Chapter 40: Rune — Summary, Themes, and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Chapter 42: Forty. Rune — Rune returns to Thornwood Hall after the palace dinner, where she faces both a personal loss and the practical realities of a prison break.
Summary
The chapter opens in a carriage leaving the palace, with Verity openly skeptical of Rune's performance at dinner. Verity accuses Rune of acting well enough for the Royal Theater and questions whether Rune is genuinely smitten with Gideon Sharpe, the Blood Guard captain who hunts witches. Rune insists she is only letting Gideon court her to steal intelligence, but when Verity asks how much intel she has actually gathered, Rune has no good answer. The only information Gideon has given her so far has been bad information. Rune deflects, claiming she needs to wear down his defenses until he trusts her completely. Verity, though not truly angry at Rune, is frustrated at the people trying to hurt her. Rune changes the subject and asks about Seraphine; Verity confirms the witch was returned to her cell.
They arrive at Thornwood Hall, Alex's stone house nestled in a forest. Rune notes the turrets and candlelit windows, which give her the impression of eyes watching her approach. Inside, piano music drifts through the halls. Verity heads to the kitchens for refreshments while Rune follows the sound to the conservatory.
Rune pauses at the door, watching Alex play. She reflects on her two years of being hunted by the Blood Guard, and the unsettling new realization that a witch may have tried to kill her with spellfire. The thought rattles her. She lets herself briefly imagine accepting Alex's offer to leave for Caelis, where she could live without fear and be herself. But she rejects the fantasy: she has a duty in the New Republic. Witches are still being hauled to prison and purged, and she owes it to her grandmother to save them. Saving girls is the only way to make Nan's death meaningful.
Alex's playing stumbles when he notices her. He asks what happened, and Rune explains it is a long story. He makes room for her on the piano bench and resumes playing. She compliments his playing, comparing it favorably to Gideon's. Alex closes the fallboard and shows her the deed to a house in Caelis. He has bought it and plans to put Thornwood Hall up for sale the next day. Rune hides her unhappiness, telling him she is happy for him, though internally she is devastated.
Rune reflects on how Alex has been her safe place since Nan died. He and Verity filled the hole in her life. Unlike Verity, who is a fire spurring her on, Alex is a cool spring, giving her rest and reminding her she is a girl with needs, not an invincible savior. She realizes she needs Alex more than he needs her, and that she has given him little in return. She decides the selfless thing is to let him go. She encourages his plans, telling him she wants him to finish his studies and become a world-famous composer. When she asks if he will visit, his hesitant answer—