In the Pod, Phillip explains that the Reaper has been targeting the burning building for weeks. Emeline asks why they are not helping on the surface. Phillip says their MINDs are blocked from the area, and he cannot override them. They arrive at Collin’s quarters, where Phillip discovers Gregory and Nora together in the chambers. He angrily confronts them, warning that their affair will get them killed and urging Nora to think of her offspring. Gregory pins Phillip to the wall in a rage, but Nora intervenes, tearfully admitting Phillip is right. She tells Gregory they must end their relationship. Heartbroken, Gregory accepts and leaves via the balcony, telling Nora that he will not come back. Emeline wonders if allowing people who love each other to be together would be the worst thing for the Illum, and Philip confirms it.

Emeline bathes to wash away the feeling of Hal. Seeing her reflection, she does not recognize herself. As she soaks, she relives the day’s betrayals and traumas, feeling utterly alone and manipulated. She submerges herself in the bathtub, holding her breath until she nearly passes out. She resigns herself to becoming Collin’s Mate and dozes off, having a nightmare of being lost in the tunnels.

Collin, wearing green Elite Force gear and covered in soot, pulls Emeline from the bathtub, saving her from drowning. He explains he came to check on her after Phillip’s report and saw her go under. Emeline asks about his gear; Collin reveals he was in the Elite Force before becoming an Illum. After dressing, Emeline sees a Press article about her early departure from the ball, which questions whether Minors can be reformed and features a photo of Collin dancing with another woman. Collin, now in a suit, confirms the Illum are furious about the attack. Emeline asks why the Reaper would cause such destruction; Collin attributes it to his desperation. and warns they are closer to war than ever.

Emeline agrees to stay the night and to end her rule-breaking, which puzzles Collin. When he asks with genuine concern if she is okay, she replies that she is tired. Before leaving, she asks if he ever wants a way out. Collin admits he does, so that his mind could go quiet and soon. He departs in a Pod. Emeline falls asleep.

The next morning, Nora wakes and informs her that all the Elite have been invited to a mandatory ball that evening, where the Illum will be present, something highly unusual.

Emeline arrives at the Starlings for preparation. Violet anxiously asks for news of the attack, revealing that the rebels’ private network is down and she has not heard from her brother. Rose tries to reassure her. Emeline reveals the Reaper was with her during the attack, which Violet refuses to believe. They argue about the Reaper’s methods. Emeline suggests she does not respect the Reaper anymore and accidentally says Hal’s name aloud. Rose and Violet reveal that Hal sent the blue dress from the first ball to manipulate the situation. Rose begs Emeline not to betray them, confessing she loves Violet, and freedom is not worth it without her. Emeline finds Nora in Collin’s office. When she asks her opinion on the Reaper, Nora says he has “the right idea” and believes he is willing to sacrifice himself for others (280). As they leave, Nora suggests the Reaper might be a woman who is tired of being a vessel.

In the ballroom, they see Gregory dancing with Lo, whose presence in the clouds seems suspiciously quick. Vincent approaches and taunts Nora, implying he has given information about her and Gregory to the Illum. Collin appears and leads Emeline onto the dance floor. With a cold, powerful demeanor, he states that she is a spy, and it is the only reason she is alive. During partner changes, she briefly dances with William, then Gregory, to whom she whispers that she messed up and the Illum know about her. Collin warns her she is about to experience pain, and he cannot intervene. As the dance ends, chaos erupts. Elite Force soldiers storm in and tackle a rebel disguised as a soldier, announcing he is the Reaper. The helmet is removed, revealing Hal. Emeline stands stupefied as Collin urges her to pretend, calling her Moonlight.

Collin pulls Emeline from the ballroom to a landing where the Illum, including Tabitha and Charles, a man with a long black ponytail, are present. Tabitha orders Collin to bring Emeline to the Capitol later. She then has Hal brought forward, who is heavily injured, and leads everyone onto a balcony overlooking the Elite below. Tabitha announces the Reaper’s capture and declares that any Elite who declined to attend are being eliminated. She publicly thanks Collin for his plan and Emeline for her spying, then grants Emeline full Elite status, an unprecedented act. She proclaims that Hal’s capture is Emeline’s doing alone. As Emeline nearly collapses, Collin holds her upright.

After the announcement, Tabitha brings Hal to his knees in front of Emeline. Guards pull his head up by his hair; he looks calm, without fear. Tabitha shows Emeline that Hal has been re-chipped. He is cuffed and dragged away, holding Emeline’s gaze until the last moment.

On a Pod to the Capitol, Collin furiously demands an explanation, but Emeline retorts that her connection to the Reaper does not concern him. He claims he was told to host the ball but that the Illum had organized the events. He warns Emeline that the Illum will destroy everyone she cares about. At the Capitol entrance, a tall Elite Force soldier reports that the soldiers have entered the building. Tabitha arrives, her white gown splattered with Hal’s blood. She dismisses Collin, ordering him to arrange moving Emeline’s belongings and an award for the person who actually informed on the Reaper. Tabitha orders Emeline to follow her.

Emeline enters a tearoom with Tabitha and sees a pyramid of her favorite gold-dusted chocolates. Soon, Tabitha reveals Emeline’s experiences were a trial as she herself manipulated events all along. Tabitha criticizes the “Defects” for allowing their emotions to control them. She threatens to eliminate Hal if Emeline attempts to help the rebellion and proposes a game: who loves whom more, with the winner living and the loser dying. She claims Hal begged for Emeline’s life when Tabitha threatened to have her eliminated, confirming his love for her as his weak spot.

Using the chocolate pyramid as a metaphor, Tabitha explains the Illum’s philosophy of power: balancing hope and fear. She reveals they chose Emeline to give “Defects” hope of advancement while making Elites fear they were replaceable, ensuring compliance from both groups. Tabitha reveals Lo has been an informant since the day Emeline’s contract was approved, trading secrets for her own advancement. She explains the Majors have hidden offspring that are currently being captured in a raid. The Elite Force used the entrance Emeline used during the grid shutdown, while the ball served as a distraction. Tabitha lured the rebels into a trap by planting false information that Emeline would be executed at the ball.

Emeline offers herself in place of the Majors’ hidden offspring, but Tabitha dismisses her, saying the offspring will be indoctrinated, not harmed, to control the Majors. She reveals Emeline was chosen because her nonconformist nature made her a challenge. Emeline feels dizzy, realizing Tabitha put substances in her tea. Tabitha proclaims that she will enjoy breaking both Emeline and the Reaper. Emeline collapses to the floor and is pulled away. In a haze, she hears a distant, panicked voice claiming to have her, but she finds no comfort and surrenders to the darkness, thinking she failed.

Hal, cuffed in a prison cell, reflects on how Emeline’s eyes captivated him from their first meeting. He admits she was initially part of a plan but became something more. Despite his capture, the revolution continues: the grid has been modified, a bomb is set, supplements have been distributed, and his network of supporters remains secret. He resolves to destroy the Illum’s system and bring their buildings in the clouds crumbling down. As light footsteps approach, he puts on an emotional mask, burying his love for Emeline to keep her safe. A woman’s voice expresses delight at finding him there and asks if the Reaper is ready to talk. The woman smiles and wonders what would break him.