Heartless Hunter
by Kristen Ciccarelli
Contents
Ten. Rune
Overview
Rune pivots from frustration at Alex’s meddling to a calculated plan to ensnare Gideon Sharpe using an enchanted cup that forces truth, hoping to learn where Seraphine is being held. As Rune guides Gideon through the house, their tense banter turns flirtatious, and Gideon probes for signs of witchcraft in the library.
Gideon opens up about his family’s rise and their service to the witch queens at the palace, hinting at deeper trauma behind the revolution. With Gideon seemingly off-balance and intrigued, Rune escalates her trap by inviting him to “a witch’s bedroom” and summoning Lizbeth to help execute the next move.
Summary
Rune fumes at Alex for trying to sabotage Gideon’s courtship, but decides she must win Gideon Sharpe over long enough to trap him. She compares herself to Verity’s mimic spider, Henry, and recommits to her plan: use the enchanted wine cup, Truth Teller, to compel Gideon to reveal where the Blood Guard are holding Seraphine.
As Rune leads Gideon through the house, their conversation keeps snagging on misunderstandings and barbed humor. Gideon assumes guests stare because he lacks pedigree, and Rune corrects him by pointing out his vintage Sharpe Duet suit is priceless and that he is famous for killing the witch queens. Their sparring shifts into something flirtatious when Rune offers dance lessons and Gideon counters by daring her to accompany him to a rougher, “actual” party; Rune accepts, emboldened by the small signs she is getting under his skin.
Rune brings Gideon to the library, a favorite room of Alex’s, and panics when Gideon asks about spell books—contraband since the New Dawn. She hides her fear and invites him to search, knowing her spell books are concealed elsewhere. Gideon’s attention turns to the grand piano, prompting Rune to ask about the Sharpes and Alex’s past.
Gideon reveals that Alex hid his acceptance to the Royal Conservatory because the family was poor, and that their fortune changed when the eldest witch queens, Analise and Elowyn, hired Gideon’s mother as royal seamstress at the palace. Gideon’s story is edged with bitterness as he hints Alex “escaped” what the rest endured, and he presses close behind Rune while picking out mournful notes, intensifying Rune’s unease and curiosity about what truly connected the palace years to the queens’ deaths.
Rune’s thoughts spiral through rumors of the Roseblood sisters, the missing bodies of the queens, and the New Republic’s brutal purges. Gideon steps away and resumes quietly searching the shelves, finding Rune’s favorite play; Rune forces herself to stay composed and pivot back to her goal. To move the plan forward, Rune asks if Gideon would like to see “a witch’s bedroom,” and when Gideon answers eagerly, Rune signals Lizbeth with the bellpull to set the next stage.
Who Appears
- Rune WintersHides her magic; plots to ensnare Gideon with Truth Teller to save Seraphine.
- Gideon SharpeWitch hunter courting Rune; searches her library and reveals palace-era family history.
- LizbethHouse servant; summoned by Rune via bellpull to assist the next phase of the trap.
- Alex SharpeGideon’s brother; discussed via his love of the library/piano and Conservatory past.
- VerityRune’s friend; her mimic spider analogy inspires Rune’s approach to Gideon.
- HenryVerity’s mimic spider; metaphor for Rune pretending weakness to catch a predator.
- Seraphine OakesCaptured witch; Rune’s urgent motivation for extracting information from Gideon.
- NanRune’s grandmother; her books and strict upbringing shape the house and Rune’s cover.
- AnaliseEldest witch queen; hired Gideon’s mother as royal seamstress at the palace.
- ElowynEldest witch queen; partnered with Analise in employing the Sharpes at court.
- CressidaYoungest witch queen; recalled through rumors and her later murder by revolutionaries.
- The Good CommanderLeader of the New Republic; referenced for the regime’s brutal witch purges.