Because the Arcadia has no extra cabins, Gideon cannot take a separate bunk without destroying the newlywed cover he and Rune established during the police search. Standing alone on deck as the Continent disappears, Gideon tries to steel himself for two more days of pretending. He tells himself that once they reach port, he will arrest Rune as the Crimson Moth, restore his reputation, prove his loyalty, and finally rid himself of his weakness for her.

Gideon’s thoughts betray how conflicted he is. He admits that Rune has fascinated him since he first met her at fifteen, even though he spent years denying his feelings out of loyalty to his brother and out of shame. Remembering the officer staring at Rune in the cabin and remembering undressing her to maintain their disguise, Gideon recognizes that his instinct is still to protect her and that physical closeness makes it harder for him to think clearly. That realization hardens his resolve to keep emotional distance, even though the small shared bed will make that nearly impossible.

As the evening grows colder and Gideon heads belowdecks, he overhears the two officers who questioned him and Rune earlier. Hidden nearby, Gideon listens as they discuss Miss Winters and a spy aboard the Arcadia, concluding that if Rune is found, she will not merely be arrested but likely executed on sight under New Republic policy toward witches. Their conversation confirms Gideon’s suspicion that Harrow sent another agent to finish the mission.

Gideon connects the overheard conversation to Harrow’s earlier telegram and realizes the danger on two fronts. If Harrow’s spy identifies Rune first, Rune could be killed before Gideon can use her as a bargaining piece; if the spy recognizes Gideon traveling with a secret wife after failing to kill the Crimson Moth, Harrow may judge Gideon a traitor. By the end of the chapter, Gideon’s plan shifts from simply enduring the voyage to urgently finding the spy before the spy finds Rune.