Two weeks later, Hunt prepares reluctantly for the equinox ball in a tuxedo Bryce insisted he wear instead of his battle gear. The scene emphasizes how tightly the Autumn King is trying to control Bryce's new role as a Fae princess, down to her clothes, behavior, and even whether she is allowed to eat in public. Hunt reflects on how deeply he and Bryce have fallen into each other, briefly thinks of his mother and the life she wanted for him, and is stunned when Bryce emerges dressed for the ball; they leave together with Cormac as her official escort.

At the ball, Ruhn attends beside Hypaxia as her nominal fiancé, but his real focus is on the secret meeting he has arranged with Day near the fountain outside. He studies the conservatory, the crowd, and the unusually intense security, noting that the 33rd is running the event and that Baxian and Naomi are guarding the entrance while dreadwolves patrol the area. When Ithan approaches, Hypaxia goes off to meet the River Queen's daughter, who has arrived with a visibly constrained Tharion, leaving Ruhn free to watch for Bryce and worry about what the night might bring.

Bryce arrives looking every bit a princess, with Cormac on her arm and Hunt following behind. Instead of letting the Autumn King stage-manage her entrance, Bryce steers directly to the Archangels and offers her congratulations. Then, using the public setting to trap her father into compliance, Bryce announces that Hunt is her mate and therefore her prince, while recasting Cormac as only a close friend who escorted her. The declaration shocks the room, but because denying Bryce would create a scandal, the Autumn King is forced to acknowledge the union, and Celestina formally blesses Bryce and Hunt before the assembled crowd.

Afterward, Cormac breaks away toward the Autumn King, while Ruhn joins Bryce and Hunt and recognizes that Bryce has found her own bold solution to the political trap around her. He jokes with Hunt about now being a prince, but the moment is cut short when Celestina and Ephraim call the room to attention. They publicly announce their own mating and then unveil their remote guests of honor: the Asteri, seated on their thrones and watching the celebration from afar, ending the chapter on an ominous reminder of the true power looming over everyone present.