Roman and Iris continue kissing in the garden until a moving torchlight reminds them they are exposed and in danger. Roman leads Iris from shadow to shadow, climbs back into the house with her, and brings her into his bedroom, where the privacy lets them relax for the first time. As Iris explores his bookshelves, wardrobe, and bed, their teasing conversation about his room, her old letters, and the nights they once shared steadily deepens their renewed intimacy.

When they lie down together, the mood shifts after Roman feels a small book and Dacre's letter hidden in Iris's coat pocket. Roman reads the letter and reacts with anger, recognizing Dacre's attempt to charm, claim, and control Iris. Iris makes her answer unmistakable: she says Dacre will never have her, tears the letter into pieces, and flushes it away, turning a private threat into an act of open defiance.

Their attention returns to each other in Roman's lavatory, where they decide to share the shower. Roman is briefly tense and ashamed about how Dacre's campaign has marked his body through hunger and scars, but Iris's touch keeps him from retreating. As he washes her hair and skin, their playful talk about their old days at the Gazette gives way to a quieter recognition of how much they have both endured.

Roman then notices the bruises and scabs on Iris's knees, visible proof of the danger she faced while fleeing to reach him. Moved by fear, love, and relief, he kneels before her and kisses the injured places, and the two admit how deeply they feared they would never have another moment together. When Iris wonders whether they would still have found each other under different circumstances, Roman answers that he would have found her anyway.

When the hot water suddenly runs out, Roman carries Iris back to the bed rather than letting the interruption break the night. They make love, and the experience becomes more than a physical reunion: it restores Roman's sense of certainty after memory loss, captivity, and war. By the chapter's end, Roman believes that no god, no magic, and no enemy can erase what he and Iris have reclaimed together.