Gideon Sharpe restrains Rune Winters in total darkness beneath the mine, offering to drag her out or shackle her in witch-restraining irons. Rune stops fighting to think, then uses his loosened grip to throw her weight backward, toppling them into the cold pool so she can break free.

As soon as Gideon releases her underwater, Rune finds the ladder by feel, climbs out, and sprints through the tunnels toward the mine entrance light. She climbs to the small room above and spots Laila Creed outside under the lantern, pistol ready, while Gideon closes in from below.

Trapped between them, Rune makes a split-second move: she bursts out, forces Laila back, and slams the door shut, bracing it as Laila shoves from the other side. With bullets starting to punch into the door and Gideon about to hit it from within, Rune realizes she needs a stronger spell than she can manage on her own strength.

Remembering Verity’s lesson that complex spells require fresh blood, Rune uses the still-wet blood on her knife blade—Gideon’s—to draw Deadbolt on the door. The magic comes easily and powerfully, locking the door against both Blood Guard soldiers even when Gideon throws his full weight into it.

Rune flees, blows a single note on her whistle, and Lady charges to her. As Rune mounts and rides, Laila fires through the broken window; a shot grazes Rune’s forearm, drawing blood. Seeing Seldom Harbor ahead, Rune decides Rune Winters must be publicly seen elsewhere immediately, and she races toward the Creeds’ masked ball.