Basilisks can be killed by weasel scent. Tem suspects that a weasel has been set loose in the cave by the villagers, as part of their retaliation for Jonathan’s and Christopher’s deaths (the men killed by Caspen). Tem insists that Caspen stay safely in the chamber and rushes outside (because she is a hybreed, she will not be harmed by the weasel). Tem locates the weasel and kills it. Following Caspen’s telepathic instructions, she buries it in the forest. When she returns, she learns that 46 basilisks are dead.

The next day, the formal invitation arrives, confirming that Tem and Caspen are expected to stay at the castle the night before the wedding. Caspen says they must do as instructed, fulfilling their royal obligations. In the lead up to the wedding, Tem struggles with the immense grief of the basilisk colony. When she and Caspen arrive at the castle, Evelyn shows them to a room across the hall from Leo’s bedchamber. Then she invites Tem for a private conversation. Alone with Evelyn, Tem cannot resist asking how much Maximus gave her to abandon Leo. Evelyn openly admits to taking the bribe, leaving Tem appalled. She tells Evelyn to reveal the truth to Leo, threatening to do so herself. Evelyn points out that telling Leo now will only cause him additional anguish. Evelyn also counters that even if her own relationship with Leo dissolved, it would be too complicated and politically fraught for Leo and Tem to ever reunite.

Evelyn informs that once she is formally established as queen and Leo’s wife, she is going to force him to return to bloodletting and curtail any attempts at peace with the basilisks. Evelyn coldly references the letters Leo has been writing to Tem.

Evelyn reveals she found and read all of Leo’s unsent letters to Tem. Leo arrives, interrupting them. Tem tells him about the weasel attack and Evelyn callously suggests the bodies could be used for bloodletting. Tem urges Leo to apologize for the attack, since humans were behind it, but Evelyn disagrees. Leo tells Evelyn to leave and then departs himself.

Caspen and Tem enter the ballroom for the celebration. As they mingle, they run into Gabriel, who offers condolences for the weasel attack. He implies that Vera was involved in the attack, but that she received instructions from someone else. Before they can learn more, Leo makes a toast. A royal guest makes a rude comment about Leo’s last bride (Tem) and Leo defends her, accidentally referring to her as his wife. Evelyn drags Leo outside, while Caspen hurries Tem to their room.

Leo comes to their door and asks to speak with Tem alone. Caspen allows it. In his bedroom, Leo admits he is sad and confirms he can feel the crest’s bond. He begs Tem to order him not to marry Evelyn; she refuses to make the choice for him. However, she decides to tell him the truth: Maximus paid Evelyn to leave. Leo reveals he already suspected Evelyn’s mercenary nature and her desire to reinstate bloodletting. Angry at both women, he tells Tem to leave.

Tem returns to the caves alone and joins the basilisks preparing for the funeral. She stands with Apollo and Adelaide, holding their hands and sharing their collective grief while Caspen burns the bodies and casts the ashes into the lake. Afterward, she and Caspen reconcile and make love. Tem observes that she doesn’t even know if Leo went ahead and married Evelyn.

On the following Sunday, Caspen refuses to attend dinner, saying he will never forgive Leo. Tem travels to the castle alone and begs Leo to return with her to the basilisk caves. If Leo humbles himself by coming to the caves and apologizing for the attack, Caspen has promised not to retaliate. Leo agrees to go to the caves and Tem is impressed by his bravery.

Leo announces bloodletting will never be reinstated. He is determined to find a different way to finance his kingdom. When Tem asks about Evelyn, Leo reveals she left. Later, they travel together to the caves. When they undress together, both are intensely aroused. Before entering the caves, Tem promises to protect him.

Tem and Leo enter a basilisk council meeting, where Leo gives a sincere apology and reiterates his plan to finance the kingdom without bloodletting. The council seems receptive, but a Seneca basilisk diverts the conversation, claiming that the outcome of the tournament was not acceptable. They still want to claim Tem for the Seneca clan and argue that the attack reveals weak leadership on Caspen’s part. Through their telepathic conversation, Caspen warns Tem that Rowe has been growing more powerful since the tournament due to siphoning strength via Caspen’s wound.

The argument is interrupted when the ceiling cracks and begins collapsing. Caspen pulls Tem and Leo into the passageway and tells them they must have sex immediately. Consummating the crest will restore Tem’s full power, protecting her during the violent events that are beginning to unfold. Caspen admits that he knew an attempted coup from the Senecas was imminent and Tem realizes Caspen orchestrated Leo’s visit to the caves under the guise of wanting an apology. She reminds him that consummating the crest will trigger the blood bond curse, compelling him to kill her. Caspen seems strangely calm and claims there is another way, without revealing what he means.

Tem knows that Leo is dying and can’t bear the idea. Caspen leaves, promising he will return after the consummation.

