The Pod takes Emeline directly to Collin’s private quarters, where she is surprised to find Nora waiting. Nora reveals she called for Emeline, thinking she would feel alone. Unbothered by Emeline’s gray clothes, Nora leads her to a bedroom suite, her granted room during the procreation phase, saying that Collin is not a bad man. Nora provides her with an amber gown to change into. Nora explains how having children changed her perspective, making her realize she would do anything to protect them.

Nora recounts her history: She was mated at 16 to Edward, who became abusive when she was too frightened to procreate with him. Gregory, Edward’s friend, beat Edward to protect her and stayed with her afterward. Nora confesses she has always loved Gregory but cannot leave the clouds because the Illum hold her offspring at the Academy. She reveals William is her fourth Mate, as she is part of a “breeding program” that assigns her a new Mate every four years.

Collin arrives asking to speak with Emeline. After Nora leaves, Collin apologizes for not checking on Emeline, saying he thought she wanted space. He reveals he received a surveillance report showing she went to the river near Low Town, where her heart rate and hormone levels were elevated. Because the cameras there were outdated and Tabitha questioned why his Mate was in an unapproved area, Collin invented a cover story: he made Emeline a spy reporting on Minors. She confronts him about sedating the Minors. revealing she has not been taking the supplements. Collin pulls Emeline close, admitting she consumes his thoughts. He reminds her of Academy Rule Ten, asking whether she would refuse him if he told her to kiss him. As Emeline leans in, Nora interrupts. Reality crashes in, and Collin becomes cold and formal, telling her she must follow the rules as his Mate and that he will see her at the ball in two weeks.

Two weeks later, Emeline arrives for the ball. She reflects on her isolation: Lo remains distant while awaiting contract approval from Gregory, Nora never reached out, and Hal never visited. Force soldiers now ride the Pods, making private conversation impossible. While working, she has been reflecting on artworks alone. Thinking about Collin, she wonders why she did not resist him.

Violet and Rose greet Emeline in the preparation suite. Violet reveals her brother, Rajesh, was “phased out” of the Academy and now lives in the Underworld. She explains that not all such offspring survive; many are eliminated. Rose notes Emeline is not wearing her lens, which conceals her mismatched eyes. Emeline asks if the Reaper will do something about the Minors. Despite Rose’s protests, Violet reveals the Reaper is making a move soon. She explains the Reaper’s method: He is a lethal killer who cuts MIND chips from Elite persons near the radial artery, making removal fatal. The chips from dead Elites may be used to create an army that can freely access the clouds. Emeline wonders why the Reaper has to kill them, noting that this leads to a cycle of violence.

Emeline is dressed in a revealing, sheer black gown, wearing impressive jewelry. As Violet leads her out, she encourages Emeline to be brave and do what is right, despite her fear, because “power is a frightening thing” (296). In the Pod, Emeline is captivated by the star-filled sky when Collin’s voice startles her. He is already waiting in the Pod.

Collin says they must discuss their situation: He told the Illum that her work as a spy for them explains her two week absence from public appearances. He asks her not to fight him tonight and follow the rules, warning that she risks elimination. Collin claims her supplements were never meant to be altered, and he would not let them sedate her. He adds that her birth father, Vincent, has been telling people she will be the Illum’s downfall.

They arrive at a stunning ballroom that impresses Emeline. As they descend the grand staircase, Emeline sees Vincent glaring at her. To her shock, Collin bows to her, causing a stir. They dance, and Collin makes the movements more intimate than she learned, pulling her close. Emeline does not trust him, but she finds joy in the movement and the illusion of falling stars in the room. Following the dance, an Elite man named Alan and others join, making patronizing comments about her union with Collin and praising her for spying on Minors. They mention Collin’s potential second mating. Which he denies, and the Press speculates about their procreation timeline. Nora rescues Emeline from the conversation and reaffirms their friendship. Emeline watches Nora share a brief, emotional dance with Gregory. Emeline’s birth mother, Helen, approaches, saying she cares about Emeline’s happiness, but Vincent interrupts and dismisses Helen. He criticizes Emeline, revealing that Helen intervened at her birth, saving her from being relegated to a Major or being eliminated. He notes that this action ruined Vincent’s standing and prevented him from getting another mate. Collin interrupts and dismisses Vincent, then leads Emeline back to the dance floor to distract her.

After the dance, Emeline and Collin argue, and he leads her into a private sitting room. Their argument becomes explosive, and Emeline confesses she wants to be cared for and saved. Collin’s expression shatters for a moment before coldly stating that he is her Mate, not a savior. Phillip enters, announcing that Tabitha has requested Collin.

After Collin leaves, Hal enters from a concealed door. He reveals he created a distraction by sending the Illum on a chase and offers Emeline escape. Hal pulls her through the hidden door into a hall and then a dark closet.

Hidden, Emeline and Hal hear Nora calling before her footsteps retreat. Hal compliments Emeline’s beauty, telling her it is her, not the gown or jewels. He kisses the glowing skin of her wrist and her neck, assuring her she does not have to hide from him. He asks if she wants this to happen and gives her the chance to stop, saying it would be the smart thing to do. Overcome with desire, Emeline confesses that she wants him. They kiss, and he warns her to be quiet, or he will have to stop.

