La Casilla has gone quiet after the chaos of the second trial, with Pérez’s guests mostly gone. Marius and Valentina speculate about the coming third trial, and Luzia withdraws to her room, trying to distract herself with her small, practical refranes and not the desire and confusion Santángel has awakened in her.

Restless, Luzia goes to the damaged garden and is intercepted by Ana, who leads her to Hualit. Hualit admits she returned to the city at Víctor de Paredes’s request and is now keeping distance because Víctor fears she could be questioned—about Luzia, Pérez, and Víctor’s involvement. The conversation turns sharp as Hualit bluntly asks if Luzia is sleeping with the familiar, and Luzia confronts Hualit for years of withholding help; Hualit insists she kept her distance because Luzia’s uncontrolled power was a risk.

Hualit then offers a new plan: she will obey Víctor’s suggestion to travel to Venice, but will secretly continue on to Salonika—and she wants Luzia to flee with her, meeting in Valencia tomorrow night. Hualit argues that even if Luzia wins the torneo, Luzia lacks Fortún Donadei’s courtly charm and will be swallowed by court politics; Salonika would mean safety from the Inquisition.

Luzia refuses. Luzia decides she will complete the torneo and try to secure the king’s protection, believing that royal favor could give Luzia leverage to force Víctor to release his hold over Santángel. Hualit warns that Víctor “always wins,” but leaves money with the stable groom and urges Luzia to reconsider, promising to pray for her either way.

After Luzia says goodbye and returns to the house, Santángel is waiting in her rooms. Luzia has many questions about the torneo and escape, but their reunion becomes urgent and physical, and Luzia chooses intimacy over conversation as Santángel kisses her and they have sex against the door.