Chapter 19 Summary: Gideon

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

Summary

The chapter opens with Gideon Sharpe lost in a memory from years ago. He recalls his first encounter with Cressida Roseblood, one of the witch queens, when he accompanied his mother to the palace to deliver a dress. While his mother negotiated a contract with the two eldest queens, Gideon waited in the hall, aware that the outcome would determine whether the Sharpe Duet would become the official dressmakers for the royal family—a position that would secure a comfortable salary for his brothers and change their family's fortunes.

As he stood against the wall, Cressida walked by with her handmaidens. Struck by her ivory hair, bright blue eyes, and slender frame, Gideon did a double take. She noticed him, stopped, and approached, asking his name and engaging him in conversation. He was flattered by her attention and surprised to be treated as an equal. When his mother emerged, dazed but triumphant, having signed the contract, Cressida hinted they would see more of each other. Gideon remembers the thrill he felt at those words.

Their courtship began slowly. Once the Sharpe family moved into the palace, Cressida invited him on garden walks and horseback rides along the shore. They shared breakfasts on her terrace and traded kisses in empty rooms. It felt like a dream—too good to be true. And it was.

The memory breaks when Rune Winters' voice pulls Gideon back to the present. For a moment, he sees Cressida standing on the measuring block instead of Rune, watching him like a lioness. His heart hammers, and he instinctively steps back when Rune approaches. She senses his distress but doesn't understand it. Gideon apologizes, saying he'd rather not discuss what he was thinking. He realizes he's told Rune more than he should—she's the queen of gossip and could ruin his reputation with a whisper.

Rune is shivering in her underwear, so Gideon retrieves a woolen blanket his mother used on cold nights and wraps it around her shoulders. He continues taking measurements, bending down to check her legs for any silvery casting scars—the marks that would identify her as the Moth. He finds none. Her legs are smooth and perfect, and he has trouble tearing his eyes away. He begins to doubt that Rune is the Moth; her willingness to stand half-naked before him seems proof she has nothing to hide.

After recording her height, Rune notices his mother's sketchbooks on a shelf. She asks to see them, and Gideon agrees. She carries them to the worktable, sits on a stool, and flips through the pages with awe and reverence. Gideon brings a lamp closer and sits across from her, but he immediately realizes his mistake: from that angle, he has a clear view of her bralette. He forces his gaze to her throat instead.

He thinks about the situation. If Rune is the Moth, this courtship—if it can be called that—will end with him arresting her and sending her to the purge. If she isn't, he'll step aside and hope his brother Levi finally works up the courage to pursue her. Either way, he and Rune can never be together. He reminds himself of the lesson he learned from Cressida: don't be drawn in by a witch.

When Rune catches him staring, she closes the sketchbook and rises. She returns the blanket, then hoists herself onto the table beside him, letting her legs dangle. She picks up the notebook with her measurements and admires the dress he designed for her, tracing the lines with her fingers. Gideon feels a warmth spreading through him, thawing his icy heart, and he dislikes how good it feels to please her.

Rune invites him to a quiet beach near Wintersea House that afternoon, but Gideon declines, saying he has to work. To soften the rejection, he mentions he might get off early after an evening transfer. She asks about it, and he reveals he and Laila are transferring a witch from the old mine near Seldom Harbor to the palace prison. Rune's expression shifts, and she suggests a masked ball at the Creeds' that night instead. Gideon agrees to try to meet her there. She thanks him for the dress, her nose grazing his cheekbone, and leaves. He decides not to watch her dress, choosing to tidy up instead.

Key Events

• Gideon recalls his first meeting with Cressida Roseblood and the courtship that followed, which ended badly.

• In the present, Gideon measures Rune for a dress and briefly mistakes her for Cressida.

• He gives Rune a woolen blanket and checks her legs for casting scars, finding none, which makes him doubt she is the Moth.

• Rune asks to see his mother's sketchbooks and examines them with reverence.

• Gideon struggles with his attraction and his internal vow to arrest Rune if she is the Moth, or step aside for his brother if she isn't.

• Rune returns the blanket, sits on the table, and admires his dress design.

• She invites him to a beach, but he declines, mentioning the witch transfer.

• She suggests a masked ball at the Creeds' that evening, and he agrees to try to meet her.

Character Development

Gideon Sharpe

This chapter deepens Gideon's internal conflict. His memory of Cressida reveals a painful past: he was once seduced by a witch queen, and the experience left him wary and ashamed. He carries that trauma into his present interactions with Rune, seeing her as a potential threat. His instinctive step back when Rune approaches shows his lingering fear. Yet his actions betray his growing attraction—he gives her his mother's blanket, watches her with barely concealed desire, and feels a thaw in his icy heart when she appreciates his work. His internal monologue reveals his sense of duty: he is committed to arresting the Moth if she is Rune, and to stepping aside for his brother if she isn't. This duty clashes with his desire, and he struggles to keep his hands off her. His decision to keep his gaze on her throat rather than her body shows his attempt at self-control, but his thoughts betray him.

Rune Winters

Rune appears bold and unbothered by her near-nakedness, treating the measuring session as natural. She is curious and appreciative of the Sharpe family's craft, showing a softer, almost innocent side as she pores over the sketchbooks. She is also perceptive, sensing Gideon's distress and offering to talk, though he declines. Her invitation to the beach and then the masked ball suggests she is actively pursuing a connection, using the courtship as a cover for her own purposes—likely related to her secret identity as the Moth. Her reaction to the mention of the witch transfer hints at her hidden agenda, though she keeps it veiled.

Cressida Roseblood (in memory)

Though dead, Cressida's memory looms large. She is portrayed as a manipulative seductress who used her beauty and charm to draw Gideon in, only to betray him. Her role in the chapter serves as a warning and a mirror for Rune, making Gideon question whether he is repeating the same mistake.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

• Mutual Attraction and Forbidden Love: The chapter is steeped in tension between Gideon and Rune. Their physical proximity and the intimate setting of the measuring session amplify their attraction, but the knowledge that Rune might be the Moth—and that Gideon's duty requires him to arrest her—makes their connection forbidden.

• Class Divide: Gideon's memory of Cressida highlights the power imbalance between the Sharpe family and the witch queens. He was flattered to be treated as an equal, but the relationship ultimately proved destructive. The same dynamic echoes with Rune, who is of higher social standing, and Gideon's brother's words—