Heartless Hunter

Two years after the Sister Queens were murdered, the New Republic rules by terror. The Blood Guard publicly purges witches, stripping suspects to search for casting scars—once symbols of status under the queens, now deadly proof. Rune Winters watches one such purge and vows never to leave marks that could expose her.

On a stormy night, Rune travels under a blood-fueled Mirage disguise to the remote cottage of Seraphine Oakes, her grandmother Kestrel “Nan” Winters’s oldest friend and the one person Nan insisted could explain what happened. Rune finds the cottage abandoned, clothing torn in the mud, and the Blood Guard’s bloody X on the door: Seraphine has been taken.

Rune races back to the capital and uses her public persona—an aristocratic “informer” who turned in her witch grandmother—to move among witch hunters at the opera. In flashback, Nan forced Rune to report her during the uprising so Rune would not be executed as a sympathizer. That reputation now shields Rune’s real work: as the Crimson Moth, she has been rescuing witches with help from her best friend Verity de Wilde and her oldest ally, Alexander “Alex” Sharpe. At intermission, Rune learns Captain Gideon Sharpe has captured a witch that night—Seraphine—and resolves to get her location before a transfer to the palace prison.

Gideon, meanwhile, is haunted by nightmares and by the brand a witch queen left on his chest. He despises witches yet loathes pointless cruelty, particularly from brutal subordinates like the Tasker brothers. He is also obsessed with the Crimson Moth, linked to prison breaks and murdered Blood Guard officers found drained of blood. His informant Harrow plans to meet him at the opera with leads.

At Rune’s party, she and Verity prepare a Truth Teller enchantment—blood magic meant to compel honest answers—hoping to use it on a well-connected suitor to learn where Seraphine is held. Rune tests Bartholomew Wentholt, then pivots toward Noah Creed, son of the Good Commander, Nicolas Creed. Before she can, Gideon arrives unexpectedly, apologizes for earlier disdain, and becomes the most valuable target. Gideon attends to investigate Rune, following Harrow’s report that casting signatures from escaped witches were found on a cargo ship owned by Rune. Unable to dance, he steers Rune into a private tour of her house, searching for evidence of witchcraft while their banter turns flirtatious.

Rune attempts to use Truth Teller in her bedroom, but Gideon refuses to drink and catches her trying to switch cups. Under pressure, Rune drinks the enchanted wine herself and nearly blurts dangerous truths. A telegram summons her as guest of honor at the Luminaries Dinner, where she must give a pro-Republic speech; the previous honoree, Lola Parsons, has been arrested for a reported casting signature. Rune breaks a rising intimacy by spilling wine on Gideon, and after he leaves, Verity and Alex warn Rune that courting Gideon is reckless.

As the courtship intensifies, Gideon offers to tailor Rune a gown for the Luminaries Dinner and measures her in his family’s shuttered shop, partly to check for casting scars. He finds none and wavers, but he also sets a trap: he feeds Rune false information about a holding cell near Seldom Harbor, hoping the Crimson Moth will appear. Believing she has Seraphine’s location, Rune infiltrates the old mine under a Ghost Walker invisibility spell and is ambushed by Gideon and sentry Laila Creed. To avoid being unmasked, Rune stabs Gideon and flees into flooded tunnels, then uses Gideon’s fresh blood on her knife to cast a powerful Deadbolt that seals both hunters behind a magically locked door. Wounded by Laila’s gunfire, Rune rides to the Creeds’ masked ball to establish an alibi and secretly traces the palace prison map from Warden Creed’s office.

Gideon deduces Rune’s connection to the mine trap but hesitates to arrest her when Rune claims she shared the transfer details publicly at a luncheon, broadening the list of possible suspects. Rune, Verity, and Alex study the prison map and realize they need specific intelligence: which gate holds Seraphine, patrol patterns, and purging schedules. With limited blood for complex spells, Rune decides the only reliable source is Gideon and plans to use a hidden truth-telling enchantment on something he will wear at the Luminaries Dinner.

During a charged beach walk, Rune and Gideon clash over class and the Republic’s broken promises. Gideon then confesses the core of his hatred: he was coerced by the witch queen Cressida Roseblood, who used forbidden blood magic, threatened his family, cursed his little sister Tessa with a deadly sickness, and drove his parents to suicide. Rune sees the branded rose-and-crescent crest on his chest and understands how deeply he was marked. Their attraction erupts into a kiss and then deeper intimacy, but Gideon’s duty and guilt about Alex complicate everything. After surviving an explosion tied to a witch ritual, Gideon and Rune finally sleep together; Rune realizes she is falling in love with the very man meant to destroy witches.

The fragile bond shatters when Harrow and Laila bring Gideon a new lead: a sketch from the print shop owner resembles Verity. To protect Rune and avoid being declared compromised, Gideon lies that Rune is “nothing more,” framing their night as an investigative search for scars. Rune overhears, feels used, and breaks with him. Devastated, she accepts Alex’s marriage proposal and plans to flee to Caelis after rescuing Seraphine on Liberty Day. Gideon sends Rune an apologetic letter and handmade silk buttercups, but Rune decides he is still her enemy.

On the eve of the heist, Rune discovers Gideon’s access coin and her last blood vial have vanished. At the university, she finds Verity’s “room” is a broom closet and staff insist Verity de Wilde does not exist, hinting at a sustained illusion. Shaken, Rune rides to meet Gideon, intending a final goodbye. Instead, Gideon reveals he has her missing coin and vial and names her as the Crimson Moth. He explains he followed suspicious movement at Wintersea, witnessed Rune’s hidden casting room, searched it, and confirmed her witchcraft. Laila and soldiers seize Rune, find a stolen uniform and Alex’s engagement ring, and Gideon orders Rune arrested.

Gideon delivers Rune to the execution square where Seraphine’s purge is imminent. Alex publicly confesses he knowingly aided Rune’s rescues and smuggling, forcing Gideon to arrest his own brother. As Rune is marched toward death, she sees Seraphine brought up as well. In a final, quiet shift, Rune forgives herself and Gideon; they exchange apologies before she is chained.

Then an organized witch assault erupts. Seraphine saves Rune from a collapsing beam, and Rune recognizes the scent of blood-and-rose magic. The attackers’ leader appears to be Verity—until Seraphine reveals the truth: the leader is Cressida Roseblood disguised. Cressida drops the illusion, kills a bystander for blood, and uses the stolen life to unlock Rune and Seraphine’s restraints.

In the chaos, Cressida takes Good Commander Nicolas Creed hostage and forces the Blood Guard to disarm. When Nicolas refuses, Cressida executes him, breaking Laila. Alex gathers surrendered weapons for Cressida, openly aligned with Rune. Cressida demands Gideon join them; when he refuses and shields Laila, a shot is fired—and Alex steps into the bullet meant for Gideon. Rune catches Alex as he dies, and with his explicit consent to use his blood without corruption, she casts the devastating Earth Sunderer curse. The square splits open into a vast ocean-filled chasm, shielding the witches and enabling Cressida’s retreat. On the far side, Gideon watches Rune vanish and swears he will hunt her forever.

Rune flees by sea with Cressida’s growing force, mourning Alex and realizing she has lost every safe home. She fears exchanging the Republic’s cruelty for Cressida’s predatory ambition, but with nowhere else to turn, she asks Seraphine to train her to survive what is coming—accepting that Gideon will inevitably pursue her, and determined to be ready when he does.