Chapter 28: We Must Practice — Matilda
⚠️ 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
Matilda descends the tower with Vincent, their hands clasped to rehearse appearing as longtime lovers. Vincent fears his people will not believe the marriage without visible history. They discuss the unnaturalness of their touches and agree to practice until the gestures feel instinctive. Crossing the rain-soaked courtyard, they meet Edric, who escorts them to the Rye Gate. Vincent orders Edric to stay with Nathaniel in case the parley turns violent. Inside the bridge’s first tower, Vincent explains the three sections—Rye, Maiden, and Fury. They pass through Maiden Tower, where Matilda senses enchantment from the under realm. Vincent shares a childhood memory: his uncle Grimald tied ropes to him and his brothers and threw them into the river to learn swimming. At Fury Tower, Knight Hyacinthe greets them. Vincent commands his guards not to retaliate even if the baron strikes him. Matilda removes her belt to conceal her divinity, and Vincent asks her to protect Nathaniel if he should die. She agrees. They step onto Fury Bridge as bride and groom.
Key Events
- Matilda and Vincent practice holding hands while descending the tower stairs.
- Vincent admits the hardest part of the ruse will be making touches feel natural.
- Edric meets them in the colonnade and explains the history of Rye Gate.
- Vincent instructs Edric to remain with his brother Nathaniel.
- The couple passes through Rye, Maiden, and Fury towers.
- Matilda notices Maiden Tower is enchanted by the under realm’s ley lines.
- Vincent recounts how Grimald forced him and his brothers to swim in the river.
- Hyacinthe, a knight, greets them at Fury Tower with congratulations.
- Vincent gives orders to his knights: do not engage in conflict, do not raise the gate.
- Matilda removes her belt to appear mortal.
- Vincent asks Matilda to protect Nathaniel if he is killed; she promises.
- They exit onto Fury Bridge together.
Character Development
- Matilda reveals a deep discomfort with being touched—a survival habit she calls her “fault line.” Yet she willingly adapts to the ruse, hides her identity, and promises to safeguard Nathaniel, showing her commitment to Vincent’s cause.
- Vincent exposes a traumatic childhood memory: his uncle throwing him into rapids to teach swimming, revealing Grimald’s cruelty and Vincent’s lasting sense of inadequacy. His deepest fear is losing his last surviving brother, Nathaniel.
- Edric behaves as a loyal, fatherly figure, showing affection for Vincent and concern for the parley’s outcome.
- Hyacinthe (new) presents as a composed, professional knight, accepting the sudden marriage without overt suspicion.
- Grimald (off-page) is depicted as a harsh, manipulative figure through Vincent’s anecdote and Matilda’s memory of his rough hands.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Practice and Performance – The chapter centers on rehearsing intimacy. Vincent and Matilda must turn false affection into natural habit, highlighting the artificiality of their political alliance.
- Bridges as Thresholds – The three towers (Rye, Maiden, Fury) mark progress toward a dangerous confrontation. Each step brings them closer to Grimald and the climax of the parley.
- Identity Concealment – Matilda hides her belt and her divine nature to gain a tactical edge, sacrificing a source of power for the mission’s success.
- Water and Drowning – Vincent’s swimming trauma symbolizes his family’s harshness and his fear of being overwhelmed. Matilda now understands his nightmares of drowning.
- Under Realm Magic – Maiden Tower’s enchantment illustrates how mortal structures absorb power from the underworld, blurring the line between realms.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter sets the stage for the impending parley with Grimald. It establishes the emotional and tactical stakes: Vincent’s life, Nathaniel’s safety, and the success of their deception. By exploring Vincent’s childhood wounds and Matilda’s discomfort with trust, it deepens their partnership. The detailed bridge geography and its magical undercurrents foreshadow future conflicts involving the under realm. The practice of touching becomes a literal and metaphorical rehearsal for the dangerous performance ahead.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Vincent insist that he and Matilda must practice touching?
Vincent believes his people—especially his uncle—will never accept a sudden marriage unless the couple appears to have a long history. Their touches must look confident and natural, as if they have touched each other many times before. -
What does Matilda’s removal of her belt symbolize in this scene?
It symbolizes her willingness to hide her divine power and identity to pass as a mortal woman. The belt is a source of her strength, and setting it aside shows her commitment to Vincent’s strategy, even at personal risk. -
How does Vincent’s childhood memory of swimming lessons reveal his relationship with his uncle?
The memory shows Grimald’s cruelty—tying ropes to boys and throwing them into dangerous rapids—and Vincent’s feeling of being weaker than his brothers. It reveals a pattern of harsh discipline and emotional damage that still affects Vincent’s confidence.