After their encounter, Hal says they must return as the distraction will not last. Emeline asks if there is a time when things are easier and a place where she can dance with him. Hal promises to fight for that place. He opens the closet door just as they hear hurried footsteps in the hallway and emerges, leaving Emeline behind him.

From the closet, Emeline and Hal overhear Gregory and Phillip arguing. Phillip reveals he was matched with Nora but rejected the contract. He pressures Gregory to accept his contract with the Minor, Lo, to protect Nora from suspicion about their affair. Gregory is enraged and devastated, but Phillip insists he must let Nora go and protect her by fulfilling his duty. He advises Gregory to think of his son, Timothy, and says the contract will be approved by dawn.

After they leave, Hal tells Emeline to return to the ball alone. Gregory appears and teasingly questions Emeline. He points out that her lipstick is smeared, her hair is messy, and her gown is wrinkled. Gregory uses his Comm Device to message Phillip for help, arranging a Pod and telling everyone he found her “upset and intoxicated” as an excuse (326). He cleans her face and fixes her hair. When Emeline asks why he is helping her, he says it is what a brother should do.

Gregory puts an arm around Emeline and walks her quickly through the ballroom. Emeline glances up and sees Collin with Eve, the Elite woman the Starlings mentioned. In the Pod, Gregory warns Emeline to be careful, reminding her that Collin is an Illum. He reveals he has a five-year-old son at the Academy, Timothy, and his old Mate keeps the boy from him. At her building, Gregory cautions Emeline never to see her secret lover again, describing the pain of loving someone you cannot have.

Later that night, Emeline is sleepless, recalling an Academy lesson about the Last War and the Illum’s mission to eliminate threats and anomalies to establish peace. Emeline realizes that she and people who love outside the rules, like Gregory, Nora, Rose, and Violet, would all be considered divergent and destined for destruction. Again, she wonders why Collin chose her. Later, she dreams of dancing with Hal, who morphs into Collin, and her dress becomes too heavy, trapping her as she falls into darkness.

The next day, Emeline oversleeps and spends the day alone. Hal does not come by the office, and Collin does not contact her. That evening, Lo visits, ecstatic that her contract with Gregory has been approved, including cohabitation rights. Emeline questions whether life is truly better in the clouds and suggests the Underworld might offer more freedom. Lo dismisses the idea, saying there is nothing better than a life in the clouds. As Lo leaves, she notes that Emeline speaks as if she is no longer a Minor.

Emeline wonders where she truly belongs. Emeline realizes she cannot continue her contract with Collin and wonders if the rebels could remove her chip without her dying.

Two days after the ball, Hal appears in Emeline’s office doorway with Barrett. They announce their plans are moving forward, and they are about to shut down the city’s power grid. Barrett, disguised in the Elite Force attire, will plant the device. Hal leads Emeline into the secret tunnels, where they meet Bri, who is also part of the mission. A loud whining sound is followed by a thud and silence. Hal checks Emeline’s wrist and sees the golden glow is gone; he confirms the grid is down. Emeline worries that everyone in the Elite will be harmed, disagreeing with Hal, who says she should not be concerned. They soon arrive at the main common area, where Majors are dancing to loud music. Hal invites Emeline to dance to quiet his mind. They dance intimately, the energy becoming highly charged. They leave the dance floor and kiss in a tunnel. Hal carries her to his living quarters for privacy.

Hal’s home is a messy living area shared with his friends. He carries her into his sleeping quarters and apologizes. Emeline realizes that with Hal, she does not care about appearances or rules. They undress, as she confirms this is her first time, and make love. She is happy that it is her own choice.

Afterward, Emeline asks if she can stay and have her MIND chip cut out. Hal says it is too dangerous and withholds information about his friends’ MIND chips. Emeline mentions she is closer to her procreation phase with Collin but cannot go through with it. Hal suggests she can help by pretending to be Collin’s mate to gain his trust and feed false information to the Illum, noting she influences Collin. He asks Emeline how much she is willing to do and who she is willing to hurt, but Emeline argues that not all deserve destruction.

Hal leaves for a while, and Emeline sees a piece of paper on a table with the word Moonlight on it. She discovers a folder containing surveillance photos of her and notes on her life and personality, outlining a plan to manipulate her.

Hal returns holding a painting, his smile faltering when he sees Emeline with the folder. Emeline tells him to stop calling her Moonlight. She confronts him, asking if sleeping with her was part of the plan. Hal admits they knew who she was for several moons before they met and that the plan was to make an inform on Collin. Emeline feels she was just a tool, like with Collin. Hal insists he fell in love with her, which was not part of the plan. Emeline accuses him of endangering her at the ball and keeping her in the dark. Hal counters that Collin has also been lying to her and criticizes her for how she looked at him on the dance floor. Emeline realizes the rebels see everyone above the surface as unworthy of being saved, just as those above see those below as “defective.” She questions how the Reaper is any different from the Illum.

Gerald bursts into the room, saying the shutdown is not holding, and he must get a device through a shaft in Emeline’s office into an old tunnel to gain more time. Gerald is too big to fit in the shaft. Ignoring Hal’s protests, Emeline volunteers to help. Gerald accepts. As she turns to leave with him, Emeline bumps a painting Hal brought for her, which solidifies her decision. Emeline emphasizes it is her choice and leaves with Gerald.