Over the weeks following, Jan becomes increasingly frustrated with Kaine’s lack of information. Helena continues meeting with him, glad to be spending more time together again. Kaine opens up to Helena more, too, particularly about his mother. They also continue their animancy training. During one session, Helena gets upset with Kaine for being too aggressive, reiterating that she isn’t like him.

As the war progresses, the Resistance seeks out weaponry to fight the Undying. Kaine becomes increasingly worried that Helena doesn’t have the appropriate weaponry for herself. They get into another disagreement. Helena wants to satisfy Jan and Ilva’s task but knows she’ll never be able to defeat Kaine. When she meets with her overseers again, they scold her for abusing her position and compromising herself by getting too close to Kaine.

Helena asks Shiseo for help testing her resonance. She wants to ascertain what her weapon alloy is to find the appropriate weapon for herself. He suggests nickel-titanium.

Meanwhile, Helena becomes increasingly isolated. She isn’t allowed to use the lab anymore. She relies on her meetings with Kaine.

Then one day, the attack alarm sounds. During an ambush, Lila was captured. Luc is devastated. They bring the wounded into the hospital, terrified they’ve been poisoned with lumithium. Lila is finally rescued.

Ilva and Jan call a meeting after Lila’s rescue. They accuse Luc of abandoning his troops to save Lila, reminding him he is a “symbol of hope and light” for the Resistance (512).

Helena checks in with Kaine, updating him on everything that’s happened. They discuss the war, and Helena interrogates his reasons for helping the Resistance. He dismisses the question, but promises to stay alive for her.

Helena tends to more of Kaine’s wounds. This time, she performs an alchemical surgery to extract dangerous alloys from his body. She is desperate to save his life even when she feels frustrated with him. They have conversations about the history of his family, the Guild Assembly, and the Undying.

As a solstice gift, Kaine gives Helena a new set of daggers. He insists she wear them whenever they meet up.

In their next meeting, Ilva asks Helena what she knows about lumithium. They are using the shards Helena extracted from Kaine for their tests. Ilva also pressures Helena to divine how Morrough is still alive and what his secret weapon actually is. She reveals that she knows Morrough has been experimenting on Kaine and that she and Jan wanted Helena to let him die. However, Helena’s healing offered them more information. She used the sunstone amulet to save his life.

Ilva pivots to the Stone of the Heavens myth, revealing that the Stone is real and that Helena is one of the only people it has ever responded to. The Stone gives people the power to access others’ souls. It was once loyal to the Necromancer and let him perform alchemical miracles. He used his power to win followers, but then killed and reanimated them—extracting their souls and compacting them into the stone. During a subsequent battle with Orion, the Stone’s loyalty changed. Orion lied about the Stone’s real power to rob people of their souls. Without the Stone, no one can win the battle. Luc doesn’t know the truth and thinks he can win the war alone. In reality, he has no chance.

Helena is furious with these lies and makes a deal with Ilva. She promises to fully secure Kaine’s loyalty.

At a solstice party, Helena is shocked to hear everyone talking about the end of the war. Many people also allude to Helena having been sick—a rumor Ilva and Jan spread to discredit her should she try revealing their plans. Luc finds Helena. He expresses his affection for her and urges her to spend the evening with him and their friends. He thinks their relationships will be especially important when the war is over. Frustrated and overwhelmed, Helena insists they can’t be friends anymore as she isn’t the girl she used to be. She dismisses herself.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Helena races to Kaine’s side. He comforts her but warns her about blowing his cover and endangering herself.

Kaine continues training Helena. During one session, Helena is surprised by Kaine’s good mood. Their sparring leads to a heated conversation and a passionate embrace. Helena is overcome with desire, and they have sex. Lying in his arms afterwards, Helena feels guilty. She has accomplished her mission of seducing Kaine but worries about using him. Their post-coital conversation turns to Kaine’s mother, the pain he’s suffered, and his frustration with his own cold-heartedness. Helena expresses her grief on his behalf.

During their next encounter, Helena and Kaine discuss their feelings for each other and what Jan wants from Kaine. Helena knows she’s supposed to use him to get to the Stone but doesn’t care about this mission.

Helena reports to Jan. She informs him that Kaine is now loyal to their cause and will do anything Jan asks. Jan expresses surprised excitement.

Jan arranges for Helena to see Kaine only once a week. They continue training, but Kaine is distant. After one session, Helena returns to the outpost and learns that Lila and Soren are badly wounded and Luc is missing. Helena does everything in her power to heal them while waiting for news of Luc. No one is sure why the Undying haven’t revealed that Luc is in their custody. The group decides to locate the Undying’s prison and seek out Luc. Helena, Jan, Soren, and Purnell are among those placed on the mission.

Helena and her companions head out in search of the prison. They’re greeted by the prison warden, Wagner, who leads them inside. There, they spot Atreus—Kaine’s father, who was presumed dead—and Luc. Luc looks ravaged, and Helena desperately tries to free him. The companions work together to escape. Meanwhile, Helena’s ring burns. A fight ensues on their way out, and Soren is killed. Kaine eventually appears and comes to Helena and her friends’ aid. She marvels at his power.

Later on, Helena and Kaine discuss what happened. Helena realizes he is afraid of losing her because of what happened to Enid Ferron. They express their affection for each other and kiss.

Helena, Kaine, and their companions race to a boat to escape with a waning Luc. On the boat, Helena realizes Soren is dead and grieves. Luc then discovers that Helena tried to reanimate Soren, which led to his death. He blames her for failing to save him.

Back at headquarters, Luc’s anger only worsens. He raves whenever he sees Helena. She fears he’ll never forgive her. Her mind is suddenly overcome by flashes of memories; she realizes Soren’s memories went into her when she tried reanimating him. She goes to Kaine, who explains this can happen with necromancy sometimes. They have a conversation about what they want and how they feel about each other. Then they kiss and have sex. Afterwards, Kaine reminds Helena that she deserves happiness and love.