Chapter 25 Summary, Analysis, and Key Takeaways

⚠️ 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 on the first day back at Foxfire after the Brumevale incident. Sophie's locker DNA sensor tastes awful—like sour milk mixed with pickle brine—and she scrapes her tongue in disgust. Dex, searching for candy to mask the flavor, can't find his stash. Biana appears suddenly, offering Fizzlers, and startles Sophie so badly she bumps her head on a jeweled dragon statue. Sandor and Lovise immediately draw weapons because Biana's bodyguard, Woltzer, hasn't arrived yet. Sophie explains that the Brumevale explosion has made everyone extra cautious, and she warns Biana not to ditch Woltzer.

Biana mentions that during orientation, students left a huge gap around her, likely because of the Neverseen's broadcast of the troll battle at Everglen. Sophie hadn't noticed, feeling guilty that she'd kept her head down. They discuss their longer class sessions: Sophie has elementalism, Biana has elvin history, and Dex has multispeciesial studies. Sophie reveals that the note she left for Magnate Leto (Forkle) worked, though she doesn't elaborate. Biana apologizes for ambushing Sophie earlier, and Sophie accepts, though she's still uneasy.

Sophie's internal monologue turns dark: she realizes that ending the Neverseen will require death, not just imprisonment, since Vespera, Gisela, and Gethen have all escaped before. She's been practicing with Ro and wears a bark holster made by Flori, but she left her dagger, Hope, in her room because bringing a weapon to school felt wrong. She's trying to get used to the holster's feel.

Biana notes that Keefe isn't at school, which sends Sophie into a spiral of thoughts about Keefe and Fitz. She worries about seeing Fitz in their joint telepathy session and whether he'll sense her conflicted feelings. Her anxiety builds until she accidentally shouts