Kai leads Paedyn through Dor’s back streets after chaining himself to her, and the silence between them reflects the damage he knows he has done. He is ashamed of how he trapped her, understands that she likely sees every earlier touch and kiss as deception, and struggles with the fact that his feelings for her now interfere with the mission he believes he must complete. Paedyn says nothing as she retrieves her hidden pack, covers her recognizable hair with a scarf, and follows him toward somewhere they can wash and sleep.

As they move into a busier part of the city, Kai realizes the chain will attract dangerous attention if either of them is recognized. He tells Paedyn she needs to steal a skirt to conceal it, and their argument finally breaks her silence. Their exchange is barbed and bitter, but it also shows their familiar rhythm still exists beneath the betrayal, with Paedyn mocking Kai’s decision to chain himself to her and Kai pushing her to use the skills she once used against him.

Paedyn then steals a skirt from a passing merchant by pretending to trip into his cart and knocking garments to the ground. While she distracts him with feigned embarrassment, she subtly hides one skirt beneath the cart. The merchant becomes openly interested in Paedyn, and Kai interrupts before the man can press her further, revealing both impatience and possessiveness. Once the merchant leaves, Paedyn retrieves the stolen skirt and uses it to cover her leg and part of the chain.

Kai improves the disguise by crouching down, wrapping the excess chain around Paedyn’s ankle, and leaving only a short length between them hidden under the skirt. Because this forces them to walk very close together, he tells her to hold his arm so they will look like a couple to anyone watching. Though Paedyn resents the situation, she complies, and they gradually find a synchronized pace as they cross the darkening streets. By the end of the chapter, they arrive at a run-down inn, securing temporary shelter while their emotional conflict remains unresolved.