Tem explains the dilemma to Leo: If they do not have sex he will die, but if they do, the blood bond curse will force Caspen to kill her. Despite her fear, she decides to trust Caspen’s claim that another way exists. She leads Leo to her chambers and they have passionate sex, consummating the crest. They confess their love and regrets. Tem’s full basilisk powers return, and she struggles to control her predatory urge to hurt Leo. She contacts Caspen mentally; he tells her to focus on what would happen if Leo died and to let her love for him be stronger than her desire to hurt him. Tem controls her instincts and they both climax.

Apollo pounds on the door, confirming the Seneca revolt is underway and that Rowe is coming to kill Tem and take her power. Tem tells Apollo about Caspen’s claim that there is another way but before he can explain, they sense Rowe’s approaching presence. Apollo tells Tem to flee but she refuses: She is the only one with the power to defeat Rowe. Apollo is panicked because Caspen is on the way back to the caves, propelled by the compulsion of the blood bond curse. Apollo explains that he can’t protect Tem from both Caspen (who is now compelled to kill her) and Rowe. Reluctantly, Apollo concedes and Tem instructs Damon to take Leo and Gabriel to her parents’ cottage for safety.

Tem leaves the chamber, finding the courtyard littered with bodies. She descends to the shores of the sacred lake, where the Drakons are struggling to defend themselves. She finds Rowe there, waiting for her.

Tem confronts Rowe about the suffering he is causing, but he taunts her and admits he orchestrated the weasel attack using Vera as his pawn. Enraged, Tem transitions and attacks but Rowe overpowers her. Caspen arrives, compelled by the curse. He attacks Rowe to free Tem but then turns on her. Apollo intercepts Caspen and the brothers fight while Rowe re-engages Tem. All four are locked in chaotic combat.

Remembering Adelaide’s words about channeling Kora, Tem dives into the sacred lake. At the bottom, she has a vision of a woman resembling her mother and is filled with immense power. She emerges, bites Rowe, and siphons his power, including what he took from Caspen. Then she kills him. Apollo continues restraining Caspen, who is still trying to kill Tem. Apollo reveals that Caspen made him promise to kill him, as this is the only way to break the curse. Apollo sinks his fangs into Caspen’s neck as Tem watches in horror.

As the blood bond breaks, both Tem and Caspen involuntarily return to human form. She holds the dying Caspen, trying to heal him, but he tells her the injury is fatal. Caspen tells Tem she will not be alone and that Leo is her one true love. Caspen decided to sacrifice himself after reading Leo’s letters. As Caspen dies, he asks Apollo to finish it. Apollo siphons the last of his power, including what was inherited from Bastian. Tem sees a montage of her happiest memories with Caspen. As he dies, her golden claw necklace melts, burning a scar into her chest and signifying the blood bond is broken. Her basilisk side is dead, and she is now fully human.

Leo sends Tem a letter telling her to join him when she is ready. Tem attends Caspen’s funeral, with Apollo helping her scatter the ashes. Afterwards, she lingers in the basilisk caves, grieving. The basilisks, now led by Apollo, have decided to return to the sea, accepting that peace is not possible in the human realm. When she is ready to leave, Adelaida oversees the ceremony in which Apollo waives his first rights to marry Tem, and Damon waives his second rights. Tem kisses Apollo a final time. She walks to the castle and finds Leo.

Leo and Tem remarry in a small ceremony at her parents’ cottage. Gabriel attends, as does Damon; they are living together in the sea with the other basilisks. Adelaide and Apollo both send gifts. After the wedding, life carries on. Leo has removed all gold from the castle and Maximus remains in the dungeon. Tem retains some powers: manipulating emotions, healing minor wounds, and telepathy with Kronos (her father).

Leo comforts Tem through her grief. Eventually, he gives her the letters he wrote. To Tem’s surprise, the first letter is actually from Caspen. In it, Caspen explains that he found Leo’s letters in the castle bedroom when he and Tem came to stay for Leo and Evelyn’s wedding. Caspen quickly realized that Evelyn purposefully left the letters for him to find, hoping to fracture his love for Tem. Instead, Caspen was moved by the letters, realizing that Leo and Tem shared genuine love. He concludes that sacrificing himself is the only way to save them both. He tells her Apollo has the journal he kept before meeting her, so she can learn more about his past if she wants to. 

The epilogue consists of Leo’s unsent letters to Tem, written between her marriage to Caspen and the night before his planned wedding to Evelyn He describes the dinners as torture but continues because they are his only way to see her. He notices how she dresses for him, enjoys making Caspen uncomfortable, and feels the magical bond constantly.

He notes the villagers’ anger, Evelyn’s insistence on reinstating bloodletting, and his growing dissatisfaction with his fiancée. His letters grow more desperate. In his final letter, written on his wedding night, he begs Tem to say one word to stop him from marrying Evelyn.