User blog comment:Rafe Adler/"The Scorpion and The Frog" Discussion/@comment-2605:A000:122A:408A:5150:7F01:D7FD:6F7A-20171209022017

Could someone explain to me why Shrike didn't simply burn Barthamus'  bones once he had them? If burning the bones saved Alice from the consequences of her deal, wouldn't that have been true for Shrike as well? Was Shrike using the bones to blackmail Bart? If so, why was Shrike forced to stay on her property so Bart wouldn't get him? Somehow I missed the explanation here. Thanks.