Captain Gideon Sharpe leads a Blood Guard raid on a print shop after Harrow reports multiple casting signatures there. Under a new curfew and expanded raid powers, Gideon and Laila breach the upper room to find it empty except for a ring of freshly lit candles and blood-drawn spell symbols, suggesting a ritual was prepared and the occupants vanished just in time.

Gideon finds a white casting signature with thorns and petals that he recognizes as Cressida Roseblood’s, confirming her presence. An open high window suggests an escape route, so Gideon and Laila climb onto the roof and pursue through thick fog across connected row houses. Laila fires at fleeing figures but cannot confirm a hit; she reports seeing three people running west.

Uneasy about the fog and the seeming ease of escape, Gideon orders a retreat. On the street, Harrow emerges from the fog to “offer backup,” briefly triggering Gideon’s suspicion about witch disguises before he dismisses it. Returning to the shop, the raid turns up no captives, and Gideon considers arresting the owner while soldiers continue searching for clues.

Privately, Harrow presses Gideon about Rune Winters and whether he followed through on using intimacy to check for witch scars. Gideon insists Rune is likely innocent, arguing Cressida’s attack at the public purging makes no sense if Rune is secretly saving witches, but Harrow counters that Cressida’s spell could have been a diversion to prevent Rune from being forced to kill a witch and expose herself. Harrow accuses Gideon of falling for Rune and letting feelings cloud his judgment, while Gideon refocuses on stopping Cressida’s larger plan.

Back in the candle circle, Gideon studies the blood marks and notes they burned spellbooks too quickly, wishing he could interpret the symbols. Harrow and Laila speculate that a vengeful strike might come on Liberty Day. Then all three detect a growing smell of blood, roses, and magic, and Gideon realizes the witches may still be nearby and that the scene feels staged.

As Harrow heads for the door to find the source, Gideon tries to stop her, convinced they were expected. An explosion detonates, throwing Gideon into a brick wall; fire fills his vision before he loses consciousness.