At dawn, Bryce wakes at home and finds Hunt asleep in the guest room. After terse texts with Juniper and reflections on Ruhn, Bryce and Hunt share a charged moment in the kitchen that nearly turns intimate before burning eggs break the spell. Bryce retreats, resolving to focus on work.

At the gallery, Jesiba orders Bryce to open the back door; a menacing nøkk has been installed in the library tank, terrifying Lehabah. Bryce secures the hatch and debates feeding and safety. Hunt suggests a medwitch for Bryce’s leg, then leaves when called away.

From Hunt’s perspective, his attraction to Bryce intensifies, but duty prevails. He meets Viktoria at Munin and Hugin, where Bryce has just arranged a video chat with her parents. Viktoria reveals Mimir results: hybrid traces—neither pure tech, magic, nor organic—on Danika’s and Maximus Tertian’s clothes, identified as a drug called synth, likely medical in origin but leaked to the streets. Viktoria wipes the legion files at Hunt’s request.

Back at Bryce’s, they discuss synth. Bryce calls Ruhn, who confirms medwitch research on synth and that one ingredient is obsidian salt. Bryce and Hunt infer it could enable demon summoning by those lacking power. Bryce wants to hit the Meat Market immediately, but Hunt urges waiting until tomorrow so she can speak with her parents.

Hunt shares his history: his overworked mother was murdered for money he sent home, ignored by powerful angels, driving him to Shahar’s cause. Bryce agrees to delay and prepares for the call. They clean the apartment, exchange playful photos, and as the video connects, Bryce’s mother pointedly joins the chat.