Chapter summaries Ruthless Vows Rebecca Ross

Chapter 5 Summary: Two Sides to Every Story

⚠️ 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 Iris writing a letter to Roman—whom she addresses as “Kitt”—in which she confesses that she has become “a girl made of regrets.” She wishes she had never let go of his hand on the hill, that she had refused to let the gas separate them, and that she had recognized her brother instead of mistaking him for Roman. The letter is typed on an ordinary machine; the magical link between her and Roman is broken, and she knows the letter will not reach him.

Forest returns home in the evening, rain-soaked, and immediately notices the smell of cigar smoke. Iris explains that her father-in-law visited, asking where Roman is. She told him Roman is not in Oath, but she did not mention Dacre. Forest bolts the door and sets out sandwiches. They eat in silence, both withdrawn. Forest reveals he has been interviewing for jobs and will not return to the horologist’s shop, because too many questions would follow. Iris tells him she is proud of him.

Iris then shares that Helena has asked her and Attie to return to the front. Forest objects strongly, arguing it is too dangerous and that he should have protected her. He warns that Dacre likely has Roman close, healing his wounds and stripping away all his connections—his family, his life in Oath, his dreams, and even Iris herself—so that Roman will not remember her. Iris protests that she does not think Roman would forget, but Forest insists he knows more about this than she does. Frustrated, Iris cries out that Forest gives her only bits and pieces of the truth. The conversation ends when Forest retreats to their mother’s old room.

That night, Iris is woken by the sound of a lone violin. She finds her mother, Aster, sitting in the living room, listening to music on a radio that Iris thought was lost. Aster seems at peace, and Iris joins her. But when Iris reaches for the radio, her fingers pass through it, and the music turns dissonant. Aster begins to fade, and Iris screams, trying to hold her. She wakes to find Forest at her bedside, telling her it was only a dream. It is the first time she has dreamt in weeks.

The next morning, Iris oversleeps and rushes to work. On the tram, she notices an unusual silence—no one is conversing or laughing. When she reaches the Inkridden Tribune building, she finds the words “Where are you, Enva?” painted in bright red over the lobby doors. Inside, the office is still and solemn. Helena stands in the center, reading a newspaper. She hands Iris the front page of the Oath Gazette. The headline reads: “DACRE SAVES HUNDREDS OF WOUNDED IN AVALON BLUFF” by Roman C. Kitt. Iris reads Roman’s words, which argue that there are two sides to every story and present Dacre’s perspective on the war. Helena tells Iris, “Roman has turned on us.”

Key Events

  • Iris writes a letter to Roman expressing deep regret over their separation.

  • Forest returns home; Iris tells him about her father-in-law’s visit and that she did not mention Dacre.

  • Forest reveals he is job hunting and will not return to the horologist’s shop.

  • Iris tells Forest that Helena has asked her and Attie to return to the front; Forest objects.

  • Forest warns that Dacre is likely erasing Roman’s memories, including his memories of Iris.

  • Iris has a vivid dream of her mother listening to music; the dream dissolves and she wakes.

  • Graffiti reading “Where are you, Enva?” appears on the Tribune building.

  • Helena shows Iris a front-page Oath Gazette article by Roman that presents Dacre’s side of the war.

  • Helena concludes that Roman has turned against them.

Character Development

Iris is defined by regret in this chapter. Her letter to Roman is a catalogue of “what ifs”—she wishes she had stayed at his side, refused to let the gas separate them, and recognized her brother sooner. Her regret extends to her mother, as she recalls the hours Aster came home late and Iris did nothing. Iris is also torn between her duty as a war correspondent and her brother’s protective instincts. She stands her ground when Forest objects to her return to the front, insisting it is her job. Yet she is deeply shaken by Forest’s warning that Roman will not remember her, and her emotional outburst reveals how much she craves the full truth from her brother.

Forest is shown as scarred, both physically and emotionally. He touches his waist where three bullet holes tore through him, and Iris notes that he should be dead. He is protective of Iris, blaming himself for leaving her and their mother. His warning about Dacre erasing Roman’s memories is delivered with the authority of personal experience—he escaped Dacre’s clutches, and he knows how the god operates. Forest’s quiet apology the next morning, offering tea and a treacle biscuit, shows his softer side and his desire to mend the rift between them.

Roman does not appear in person, but his article reveals a dramatic shift. The headline—his name attached to a pro-Dacre story—suggests he has either been turned, coerced, or is playing a deeper game. The chapter leaves his true allegiance ambiguous, but Helena’s verdict is blunt: “Roman has turned on us.”

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Two sides to every story is the chapter’s central motif, stated explicitly in Roman’s article. The chapter itself dramatizes this idea: Iris and Forest each hold partial truths, and the war is presented through competing narratives—Enva’s call to enlist versus Dacre’s promise of healing. Roman’s article is propaganda, but it also raises the question of whose version of the war is trustworthy.

Memory and forgetting are explored through Forest’s warning that Dacre strips away connections—family, home, dreams, and love—to ensure loyalty. Iris’s fear that Roman will not remember her is the emotional core of the chapter. Her dream of her mother, which she cannot hold onto, mirrors this theme of fading memory.

Music as magic appears in Iris’s dream, where a lone violin brings her mother back to life, and in the backstory of Forest’s enlistment, which was triggered by Enva’s harp. Music is a conduit for truth and emotion, but it is also censored by the chancellor’s law, making it a symbol of resistance.

Dreams vs. reality is dramatized in Iris’s dream sequence, where comfort dissolves into loss. The dream is both a gift—her first in weeks—and a painful reminder of what she has lost.

War’s toll on families is evident in the Winnow household: Forest’s scars, Aster’s death, and Iris’s guilt. The chapter shows how war fractures not just bodies but relationships.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the novel. It establishes the central conflict of the second book: Roman appears to have switched sides, and Iris must decide whether to believe the evidence or trust her memory of him. Forest’s warning about Dacre erasing Roman’s memories raises the stakes, suggesting that even if Iris finds Roman, he may not recognize her. The chapter also deepens the theme of propaganda, showing how the war is fought not only with weapons but with words. Roman’s article is a powerful example of how narrative can be weaponized, and Iris—a journalist herself—must confront the reality that the man she loves is now writing for the enemy.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Iris write a letter to Roman even though the magical link between them is broken?

Iris writes because she needs to process her regret and maintain a connection to Roman, even if it is one-sided. She knows the letter will not reach him—she tests this by slipping it under her wardrobe door and finding it still there—but the act of writing is a form of hope and a way to cope with her grief.

2. What does Forest’s warning about Dacre erasing Roman’s memories reveal about Dacre’s methods?

Forest’s warning reveals that Dacre does not merely heal wounds; he also strips away a person’s identity and attachments. By erasing memories of family, home, and love, Dacre ensures loyalty and prevents escape. Forest speaks from experience, having escaped Dacre’s clutches himself, which gives his warning credibility.

3. How does Roman’s article complicate the reader’s understanding of his allegiance?

Roman’s article presents Dacre’s side of the war, framing it as a story of healing rather than destruction. The headline and byline make it appear that Roman has turned against Enva and the mortal cause. However, the chapter does not reveal Roman’s internal state—whether he is coerced, brainwashed, or acting strategically. This ambiguity forces the reader to question whether the article is genuine or a survival tactic.

Navigation

Published by What Happened?

How this guide was made Report an error