Chapter Twenty – The Eclipse Chase

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Full Chapter Summary

Arwen wakes with a pounding headache from the wine she drank the night before. It is late afternoon, and she has slept through most of the day. Lying in bed until sundown, she reflects on Kane’s revelations in the wine cellar and his unexpected lack of punishment for her role in Halden’s escape. Guilt weighs on her, but she also realizes her feelings for Halden have faded compared to the intense emotions Kane stirs in her—even if some of that was hatred.

Kane is gone when she rises. She wants to find Mari to share everything, including the almost-kiss, but then remembers the eclipse is tonight. Panic hits: she overslept and may miss her only chance to harvest burrowroot for her mother.

She dresses frantically and heads to the throne room, but the guards inform her that Kane and Commander Griffin are not in Shadowhold—they are tracking Halden. Desperate, Arwen runs to the apothecary, but Dagan is absent. Spotting Dagan’s sword in a closet, she takes it and races to the stables. She saddles a horse, but upon reaching the North Gate, she realizes she cannot sneak a horse past six guards. She slaps the horse’s hindquarters to create a diversion, sending the guards chasing the spooked animal.

While the guards scatter, Arwen bolts for the gate. She trips on a spiked metal trap hidden in the grass and hurts her wrist, but finds herself staring at the same rosy-cheeked guard from earlier. To her surprise, he looks right through her—Mari’s cloaking spell is still active. Arwen slips through the gate and into the Shadow Woods.

The forest is terrifying at night: cold, foggy, full of gnarled shadows. She runs, hoping to reach the clearing before the eclipse. As she nears the oak tree, she hears a wet, sloshing sound and discovers two chimeras devouring a deer at the tree’s roots. Panicked, she recalls Mari’s chatter about chimeras not being able to swim. With no other option, Arwen drops Dagan’s heavy sword under a bush and lures the creatures away by whistling and throwing pebbles. The larger chimera snarls and charges—and Arwen runs.

Key Events

Arwen wakes late, hungover, and remembers the eclipse is tonight.
She learns Kane and Griffin have left Shadowhold to pursue Halden.
She creates a horse decoy to distract the North Gate guards.
She trips on a hidden spike trap, injures her wrist, but passes the guard unnoticed because Mari’s cloaking spell is still working.
She enters the Shadow Woods alone at night.
At the clearing, she finds two chimeras feeding on a deer directly over the burrowroot oak tree.
She uses the knowledge that chimeras cannot swim to draw them away.

Character Development

Arwen Valondale: This chapter shows Arwen’s growing independence and desperation. She acts without Kane’s protection, makes a risky plan, and faces the woods alone. Her guilt over Halden is juxtaposed with her determination to save her mother. She also acknowledges that her feelings for Kane are deeper than anything she felt for Halden.
Kane Ravenwood: Though absent, his influence is felt. His honesty the previous night has shifted Arwen’s trust, and his anger at Halden’s betrayal—on her behalf—resonates with her.
Mari’s Spell: The cloaking spell has not worn off, implying Briar’s amulet or Mari’s magic is unusually potent. This detail may prove important later.

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

Sacrifice and Desperation: Arwen risks punishment, injury, and even her life for the chance to heal her mother. The eclipse symbolizes an urgent, limited window of opportunity.
Facing Fears Alone: The Shadow Woods represent the unknown and danger. Arwen must confront them without Kane or any trained fighter at her side.
Resourcefulness: Arwen uses a horse decoy, exploits knowledge about chimeras, and relies on the lingering cloaking spell. She is learning to think on her feet.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 20 marks a turning point where Arwen stops relying on others and takes a major risk on her own. It sets up the climax of the burrowroot quest, her first real test of courage outside the castle, and deepens her emotional break from her past life in Amber. The cliffhanger with the chimeras raises the stakes for the next chapter.

Study Questions & Answers

1. Why does Arwen feel guilty at the start of the chapter?
She helped Halden escape from the dungeon, which is treason. Although Kane did not punish her, she wrestles with the moral weight of her actions and wonders how much Halden knew about his brother Gareth’s plan to sell Evendell to Lazarus.

2. How does Arwen manage to get past the North Gate guards?
She first creates a diversion by slapping the horse’s hindquarters so the guards chase the spooked animal. Then she runs for the gate, trips on a spike trap, but the remaining guard does not see her because Mari’s cloaking spell is still active. She escapes through the gate unnoticed.

3. What threat does Arwen find waiting at the oak tree in the clearing?
Two chimeras—lionlike creatures with fangs and claws—are feasting on a deer carcass directly over the roots of the oak tree where the burrowroot will bloom. Arwen must lure them away to access the plant.