Freya keeps her shield raised and watches for another attack, but the greater danger is the warded island itself. Bjorn is shattered by Snorri’s death and by the realization that Harald manipulated him into betraying his own family and people. When Freya tries to comfort him, Bjorn rejects both her touch and any easy forgiveness, blaming himself for trapping them there to die.

Freya refuses to let despair win and pushes Bjorn to act instead of wallowing. His angry throw of his axe reveals that the weapon can pass through the wards even though they cannot, so Freya quickly forms a plan: Bjorn will set distant trees on fire to create a signal for passing fishermen, who might then erase the runes and free them. Their sharp banter returns as Bjorn repeatedly throws the axe until he ignites multiple trees, but as time passes and the weather worsens, no rescuers arrive.

As they wait in the cold, Freya and Bjorn draw physically closer for warmth, and Freya shares what the specter told her during her kidnapping. Freya explains that the specter had Bjorn’s green eyes and argues that Snorri was right to believe Saga and the specter were the same. Freya concludes that Bjorn’s mother has been trying to help her, that Harald fabricated the darker prophecies to control them both, and that Harald fears a united Skaland because strength would limit his power. Even though Bjorn doubts they can prove Harald’s crimes, Freya insists that survival must come first.

The conversation finally turns to their broken trust. Bjorn apologizes for hiding the truth because he feared both Freya’s reaction and losing her, and Freya forgives him because he never broke his vow to stand with her. They confess that they love each other and renew their bond completely, using intimacy to reclaim each other after betrayal and separation. Yet when the moment passes, the cold and silence return, and the chapter ends with the stark truth that they are still alone, still trapped, and still in danger of dying on the island.