After three days of hard riding, the rebels divide their forces. Laila takes soldiers toward the Rookery, counting on Blood Guard support inside, while Bart stays at Wentholt cottage to await Harrow and Juniper and help the exiled aristocrats search for survivors. Rune and Gideon continue to the Crossroads with Seraphine and Antonio, and Antonio’s calm insistence that love is the highest power leaves Rune uneasy, as if he has spoken a prophecy.

At the gorge, Rune and Gideon cross a dangerous rope bridge to the small island at the center of the whirlpool because Rune is certain Cressida would hide Analise and Elowyn there. Instead of buried bodies, Rune finds both half sisters lying underwater in a hidden pool beneath Cressida’s glowing casting signature. The sight confirms that Cressida has preserved them for resurrection, but when Rune steps into the pool, the spell turns the water black and throws Rune backward, proving the magic is still active and preventing Rune from reaching the bodies.

When Rune and Gideon turn back toward the bridge, they discover the real danger: Seraphine and Antonio are already on their knees with guns to their heads, more than a hundred soldiers and many witches surround the gorge, and Juniper and Harrow are prisoners. Harrow apologizes, and Rune realizes Harrow’s message about the Crossroads was sent under coercion. Cressida captured Juniper, forced Harrow to choose between betrayal and Juniper’s death, and used that choice to lure Rune and Gideon into an ambush.

Gideon tries to fight anyway, firing repeatedly as Cressida crosses the bridge with shielded witches, but every bullet ricochets off magic. Rune understands the balance of power immediately: Cressida needs Rune alive, but Gideon is disposable, and the surrounding soldiers are waiting for the order to kill him. With their allies hostage, the bridge blocked, and Rune’s spellbook useless against the witches’ shields, Rune concludes there is no escape and no direct way to stop Cressida before Gideon dies.

Remembering the Everlasting spell and its requirement for a living sacrifice, Rune decides that the only way to deny Cressida control is to choose her own death. Rune stops Gideon from wasting his last shots, asks whether he trusts her, and presses the pistol to her own heart while explaining that Cressida will otherwise kill and use her. After telling Gideon she is grateful to have loved him and sharing a final kiss, Rune asks him not to let Cressida take this choice. Gideon, horrified but unable to refuse, pulls the trigger and shoots Rune through the heart.