Riddle, Trey and Cater

When Riddle becomes enraged at Ace bringing a chestnut tart to an Unbirthday Party—as he was instructed to by Cater and Trey—they both take responsibility and apologize but Riddle blames Ace for being the person who physically brought it to the party, ordering Trey and Cater to eject Ace and the group from the party, which they do.

This interaction is paralleled in Book 7 when Ace and Deuce refuse to let go of Riddle as he is dragged into an abyss and Riddle again orders Trey and Cater to take them away. 

In a chat Cater tells Riddle, “You ever feel like Trey’s kinda the King stand-in around here?….Y’know, the guy who devoutly supported his partner, the queen.,” Riddle asks, “Are you suggesting that the two of us share the same dynamic?,” and Cater responds, “Look, I’m just sayin’ that as far as Heartslabyul’s concerned, you guys are both hashtag #indispensable!”

During the Firelit Sky event Cater gets “Peacock green beaded bracelets, handkerchiefs with traditional patterns, and some individually wrapped chocolate-covered dates and little bags of coffee,” which Kalim comments is “a lot for Riddle.”

Cater explains, “Oh, it’s not all for him. I got enough to share with my dormies and classmates. And if I know Riddle—which I totally do, he’d refuse any gift I got him if I didn’t have something for the rest of the dorm.” Trey agrees, saying, “That’s another reason I want to make a fruit tart, so we can all share it,” and Jami responds, “You’ve covered all your bases. I guess that’s why you’re the tyrant’s—| mean, your rigorous housewarden’s right-hand men.”

During the Lantern Event Cater and Trey go to the students of Heartslabyul to explain the situation, but the students of the dorm are less than enthused about having to do extra work to bring Deuce and Riddle back, saying, “It’d be nice not having someone constantly breathing down our necks about the rules for once.”

When Trey asks, “Then which of you wants to step in and take Riddle’s place?,” a student asks, “Isn’t that what the vice housewarden is for?,” and Cater interjects, “I guess it makes sense the underclassmen would see it that way, but what say our fellow juniors? Do you seriously believe we can keep things up like they are now without Riddle?”

The older students agree, “The leash really has tightened since Riddle took over as housewarden. I’ve got my gripes, but…life’s better here than it was before,” talking about how they never ask Riddle for help with their reports or test prep but Riddle assists them anyway, which has improved their grades. Trey points out, “I hear he’s supposed to hold a study group tomorrow for the guys that flunked their tests,” and Cater follows with, “It sounds to me like we need Riddle, doesn’t it?”

Ace responds, “Let’s make those lanterns and bring our housewarden home!,” and the rest of the students follow suit.

At the conclusion of the event, Deuce reveals that “Heartslabyul made the most lanterns out of all the dorms!”

Riddle says, “Getting Trey and Cater to help was certainly worthwhile,” but Deuce responds, “I’m sure that’s part of it, but I think Heartslabyul’s solidarity deserves some of the credit too!”

When Ace comments that Trey and Cater don’t “strictly adhere to lights-out,” Cater responds, “Why, that couldn’t be farther from the truth! We’re Riddle’s loyal card soldiers.”

In Riddle’s dream of Book 7, an alternate timeline where Trey did not overrwrite his magic in Book 1, dream-versions of Trey and Cater seem to act as Riddle’s enforcers, saying that the students “should focus on kneeling before the housewarden instead of entertaining strange ideas. It’s for your own good,” “Just follow the housewarden and you’ll do fine,” “The housewarden is always right. And if you oppose him, your heads will roll.”

Riddle says, “I’m proud to have such fine card soldiers.”

The final scene Riddle sees as he awakens from his dream is reuniting with Trey and Cater at the end of Book 6. Later on in Book 7 Trey and Cater praise him for his efforts, to Riddle’s surprise: “Why are you patting my head as well? I’m the housewarden!”

Cater says, “Sure, but you’re still an underclassman, y’know?,” and Trey follows wither, “You really stuck it out and kept fighting even when the chips were down. You did good, Riddle.”