As hours pass in the enchanted meadow room, Genevieve crafts flower crowns for herself, Umbra, and Rowin while Rowin repeatedly tests the bridge’s eight trigger stones, focusing on the pattern of white fish among the gold. After confirming that stones three, five, six, and eight produce varying counts of white fish, Genevieve suggests ordering presses by ascending counts and interleaving the other stones. Rowin executes the full sequence, causing all fish to return and idle in the river, revealing a single crimson fish among them.

Rowin orders Umbra to fetch the crimson fish. As Umbra seizes it, the scene turns ominous: the stars glow red, the fish turn black with sharp teeth, and the bridge’s silver railing contorts into a cage around Rowin, preventing him from diving in. Seeing Rowin trapped and Umbra beset, Genevieve jumps into the river despite her injuries from Remi’s earlier attack.

Genevieve fights through blood-clouded water, finds Umbra, and wrenches the Familiar free while Umbra keeps hold of the crimson fish. The transformed fish swarm Genevieve, shredding her gown and biting into her flesh as she swims for shore. She manages to throw Umbra and the token onto the bank; once the crimson fish leaves the water, the piranhas revert to golden fish and cease their attack. Exhausted and bleeding out, Genevieve loses consciousness in the river.

In a cold, fogged state, Genevieve hears tolling bells and voices around her. A deep, familiar voice vows not to let her go, while another voice remarks on the cost of saving her and the severity of her blood loss. Rowin offers the token as payment and begs for help. An unseen helper administers a harsh, itching magic, warning that it will “really cost” this time and hinting suspicion with, “I’m onto you.”

As the magic courses through Genevieve, Rowin soothes her and urges her to hold on. When she manages to respond faintly, asking for “something real,” the helper falls silent. The chapter ends with the implication that Rowin has traded the hard-won token to secure Genevieve’s life, while the exact terms and identity of the helper remain unspoken in the scene.