Malkin kills Lizzie, but is seriously wounded. Tom retrieves the stone and, fighting together, Gregory, Tom and Alice kill several of Malkin's minions. Malkin transforms into a dragon, and Lizzie also transforms, to protect her daughter. Alice is horrified when told that Tom is dead, and grabs the stone from Malkin, breaking Malkin's hold on Gregory. The witches gather as Malkin attempts to seduce Gregory. Tom wakes to a vision of his Mam telling him that, as both the seventh son of a seventh son, and the son of a witch, he has a unique power to defeat Malkin. Malkin's servant Radu attacks them he captures Gregory and drives Tusk and Tom over a cliff, leaving them for dead. Gregory points out she has taken the necklace, and Tom, Gregory and Tusk pursue her. Gregory tries to kill her, but Tom intervenes, allowing her to flee. Malkin kills her, mocking her for giving away the stone that might have saved her life.Īlice finds Tom and pleads with him to leave with her. By chance, Tom's family is in the city his Mam kills the warlock Strix and confronts Malkin with her own powers. Malkin and her minions destroy the city where Urag was killed, to avenge his death. Malkin instructs Alice to steal the stone, promising to spare Tom's life. It had once belonged to Malkin, until one of her witch followers – Tom's Mam – stole it, weakening Malkin enough for Gregory to trap her. Gregory recognizes it as the Umbran Stone, which increases the power of witches. He is then confronted by Bony Lizzie, whose attack is repelled by his Mam's necklace.
Tom narrowly manages to kill it and survive being swept down a waterfall. The trio are attacked on the road by an enormous boggart. Gregory now feels responsible for every person since killed by Malkin, and warns Tom never to show mercy to witches. Tom returns to Gregory, who reveals that he once loved Malkin, leading him to imprison rather than kill her. Alice also turns their talk back to reality. They briefly consider running off, but Tom has a vision of Malkin killing Gregory and unleashing destruction upon the world. Tom meets Alice again the two share their feelings for each other and fall in love. Tom hesitates when instructed to burn the werebear alive, causing Gregory to dismiss him and light the flame himself. En route, Gregory is summoned to a walled city by an inquisitor whose forces have subdued one of Malkin's followers, a werebear named Urag.
With only a week before the blood moon is full, reviving Malkin's full power, Tom must rush through his training while the trio head to Malkin's fortress. Malkin begins gathering an army of minions. She is revealed to be Lizzie's daughter, sent to spy on Gregory. Alice requests that he not tell Gregory about her.
Recognizing her from his clairvoyant visions, Tom frees her. In a town, Tom sees a girl, Alice, about to be burned as a witch. Tom's Mam gives him her necklace as a talisman, urging him to wear it always. Gregory seeks out Tom Ward – the seventh son of a seventh son – as his new apprentice.
The imminent rise of the centennial blood moon will make Malkin unstoppable. There, she restores the fortress and the beauty of her disfigured, loyal sister, Bony Lizzie. Malkin escapes, killing Gregory's apprentice, William Bradley, and fleeing to her now dilapidated mountain fortress. Now, many years later, Gregory works as a "spook" – a roving witch hunter. In 1572, the witch Mother Malkin is imprisoned underground by Gregory, the last of an old knightly order, the Falcons, who defended mankind against supernatural threats.