Odessa storms away from Zavier after discovering him with Jocelyn and reaches her suite, where Ransom stops her to ask what is wrong. She shuts herself inside, breaks down in tears, and grapples with why the betrayal hurts despite lacking romantic feelings for Zavier; the pain centers on being overlooked and on Jocelyn being the choice over her.

Ransom enters despite Odessa’s demand to be alone. As Odessa examines her feelings, she realizes she is relieved, not jealous: Zavier’s affair lifts the guilt she felt for her growing love for Ransom. She admits she must let Ransom go because she is bound by marriage and the expectations of a queen.

Ransom urges honesty and confesses he saw Odessa on her wedding day in Roslo, noting her disguise and saying he knows about living a double life. He reveals he had come to Quentis to investigate the Gold King’s motives and to see the Turan queen but changed course when he saw Odessa, deciding to set her free.

Odessa explodes, arguing that claiming her as a bride prize chained her to two kingdoms. Ransom challenges her understanding of who she vowed to, leading Odessa to realize it had been his voice speaking the vows in the sanctuary and his blood in the vial, not Zavier’s. He shows their matching healed cuts, the “twin scars,” confirming that the oath was forged with his blood.

Confronted, Ransom admits the deception and, by implication and Odessa’s deduction, reveals he is the true crown prince—Ramsey’s son—and that Zavier is not the rightful heir. He insists not all was a ruse and tells Odessa, “You have always been my queen.”

When Odessa demands to know why, Ransom says he is not long for this realm and planned to set her free with his death, breaking her tie to him. Devastated by the lies, Odessa tells him she hates him; he accepts it gently, tucks a curl behind her ear, and leaves her alone.