Santángel rides with Luzia through the woods, aiming to get her back to Madrid and then to the widow leaving for Valencia that night. He blames Antonio Pérez for turning the Torneo into a distraction for his escape and realizes Luzia may be scapegoated for the chaos. Because Santángel will burn to ash at morning, he knows he cannot escort Luzia all the way to the port and instead decides to send her to allies at the church of San Sebastián.

Soldiers appear, and Luzia uses her whispered magic to snarl the woods into a barrier. More soldiers close in, and Santángel decides to draw pursuit away so Luzia can reach the city alone. Before he can finish instructing her, arrows strike Santángel in the back and hit the horse; Santángel drags Luzia clear as the panicked animal bolts.

Badly wounded and struggling to breathe, Santángel orders Luzia to close off the clearing and then to run. Luzia refuses to leave, but Santángel insists he cannot truly die while Luzia can, and he begs her to trust him and go to San Sebastián. Luzia kisses Santángel and finally runs, sealing paths behind her.

From Valentina’s perspective at the lake, Vázquez rages about Pérez’s disappearance, and Víctor confirms Pérez has fled—likely toward Aragón. As people panic and soldiers try to control the exits, Víctor abandons Valentina and Marius, declaring their partnership ended. Determined not to be hauled off while Víctor escapes consequences, Marius seizes Doña Beatriz’s cinnamon mare and rides Valentina after Luzia and Santángel.

In the woods they encounter Luzia’s bramble wall and circle to see Santángel down with arrows protruding from his back while Luzia weeps over him. Valentina begs Marius to give Luzia the horse so she can escape on footless odds, but Marius refuses. Luzia, frantic and bloodied from the branches, bolts into the trees as shouts close in, and Valentina listens as pursuit nears and Luzia begins to scream.