Uncertain what to do, Galantia prepares to leave, but Malyr stops her and tells her to join him in the tub. He climbs in behind her and gently tends to her bruised throat, acknowledging both pride in the marks he leaves and concern for the pain they cause. He describes her upcoming journey to Tidestone and a magnificent wedding gown designed around her raven scar, incorporating black feathers donated by Ravens arriving for the ceremony.

Galantia begins braiding Malyr’s hair, an intimate act that initially makes him resist. He relaxes and shares memories of his mother braiding his father’s hair each morning, explaining that his parents loved each other deeply despite his father’s harshness. He describes the lost beauty of Valtaris and his need to conquer Ammarett and claim its throne. When Galantia asks him to look at her and see their potential future together, she straddles him in the tub. They have sex while maintaining eye contact, and she perceives vulnerability rather than hatred in his expression. He kisses his way to her raven scar and bites down, causing intense pain that triggers her orgasm.

Afterward, Malyr reveals he first saw her years earlier on the beach near Tidestone the day he and Lorn escaped from the dungeons. Watching her free and happy, he felt angry at his own tragic life. When Galantia notes that their love may be destined “to end in emotional tragedy,” Malyr concludes that “love is tragedy” (360).

In a flashback to his escape from Tidestone’s dungeons, a feverish Malyr flees through the woods with pregnant Lorn. She warns that hounds are pursuing them and their only hope is to jump from the cliffs to force their bodies to shift. Malyr is distracted by laughter from the beach below, where a young blonde girl plays in the waves while her nursemaid chases after her. The child’s innocence mesmerizes him—a stark contrast to the suffering he has endured.

When the nursemaid calls out the girl’s name—Galantia—Malyr realizes she is the daughter of his tormentor, and his fascination turns to intense hatred. As Galantia wanders up a path toward where he hides in the underbrush, he whispers that he will kill her if she comes one step closer. When she kneels nearby to pick a flower, he reaches out to strangle her but finds himself unable to, managing only to brush her hair. Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, he lets out a frustrated growl that startles her into fleeing. He grabs Lorn’s hand, they run to the cliff edge and jump together, successfully shifting into raven form mid-flight and escaping.

Sebian returns to Deepmarsh after eight fruitless days searching for Prince Domren in the north. He is shocked to find Galantia sitting on Malyr’s lap while he teaches her Old Vhaer script, the two laughing together. When Sebian interrupts Malyr’s attempt to have sex with her at his desk, Malyr reveals that the intelligence only mentioned Domren’s banners, not the prince himself, meaning Sebian wasted his time on false information. Malyr criticizes Sebian for leaving Galantia at the stables without saying goodbye, then departs for his library.

Galantia explains that Malyr took her to the cliffs the day Sebian left, and Sebian realizes Malyr deliberately engineered his absence. When Galantia reveals she and Malyr have grown closer and accuses Sebian of refusing to kiss her, he tries but cannot go through with it. She shows him bruises and bite marks on her throat and chest, saying she wanted the pain because it feels like love. Sebian warns that Malyr will always see her as a Brisden, but she insists she can sometimes make him forget. Sebian mentions seeing Cici leave Malyr’s chambers to undermine him, but Galantia reveals Malyr already told her and explains he sent grain wagons to Tidestone as a gesture of goodwill. Skeptical of Malyr’s supposed kindness, Sebian resolves to investigate.

Malyr gives Galantia a riding lesson in a snowy meadow, striking her hands with reins whenever she grabs the saddle pommel for balance. After she masters the trot but then deliberately fails, telling him his “punishments” feel like “rewards,” Malyr looks pained and admits that her enjoyment makes him want to hurt her less. He kisses her, then shifts and reshapes beside the horse, ordering her to wait in the stables in a position ready for punishment.

Cici interrupts with an urgent message about the grain convoy and Sebian flying south. Malyr leaves, and Galantia watches with jealousy as Cici touches his arm. In the stables, she encounters Lord Aros, who explains the concept of urdvri—when one of his kind interferes with the past, making the intended future impossible. His gift allows him to see the past, which torments him with visions of Lorn’s rape. He tells Galantia he has repeatedly witnessed this very moment in those visions, and shares a message: After Galantia’s birth, her mother expressed deep love and also apologized, though he does not explain why.

Sebian flies south through a snowstorm to find the convoy supposedly carrying grain to Tidestone. He discovers it is guarded by 70 soldiers led by Lord Taradur, who confronts him and reveals that Malyr’s orders explicitly forbid anyone—including Sebian—from touching the wagons. Pretending to retreat, Sebian promises to return with new orders, then hides in nearby trees with his unkindness of ravens and waits for the convoy to camp for the night.

Under cover of darkness, they sneak back to the wagons and find not food but wooden posts, planks, iron fittings, ropes, hooks, and enormous arrows—disassembled ballista components and ammunition. Malyr is not feeding Tidestone but preparing to attack it.

The day before her planned departure, Galantia visits the great hall and is mesmerized by lavish wedding decorations featuring black and white feathers. Captain Asker gives her a satchel of spells to help his fated mate shift after her rescue and mentions his deceased daughter, Ravenna, who had visions of the present.

Sebian bursts in and announces that Malyr has betrayed them—the wagons contain siege weapons, and Taradur is marching on Tidestone. In denial, Galantia runs to Cici’s chambers seeking reassurance but finds Cici being fitted in the magnificent wedding gown Malyr had described. Malyr appears and confirms he promised to marry Cici in exchange for Taradur’s alliance, claiming Galantia was merely a distraction while he positioned his forces. When Sebian tries to defend her, Malyr reveals that Sebian himself had suggested exploiting Galantia’s emotional neglect, then exposes Sebian’s secret: He is eternally bonded to his dead mate and could never truly kiss Galantia.

Realizing neither man loves her, Galantia weeps for the first time in years. Malyr licks her tears and says he has broken her as her father broke him. As her grief peaks, a primal power erupts from within her, manifesting as a storm of white plumage. She shifts into an unkindness of white ravens for the first time and flies east out of the castle.