Wren is escorted to Captain Cross Redden’s office again. She finds Cross half-undressed and armed, which rekindles unwanted attraction despite her resolve. After Cross remarks on reports calling her uncoordinated and useless, he contrasts them with her beating of Kess Farren. When Cross touches Wren’s injured lip, Wren warns him not to touch her without consent, smearing her blood on his Silver Block emblem to make the point.

Cross proposes a test: if Wren can reach the open door past him, she avoids punishment; if not, Black Cell runs laps all night. Wren attacks and repeatedly attempts to break free, but Cross overpowers and pins her multiple times, taunting her about consequences. Lieutenant Xavier Ford walks in on their standoff; Cross orders him to schedule Black Cell’s laps and to assign Wren two nights in stockade next time she attacks a recruit. Cross dismisses Wren.

At week’s end, section scores are posted. Wren receives 49%, which suits her plan to underperform; outwardly she feigns discouragement. Lyddie notices and, believing Wren struggles academically, insists on nightly study sessions and calls Wren a friend. Kaine Sutler teases Wren about failing, while Lash remains quiet. Wren enjoys that Kess still bears bruises but remains wary of retaliation.

Betima asks about weekend plans, and Wren learns everyone has a Sunday leisure pass except her. Suspecting Cross blocked her pass, Wren confronts instructors Matt Hadley and Tyler Struck in the mess hall. When refused access to Cross, she throws Hadley’s tray against the wall, splattering food and drawing the hall’s attention. Despite the disruption—and a chuckle from Roe Redden—Struck still denies her request.

That night in the barracks, unable to sleep amid Glin Cotter’s snores, Wren links telepathically with Wolf. They reflect on how they know each other intimately yet lack basic biographical details due to secrecy. Wolf advises that every trap can be escaped and contrasts strategies: the white coyote chewing off its limb to get free versus the horned bear waiting to kill its captor. He urges Wren to choose escape over revenge, signing off with “Good night, Daisy.”

Restless and feeling trapped, Wren quietly dresses and tests the facility doors. Finding no alarms, she slips outside into the cool, silent night for fresh air, not attempting escape but needing space to think.