Chapter 62 Summary: Gideon's Perspective

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

Return to the book hub if you need to catch up.

Previous chapter · Next chapter

Summary

The chapter opens with Gideon returning to the table where Antonio and Bart are quietly discussing their fledgling plan. Bart remains skeptical but, encouraged by Antonio, begins listing potential allies—aristocrats who might sympathize with their cause. Gideon sits apart, unable to focus. His thoughts are consumed by Rune's distant behavior: she flinched at his touch, avoided his gaze, and walked out mid-conversation. He notices her torn bodice and is certain Soren hurt her, though he doesn't know how far it went. His mind spirals into dark possibilities, and he feels a surge of rage at the thought of Rune at anyone's mercy.

When Bart leaves, Antonio asks Gideon what's wrong. Gideon admits he was too harsh with Rune and fears someone broke her. Antonio offers a blunt truth: Gideon can't put her back together—only she can do that. Gideon worries he might lose her in the meantime. Antonio counsels patience and suggests Gideon try trust instead of fear, both in Rune and in himself. Gideon finds the conversation unhelpful, so Antonio offers a sleeping draught to ease his physical pain and give him clear-sightedness. Gideon accepts, knowing he'll need all his wits to face two armies—Cressida's and the Good Commander's.

The next morning, Gideon wakes to warm sunlight and the lingering smell of Rune on the pillows. He reaches for her, but the bed is empty and cold. He realizes he dreamed of her: Rune slipping into his room, sitting in the armchair, brushing his hair from his face. In the dream, he pulled her under the covers and curled around her, feeling her chilled skin. But it was only a dream—he can't touch Rune because of Cressida's curse. He banishes the images and dresses.

Descending to the salon, he hears Harrow's voice demanding to speak with him. She stands across from Antonio, her golden eyes landing on Gideon. Harrow flinches when Gideon asks if she's come to turn him in. She explains that the Blood Guard are rudderless without him; they're sitting ducks against Cressida's forces. She asks him to return, noting his bruised wrists and the welt on her cheek. Gideon refuses, saying he's no longer in the business of slaughtering witches. Harrow warns that if he doesn't return, they'll be slaughtered by the very witches he's now fond of.

A flurry at the front entrance interrupts them. Seraphine Oakes enters, saying a spell told her to come to this house. She asks if Rune is all right. Harrow, seeing Seraphine and then Juniper Huynh behind her, seizes Gideon's gun and points it at Juniper. Harrow reveals that Juniper's parents locked her in a cellar and left her to starve, and Juniper let them. Harrow demands a reason not to shoot. Juniper doesn't defend herself. Gideon tries to intervene, but Harrow draws a knife and forces him back.

Rune steps in front of Juniper, shielding her. She tells Harrow that if it weren't for Juniper, Harrow would be dead—Juniper all but forced Rune to break Harrow out of prison. Rune declares that Harrow owes Juniper her life. Harrow accuses Rune of lying, but Rune retorts that clearly Harrow didn't deserve the rescue. To Gideon's surprise, Harrow lowers both weapons, though he can't tell if it's because she believes Rune or feels indebted.

Bart enters in a baby blue robe and invites everyone to breakfast. Antonio steps forward, asking for weapons to be surrendered at the door. Harrow slams the gun and knife into his hands before following Bart to the gardens, avoiding Juniper's gaze. Gideon hangs back, trying to catch Rune's eye, but she's already talking with Seraphine and doesn't acknowledge him. As he follows the group outside, he notices a red mark on the back of Rune's neck—a freshly healed scar—and wonders how she came by it.

Key Events

Gideon returns to the planning table but is mentally elsewhere, fixated on Rune's distress.
Antonio advises Gideon to trust Rune and himself, and offers a sleeping draught.
Gideon dreams vividly of Rune visiting him, but wakes to an empty bed.
Harrow arrives to ask Gideon to return to the Blood Guard; he refuses.
Seraphine Oakes and Juniper Huynh arrive, triggering a confrontation with Harrow.
Harrow seizes Gideon's gun and threatens Juniper, but Rune steps in to protect her.
Rune reveals that Juniper forced her to break Harrow out of prison, making Harrow indebted to Juniper.
Harrow lowers her weapons, and Bart invites everyone to breakfast.
Antonio collects Harrow's weapons, and Gideon notices a fresh scar on Rune's neck.

Character Development

Gideon is caught between his protective instincts and his inability to act. His fear that he was too harsh with Rune and his dread that he can't heal her show a vulnerability he rarely displays. Antonio's advice—to trust rather than fear—challenges Gideon's usual approach of taking action. His dream of Rune underscores his longing and the curse that prevents physical closeness. His refusal to return to the Blood Guard marks a definitive break from his past, even as Harrow's plea tempts him with duty.

Antonio emerges as a quiet voice of wisdom. He doesn't offer easy comfort but tells Gideon the truth: only Rune can heal herself. His suggestion to trust rather than fear is a subtle lesson that Gideon needs to hear. Antonio's calm handling of the weapons surrender shows his diplomatic skill, and his silent exchange with Seraphine hints at a deeper connection or history.

