In the opera’s grand foyer during intermission, Rune Winters collides with a Blood Guard soldier—Captain Gideon Sharpe. Gideon steadies Rune by the elbow, then studies her with unsettling intensity, making Rune fear he can see through her carefully performed persona as a shallow, harmless socialite.

Alex Sharpe emerges from an alcove and draws Gideon’s attention away. As the brothers talk, Gideon confirms his hunt succeeded and that they have “the witch” in custody—information Rune recognizes as Seraphine Oakes’s capture. Rune notices Gideon’s meticulous, polished appearance and his raw, reddened knuckles, which fuels Rune’s anger and suspicion about what happened during the arrest.

Rune tries to press Gideon about the “unfortunate incident” that occurred, but the intermission bells end the conversation. As the crowd clears and ushers darken the foyer, Gideon makes plans with Alex to spar the next night, then leaves; before he goes, he looks between Alex, Rune, and the alcove as if realizing something, though he keeps it to himself.

Realizing she let intimidation cost her a chance to learn where Seraphine is being held—and knowing time is short before Seraphine is transferred to the palace prison—Rune forces herself back into her practiced mask. Ignoring Alex’s warning, Rune quietly follows Gideon up to the Blood Guard’s balcony box, hesitates at the sight of so many witch hunters, then steels herself and sits beside Gideon, asking sweetly if she may join him.