Wren whispers to Oak to meet her in the gardens at midnight, then leaves the feast, followed by Bogdana. Oak realizes the timing conflicts with his planned tryst with Lady Elaine at the moon's zenith. He plans to ask Wren a question she can fail in order to postpone the betrothal. He overhears a charged exchange between Tiernan and Hyacinthe before the Ghost (Garrett) joins him, then Madoc approaches and warns him to consider why Bogdana favors the marriage.

While Oak shows Leander coin tricks, the boy lets slip that Madoc knows Garrett's true name. Oak connects this to the Ghost's earlier hint that Locke knew the poisoner of Liriope. Oak realizes Garrett murdered his mother with blusher mushroom, and that his family knew and never told him, leaving him reeling with rage and a sense of betrayal.

At midnight in the moonlit gardens, Wren admits it was wrong to imprison Oak and accuses him of letting Jude send her away long ago, costing her the only safe place she had. Oak insists he doesn't need safe and kisses her. Wren warns she is insatiable hunger that will consume him; he tells her to use him, and they sleep together among the night-blooming flowers.

Lady Elaine interrupts, having found them after Oak missed their rendezvous. Wren coolly identifies herself as queen and Oak's betrothed before leaving with a parting jab. Lady Elaine, angry and disillusioned, suggests the conspiracy may ask too much of her now that Oak seems committed to Wren. Oak deliberately chooses not to use his charm to salvage the plot, sparing Lady Elaine from treason's consequences and letting the conspiracy potentially dissolve, even at the cost of losing his lead on the traitors.