Still angry with Cross, Wren has a tense encounter with Evlynne in the mess hall. Hawkins tells her to leave; Saint invites her to join his table with Henley, Vikka, and Darlie.

She visits Xavier with a signal jammer Gray gave her, so they can have an unmonitored conversation. Wren urges Xavier to cooperate with the Uprising, lest they execute him. Xavier dismisses her concerns, and they discuss Cross’s ordeal. Xavier tells her about Cross’s tendency to hide pain, recounting a time he climbed a cliff with a broken arm as a teenager.

Kallister leads Wren to a hidden cave of white daggerstone, which acts as the opposite of blue daggerstone, and mutes their abilities. He reveals he knows her true identity as Stella Hess, daughter of Marina Serrano, recognizing her resemblance from a photograph in the Company database. Kallister promises to protect Wren’s identity.

A few days pass. Wren spends time at the range while Gray is busy and Cross has been distant. At the outdoor range, Mako joins her and urges her to come to a party that night.

Later, Gray escorts Wren to the party, giving her a rifle and saying he trusts her. On the way, she briefly links with Cross, who is jealous she is with Gray. At the party in a clearing, Wren joins Mako, Saint, Henley, Karra, Luisa, Evlynne, and Neema. When Henley asks if Wren has a man, Evlynne and Neema use their powers to eavesdrop. Evlynne, a skilled sniper, goads Wren into a night-shooting competition using rocks.

The contest commences, with Wren and Evlynne perfectly matched. Gray calls it a draw, but Evlynne confronts Wren, warning her to stay out of her head and calling her an untrustworthy inciter. Wren promises she would never use her powers on them, but Evlynne is dismissive. Upset, Wren leaves. Gray follows Wren back to his quarters and volunteers to help train her incitement abilities. She struggles to harness the “gold” energy, failing to compel Gray to pick up a glass of water. Gray notes that her uncle should have disclosed her ability sooner. Feeling a desperate need to see Cross, Wren asks Gray to fly her to Sanctum Point.

Three days later, Gray flies Wren to a hidden airfield in a hybrid aircraft. He gives her a fake ID under the name Mary Bowers that will clear her prints for two hours, warning her that security has increased. He says to be back in exactly two hours or he will leave. Wren passes through a checkpoint into the entertainment district, heading for Haven, a brothel, to meet Cross.

At Haven, bartender Pasha leads Wren to a private room where Cross waits. Wren and Cross share a passionate reunion, making love several times. Afterward, Wren discovers Cross is covered in bruises and has broken ribs, far worse than he admitted.

Cross reveals he has been stripped of his command of Silver Elite and that Travis has allowed Roe to form a “hunting party” to kill Mods. He must remain in the city to protect his mother. Wren begs him to defect; he refuses, believing he would be imprisoned if he came with her to Blue Dagger. He warns that Xavier has also been marked for death. Before Wren leaves, Cross holds her hand to his heart, glad she came.

The next morning, Wren tells Xavier he has been designated kill-on-sight. She offers to petition the Authority for his release if he cooperates. He says his only loyalties are to himself, Cross, and her.

Wren once again petitions with the Authority on Xavier’s behalf. They finally agree to release him from the cells with a strict condition: Wren is fully responsible for him, and if he warrants execution, she will be executed alongside him. Xavier is fitted with a permanent tracker and moved into Wren’s room. He is to limit his movements to the Personnel floor.

Wren takes Xavier to the mess for dinner, where both of them are ostracized. Gray joins their table in support, leading to a confrontation with Karra, who accuses Wren of inciting the Authority to release Xavier, revealing a damaging rumor is at play.

Later, Wren goes to the Ledge, an outdoor precipice to get some space. Kallister joins her, sharing how his Prime fiancée left him after discovering he was a Mod. He invites Wren to his quarters the next morning to share some important information.

The official Certificate of Death for Stella Hess, dated April 22, 10 NE, lists her parents as Marina Serrano and Jakob Hess. Cause of death is smoke inhalation and burns from an accidental house fire. Remains were identified via DNA, no foul play suspected. (This report suggests Marina faked Wren’s death to protect her; though the identity of the child whose remains were found with Marina and Jakob is unknown, and the presence of the DNA evidence is unexplained).

Kallister gives Wren access to a secret file on her mother, Marina Serrano. Wren is shocked to find her own fake death certificate. Kallister agrees to let her read the file weekly. Cross theorizes her mother and uncle used an unidentified body from the morgue to stage her death.

Later, Wren is formally introduced to Poppy, the teenager who had brought her dinner, and Fiona’s daughter. Poppy is gathering flowers in a garden, when Wren identifies a poisonous violet bell plant, saving Poppy from touching it. Wren tells Poppy that Uncle Jim, an expert in plants, trained her to recognize different species. Poppy shows Wren a hidden aviary for injured birds. An overprotective Fiona appears and curtly separates them.

Afterward, Wren trains with Hawkins, confiding her fears and the fact that she is being ostracized. Hawkins is initially dismissive of Wren’s misgiving, but then but reveals he finds solace in his hobby, which is flying. As if on cue, Gray messages Wren, asking her if she wants to fly.

Gray lands the helicopter in a valley, the home of many farming communes. Wren is happy to see the thriving community of Mods. She meets a six-year-old boy called Fisher, whom she learns is the son of Evlynne.