At moonrise, Gideon walks through the cemetery to the four Sharpe graves and kneels at Alexander Sharpe’s headstone. He apologizes to his dead brother for the choices he has made and admits that his actions regarding Rune were selfish, not purely dutiful. His visit makes clear that guilt over Alex and over Rune is driving him as he prepares for what comes next.

Harrow interrupts Gideon with a report from the city. Gideon learns that Laila has doubled security along the waterfront, meaning nothing can leave Republic waters that night, and that soldiers are waiting for Gideon at the Crow’s Nest as requested. When Harrow lingers, Gideon realizes she is worried because Noah already despises him and will gladly kill him if Rune escapes again. Gideon insists that a hitch in his plan has not changed the outcome and says he will handle the situation.

As Harrow turns to leave, Gideon asks about the scar where her ear should be. Expecting he may not survive the night, Gideon pushes her to tell the story now. Harrow then reveals that before the revolution her impoverished parents sold her into indenture to a wealthy witch family.

Harrow explains that the family’s daughter, Juniper, taught her to read and write and shared books, plays, and poetry with her. Their bond deepened into love, but when Juniper’s family discovered it, they cut off Harrow’s ear to make her undesirable to Juniper. The family then locked Harrow in a cellar and left her there bleeding and starving, while Harrow waited in vain for Juniper to rescue her.

Harrow survived by catching water from a leaking pipe until a soldier freed her after the Sister Queens fell and the Reign of Witches ended. Even then, Harrow says she did not feel free. Gideon offers sympathy, but Harrow frames her suffering as one more scar among many and ends by warning Gideon not to forget which side he is on tonight, or worse scars will follow.