Chapter 30: Rune — Summary 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.

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Summary

Rune and Gideon disembark onto a rain-slick wharf in the New Republic. Rune has cast Ghost Walker to avoid detection, a precaution Gideon himself suggested. The moment her feet touch the island, Rune feels a profound sense of relief—like a ship dropping anchor after months at sea. The familiar smells of sea, rain, lichen, and juniper bring tears to her eyes. But she knows this is witch-hunting territory, and her life is forfeit if she's recognized.

Rune asks to borrow Gideon's horse so she can ride to Wintersea House, her former home. She needs to get there desperately, thinking it's the one safe place left. Gideon stops her with the news that Noah Creed, the Good Commander's son, claimed Wintersea after she fled. Rune is stunned. All her belongings—her books, her casting room, her horse Lady, Nan's gardens—now belong to Noah. She has nowhere to go. Gideon offers his apartment in Old Town, and with no other option, she follows him.

Inside the tenement building, Rune is flooded with memories. This is the same place where Gideon once handed her over to the Blood Guard, and where they made love in his bed. The apartment is sparsely furnished but sturdy, with a small kitchen, a worn sofa, and shelves of books. Rune notices a small wooden deer figurine and picks it up. Gideon explains it was his sister Tessa's, carved by their father. Rune knows little about Tessa except that she was killed by Cressida. The figurine feels warm, and Rune sees traces of Levi Sharpe's craftsmanship—evidence of a father's love. She wonders what it would be like to have a family like Gideon's, and the loneliness she's carried for years suddenly catches up with her.

Gideon says he's going to shower and then report to the Commander. He offers to cook dinner, noting that Rune doesn't know how to cook. She defensively says she had servants for that, but then realizes she has nothing now. Gideon leaves her alone.

Moments later, there's a loud pounding at the door. Rune looks out and sees half a dozen Blood Guard soldiers in red uniforms. She fears they've come for her, but Gideon insists they're there for him. He helps her climb onto the roof through a window, handing up her suitcase, and tells her to stay there until he returns. If he doesn't return, she's on her own. He swings the window shut.

From the rooftop, Rune watches as two soldiers bring Gideon out with his hands bound and force him onto a horse, riding toward the palace. The remaining soldiers search the apartment and then leave. Rune presses her back against a chimney, catching her breath. She feels a roughness under her palm and discovers three names scratched into the tiles: Tessa, Alex, and Gideon. The Sharpe siblings must have played up here as children. Rune traces the names, lingering on Gideon's, wondering what trouble he's in and whether she'll have to rescue him.

Key Events

Rune and Gideon arrive in the New Republic; Rune uses Ghost Walker to stay hidden.
Rune learns that Noah Creed has taken over Wintersea House, leaving her homeless.
Rune accompanies Gideon to his apartment in Old Town, where she finds a wooden deer figurine that belonged to his sister Tessa.
Gideon reveals he plans to report to the Commander and offers to cook dinner, highlighting Rune's lack of domestic skills.
Blood Guard soldiers arrive and arrest Gideon, but not before he helps Rune escape to the rooftop.
Rune hides on the roof, watches Gideon being taken away, and discovers the names Tessa, Alex, and Gideon scratched into the tiles.

Character Development

Rune is stripped of her last vestiges of security. The loss of Wintersea House is a devastating blow, erasing her physical connection to Nan and her past. Her reaction—clenching her fists, whispering “Where am I going to go?”—shows how deeply her identity is tied to place. Yet she also demonstrates resilience, following Gideon's instructions and hiding on the roof without protest. Her curiosity about the deer figurine reveals a longing for family and normalcy she never had. The loneliness that “sinks its teeth” into her is a raw, vulnerable moment, contrasting with her usual fierce independence.

Gideon acts as both protector and enigma. He warns Rune about Wintersea, offers his apartment, and ensures her safety when the soldiers arrive. His knowledge of the rooftop hiding spot—from childhood games—shows a practical, caring side. But his arrest is ambiguous: he says the soldiers are there for him because of what he didn't do, leaving Rune (and the reader) uncertain of his loyalties. His final words, “Then you're on your own,” are both a warning and a measure of his own precarious situation.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Home and displacement: Rune's sense of home is shattered when she learns Wintersea is lost. The wharf feels like “home” but is also a place of danger, highlighting the tension between belonging and safety.
Loss and dispossession: The seizure of Wintersea by Noah Creed represents the erasure of Rune's heritage and memories. Her list of lost items—books, casting room, horse, gardens—emphasizes the totality of her loss.
Trust and betrayal: Rune's internal monologue reveals her suspicion of Gideon (“Just like you'll take care of me, soon enough”), yet she has no choice but to trust him. His arrest complicates that trust, leaving her uncertain whether he is ally or pawn.
Memory and trauma: The apartment triggers visceral memories of both intimacy and betrayal. The deer figurine and the scratched names on the roof serve as physical markers of memory, connecting past and present.
Family and belonging: Rune's envy of Gideon's family—parents, siblings, a house full of life—underscores her own orphaned upbringing with Nan. The deer figurine, carved by a father for his daughter, becomes a symbol of the love she never had.
Artifacts as memory: The deer and the names on the tiles are tangible remnants of the Sharpe family's history. They carry emotional weight, allowing Rune to glimpse a world she's never known.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for Rune's circumstances. It strips away her last refuge (Wintersea) and forces her into a precarious hiding situation, dependent on a man she doesn't fully trust. Gideon's arrest introduces a new conflict and raises questions about his role in the larger plot. The rooftop scene, with the scratched names, deepens the Sharpe family backstory and gives Rune a tangible connection to Gideon's past. It also sets up the immediate question of whether Gideon will return, and what Rune will do if he doesn't—propelling the narrative forward.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Rune feel like she's “dropping anchor” when she steps onto the wharf, and how does this contrast with her actual situation?

Rune's relief at being on solid ground reflects her deep emotional need for stability and home. The sensory details—smells of sea, rain, lichen, juniper—trigger a sense of belonging. However, this feeling is immediately undercut by the reality that she is a fugitive in witch-hunting territory and has lost her home. The contrast highlights her displacement: the place that feels like home is also the most dangerous place for her.

2. What does the wooden deer figurine symbolize for Rune?

The deer represents the family love Rune never had. It was carved by Levi Sharpe for his daughter Tessa, and Rune sees in it evidence of a father's care. She contrasts this with her own childhood, where Nan bought her toys but no one made her anything. The figurine becomes a symbol of the warmth and belonging she craves, and it deepens her curiosity about Gideon's family.

3. How does Gideon's arrest change the power dynamic between him and Rune?

Up to this point, Gideon has been the one with knowledge and control—he knows about Wintersea, he offers shelter, and he orchestrates Rune's escape. His arrest flips that dynamic: Rune is now free on the roof, while Gideon is taken away in bonds. His final words, “Then you're on your own,” force Rune to consider acting independently. This shift sets up the possibility that Rune will have to rescue him, reversing their usual roles.