Santángel remains with Luzia despite the danger of being discovered and helps her out of her wet clothing. While Luzia bathes and warms the water with her magic, she insists Santángel stay and talk to her about something other than the torneo and devils, pressing him on why he remains bound to Víctor de Paredes.

Santángel answers by telling a “story” about a spoiled prince obsessed with escaping Death, and the prince’s only true friend, Tello. A stranger offers a bargain: the prince will lose what he values least, while Tello will lose what he values most. The prince’s “least” turns out to be luck, and Tello gains it; the prince receives unnaturally swift healing and unaging life, but discovers he cannot be away from Tello’s lands and service without burning to ash at dawn.

As Luzia asks for comfort and significance, Santángel combs her hair and admits the story is his: he has been bound to Tello de Paredes and all his descendants ever since. He explains the cruelty he endured as Tello’s son tested his immortality, and how each new heir renewed Santángel’s hope of freedom—until Víctor promised release and later withdrew it. Luzia recognizes they are both trapped despite their gifts.

Luzia asks Santángel to kiss her, and he gives in to desire and tenderness; they move from the bath to the bed and become lovers. Even as Santángel offers to leave if Luzia asks, Luzia chooses him, and Santángel accepts that it is “too late” for them to avoid the consequences of what they want.

That night, the narrative shifts across the household: Valentina wakes from a vivid dream scented with oranges and is driven to Marius, who shares the same dream, and they fall into bed together. Elsewhere, guards, servants, and even Antonio Pérez are swept into longing and love-struck behavior, as if the orange-dream has spread through the palace. At dawn, Luzia wakes hopeful and vows to find a way to break Santángel’s curse, while Santángel keeps silent about the fact that Víctor has already offered him a way out.