After Sadie’s death, Paedyn refuses to dwell on what Kai is doing with the body. She paces, washes in the creek, and finally lies beside the fire, trying to steady herself after the shock of nearly dying. When Kai returns, Paedyn instinctively puts Sadie’s knife to his throat before realizing who he is, and their sharp banter briefly eases the tension.

As they talk, Paedyn notices dirt and yellow pollen on Kai’s hands and realizes he buried Sadie and placed flowers on her grave. Kai accepts her thanks but reveals that he did not do it for Sadie; he did it for Paedyn. That admission, along with his gentle touch, turns the moment intimate and shows Paedyn that Kai is trying to protect her from more than physical danger.

When Kai asks how she is feeling, he refuses to let Paedyn hide behind a false claim that she is fine. Paedyn admits that she feels overwhelmed, furious, and indebted because Kai saved her life. Kai answers that he would save her again and again if she lets him remain in her life, deepening the emotional tension between them. When Paedyn asks how he can stay so calm after killing someone, Kai says he became this way through practice.

Paedyn tries to return the leather strap she stole from Kai, but he insists she keep it because he already has another and because defeating Sadie was a joint effort. After teasing him into saying please, Paedyn accepts it. Kai then pulls Paedyn against him under the excuse of keeping warm, and Paedyn slowly chooses to welcome the contact. As they settle together by the fire, Paedyn realizes Kai is deliberately distracting her from the trauma of Sadie’s death, and she ends the night understanding that the calculating prince genuinely cares about her.