Paedyn spends her first night as queen alone on her balcony, trying to calm herself with tea and the garden view. The sight of her wedding ring jolts her back into turmoil about the forced marriage to Kitt and the cascade of revelations that have redefined her identity.

She processes that she carries royal blood yet lived hunted and abused as an Ordinary, hated by King Edric from birth. She frames herself as a forgotten princess and weighs the contradictions of being both a symbol of unity and the product of a history of cruelty.

Paedyn reflects on Iris Moyra’s life in the castle and the secret affair with Calum. Watching Calum die earlier, she did not feel grief so much as a chilling parallel to her and Kai’s forbidden love. She worries that Kai, as Enforcer, could share Calum’s fate, then cuts off the thought.

She considers that Iris might have loved both Edric and Calum in different ways. Thoughts turn to Kitt, the blood tie between them, and the political necessity of their bond. She desperately wonders how to undo the marriage without undoing the kingdom’s fragile progress.

A movement below draws her attention. Kai arrives beneath the balcony, addressing her with teasing familiarity. Their exchange blends affection and defiance, with Paedyn insisting he should not be there as her Enforcer and Kai inviting her to command him to leave.

After admitting he is stalling to steal time with her, Kai proposes a purpose: they will go to Iris Moyra’s chamber. The chapter ends with that plan, turning Paedyn’s reflection into action to seek answers in her mother’s rooms.