Author’s Note: There’s a scene in this chapter where Jason is reviewing security footage, and said footage starts to get, shall we say, a little hairy. The influence for this came straight from the Japanese horror film, Ju-On. If you’re ever wanting to get yourself utterly freaked out, go watch that movie!

Caught in the Act – Noel is summoned before the Headmaster to explain security footage that shows his team leading strangers (the Fausts) onto campus on the wings of a giant bird right before the Grimm attacked the Rose Cross Academy. They are essentially caught in the act of possible treason and Noel has no means with which to talk his way out of this one.

Pool Party – Who doesn’t love a good pool party! June goes for a swim in the school’s pool to try to relax. All is going according to plan until someone crashes his party: Dehmion Faust.

The Ol’ Switch-a-Roo – The switch-a-roo is when someone substitutes one thing for something else. After Dehmion appears at the school’s pool to utterly annoy the crap outta June, he disappears into thin air only to be replaced by Morghen. While Jackson Keaton tries to blackmail June (he recognizes Dehmion as ‘Mr. Grimm’ from Below), Morghen sends him off with a well placed quip and his dry personality.

Put up Your Dukes – The phrase is a funny way of goading someone into a fight. With the pool infested by Fausts, June heads to the training room to let off some steam. Unfortunately for him, Petra’s there doing the same, and draws him into a sparring match.

You Can’t Hit a Girl – I’m sure your parents have told you this several times as a child: you can’t hit a girl. So with June duped into sparing with Petra, what’s he to do? As their sparring match escalates, June ends up getting his butt kicked for several reasons relating to Petra being of the fairer sex and not taking kindly to being pampered for that reason.

Party of Two – Petra and Stella join up with their teams to head on to their latest mission. Usually Crosses are teamed up with a professor to deal with harder infestations, but this time two Cross teams are paired up: Johann’s Dreamer Team One, and Noel’s Dreamer Team Four. Headmaster Rosenkreuz is breaking the rules again.

A Deal with a Devil – This phrase is used used metaphorically to condemn a person for collaborating with someone evil. Since the Academy is starting to suspect June of conspiring with Below, Dehmion decides to send them on a wild goose chase of his own. He breaks into the campus jails and releases Haven on the condition she search out June and rough him up a bit.

Repeat After Me – Ah, those travelling chapters. They have to be written as having your characters suddenly appear at their destination is a plot hole I cannot condone. So as the group travels and Johann briefs the two teams about their mission (and attempts to get in some reconnaissance), June and Petra unknowingly fend him off by teaching each other phrases in the other languages they speak: Korean for June, Romanian for Petra.

Negotiations – I love putting the most unlikely of people in the worst situations. In this case, our ornery and snarky hero, June, finds himself in just such a pinch. When the two Dreamer teams arrive at their destination, they find themselves greatly outnumbered. Diplomacy is their only tool on hand for survival, and that tool is wielded by June.

Party Crasher – We all know ’em, we probably hate ’em too. Those people who arrive at the wrong time and throw the proverbial money wrench into everything. As June tries to defuse the current demonic situation, Haven arrives to create a little chaos and keep up her end of the bargain she made with Dehmion Faust.

The Dead Love Company – The phrase is usually ‘misery loves company’, meaning those who are miserable take pleasure in knowing others are miserable as well. The phrase is manipulated to show Bahrun’s dark personality. When Haven escapes June to the safety of Below, she inadvertently runs into Bahrun and Jhordan. And Bahrun’s none too happy to see her.

The Window to the Soul – This phrase refers to the eyes being the window to the soul. Upon learning of Haven’s fate, Elan attempts to remake his sister Eiza’s Grimm by using the last part of Eiza that makes her human: her eyes.

Into the Sunrise – It’s perhaps one of the most overused tropes in storytelling: at the end of a long and trying journey, the hero’s are confronted by the sunrise–the promise of a new day. Here, we wrap up the loose ends of the novel: The Crosses clean up Haven’s mess, Jhordan leads the balance of the family to safety, and Jason prepares to leave Washington, D.C. to go after his brother, June.

I hope you have enjoyed this rather long journey into what drivers control the world of The Rose Cross Academy: Grimms & Garms. Not only do I enjoy writing, but I enjoy planting little seeds and hidden meanings throughout everything I put to paper.

As always, it would mean the world to me if you’d like to pick up a copy of my second book. The links are below:

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Until next time, happy reading, and beware your dreams. You never know what may sneak through them and get into your house.

-Rissa