Rune demonstrates fierce loyalty and courage. She steps in front of Juniper without hesitation, facing down Harrow's gun. Her revelation that she broke Harrow out of prison—at Juniper's insistence—adds a new layer to her character: she has been acting behind the scenes, making difficult choices. Her refusal to acknowledge Gideon afterward suggests she's still guarding herself, and the fresh scar on her neck hints at hidden wounds.

Harrow is a study in conflict. She's desperate to save her soldiers, yet her hatred for Juniper nearly overrides her reason. Her flinch when Gideon mentions turning him in shows she's not entirely comfortable with her mission. When Rune reveals the debt, Harrow lowers her weapons—perhaps out of belief, perhaps out of obligation—but she avoids looking at Juniper, leaving her feelings unresolved.

Juniper remains quiet and passive, offering no defense when Harrow threatens her. Her role as the one who forced Rune to rescue Harrow complicates the narrative: she's both the cause of Harrow's imprisonment and the reason Harrow is alive.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Trauma and healing are central. Gideon's fear that Rune is broken and his inability to fix her reflect the novel's exploration of how trauma shapes people. Antonio's line that only Rune can heal herself reinforces the idea that recovery is an internal process, not something another person can impose.

Fear vs. trust is a direct thematic thread. Gideon accuses Rune of being afraid, but Antonio turns the mirror back on him, suggesting Gideon's own fear is driving his actions. The chapter argues that trust—in oneself and in others—is the antidote to fear.

Love and patience appear in Antonio's counsel. He tells Gideon that love is patient, implying that rushing to fix or protect someone can be a form of control rather than care. Gideon's dream of touching Rune, which he can't do in reality, underscores the patience required by the curse.

Hidden wounds are symbolized by the fresh scar on Rune's neck. It's a physical mark that Gideon doesn't understand, suggesting that Rune carries injuries—both physical and emotional—that she hasn't revealed. The scar also connects to the idea that healing leaves traces.

Enemies at a peace table is a motif that runs through the chapter. Bart's invitation to breakfast brings together witch hunters, witches, and former enemies in one space. The tension between Harrow and Juniper, and the silent exchange between Antonio and Seraphine, show how fragile any truce is.

Debt and gratitude are explored through Harrow's reaction to Rune's revelation. Harrow owes her life to Juniper, yet she can't forgive her. The chapter questions whether gratitude can override past wrongs.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the novel's political and emotional landscape. It brings together characters who are natural enemies—Gideon, a former witch hunter; Harrow, his loyal subordinate; Seraphine, a witch; and Juniper, a witch with a complicated history—into a single domestic space. The breakfast invitation is a fragile attempt at peace, but the underlying tensions suggest it won't hold.

The chapter also deepens Rune's character by revealing her secret role in Harrow's escape. This act, done at Juniper's insistence, shows that Rune has been making sacrifices and forming alliances outside Gideon's knowledge. The fresh scar on her neck hints at further hidden actions, setting up future revelations.

For Gideon, the chapter forces him to confront his own limitations. Antonio's advice about trust and patience challenges his instinct to protect and control. His dream of Rune, which he can't act on because of the curse, emphasizes the distance between them. The chapter ends with Gideon noticing the scar, a symbol of the secrets that still separate them.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Antonio tell Gideon that he can't put Rune back together, and what does this reveal about the novel's view of healing?

Antonio's statement reflects the theme that trauma and healing are deeply personal processes. He implies that no one else can fix another person's emotional wounds; the individual must do that work themselves. This aligns with the novel's broader exploration of how characters like Rune and Gideon each carry their own scars and must find their own paths to recovery. Antonio's advice also challenges Gideon's tendency to take action, suggesting that sometimes the most loving thing is to trust and wait.

2. How does Rune's intervention in the confrontation with Harrow change the power dynamics between the characters?

Rune steps in front of Juniper, physically shielding her from Harrow's gun. By revealing that Juniper forced her to break Harrow out of prison, Rune reframes the situation: Juniper is not Harrow's enemy but her savior. This revelation forces Harrow to lower her weapons, creating a temporary truce. It also shows that Rune has been making decisions and forming alliances that Gideon didn't know about, shifting her from a passive victim to an active agent in the plot.

3. What does Gideon's dream of Rune reveal about his emotional state and the curse's impact on their relationship?

The dream is vivid and intimate—Rune visits him, touches him, and he curls around her. But he wakes to an empty bed, and the narrative reminds us that he can't touch Rune because of Cressida's curse. The dream highlights Gideon's longing for closeness and his frustration at the physical barrier between them. It also underscores the theme of fear vs. trust: Gideon's fear of losing Rune is so strong that his subconscious conjures a false reality. The dream serves as a painful reminder of what he can't have, deepening his internal conflict.

Previous chapter · Next chapter · Back to the book hub