All that night and into the next morning, Lady Tremaine reflects on Morwen’s story. She decides that the king and queen’s plan isn’t so different from her own. Come morning, she calls Lucy and prepares to leave the house for the city. She runs into her daughters on her way out and promises that she will fix the problem of the prince and Elin’s engagement soon enough.

On her way back to the castle, Lady Tremaine tries to decide how she might talk to Elin, believing that she should know about Hemma and the baby before marrying Simeon. At the castle, the guard recognizes her now as the prince’s future mother-in-law and leads her inside. She tells him that she needs a restroom and wanders off, finally finding Hemma’s chambers as planned.

Inside, Lady Tremaine explains who she is and what she knows. She is horrified when Hemma reveals that Simeon is the father of her baby and that he raped her. Before parting ways, Hemma urges Lady Tremaine to tell Elin the truth.

While wending her way back through the palace halls, Lady Tremaine reels from all she has learned. The guard leads her to Queen Sigrid. Lady Tremaine immediately reveals what she knows, insisting that they call off the engagement. Sigrid insists that this is impossible and threatens her if she interferes.

Lady Tremaine encounters Otto on her way out of the palace. She informs him of what she knows. Otto knew about the pregnancy but is shocked to learn of the baby’s paternity. Still, he reveals that he has known about Simeon’s brutality and has been trying to protect Lady Tremaine’s daughters from him.

Back at home, Lady Tremaine is shocked to discover that the prince came by and that Elin left with him. Her daughters are worried she will “put her honor on the line” (271), but Lady Tremaine understands that they must be planning to elope. She then informs her daughters of the truth, and they insist that Lady Tremaine go after Elin since she has endangered both her and them. Unsure of what to do, Lady Tremaine goes outside with Lucy, who flies off. Lady Tremaine worries that she won’t recover the bird, who might easily return to her wild nature. However, she can’t pursue Lucy, comfort her daughters, and recover Elin at the same time. Suddenly, Otto arrives in search of Prince Simeon and agrees to help Lady Tremaine find him and Elin.

Lady Tremaine and Otto search tirelessly for Simeon and Elin. While traveling, Otto reveals his fraught past, explaining how his wife’s and child’s early deaths have inspired him to protect the innocent. They also talk about the ball, Simeon, and the royal family. The more they talk, the more drawn Lady Tremaine feels to Otto, and they end up kissing. Lady Tremaine tries to push away her desire, ashamed of her own feelings.

Finally, the two settle into an inn for the night. They ask about Simeon and Elin, but no one has seen them. After Lady Tremaine settles into her room, Otto knocks on her door; someone spotted the prince.

Lady Tremaine and Otto find Elin at an inn. She is locked in her room alone. She says that Simeon went off to get more gold for them and told her not to talk to anyone. Lady Tremaine explains what is going on and who Simeon really is. A horrified Elin doesn’t want to believe the truth, insisting that they’re in love and that Simeon is charming and affectionate. Lady Tremaine continues talking to her and finally convinces Elin to leave with her. Then, Simeon appears, upset by Otto and Lady Tremaine’s presences and insisting that Elin stay with him. When she says she cannot, he slaps her in the face. Elin bursts out that she knows who he really is and what he has done. The argument continues until Otto reminds Simeon that taking “an unmarried girl” is always unacceptable (303). Finally, Lady Tremaine and Elin take the carriage home. Lady Tremaine comforts Elin along the way.

Mathilde, Rosamund, Alice, and Wenthelen greet Lady Tremaine and Elin when they return home. They all catch up about what has happened, and Alice reveals that she recovered Lucy. Over the following days, Lady Tremaine’s daughters care for Elin, and they all discuss Hemma’s fate together. Lady Tremaine knows that Hemma isn’t the concern since she’s royal. She and the girls might still be in danger. Suddenly, a knock sounds at the door. There, a horrified Lady Tremaine greets Prince Simeon.

Simeon barges into the house, demanding to see the girls. Lady Tremaine races after him, desperate to protect them. She pretends to lead him to the girls but really leads him into a dark hall. When Simone realizes what she has done, he attacks and strangles her. She thinks about her life as she suffocates. Just as she feels like she’s on the verge of death, she starts to scratch Simeon. Lucy flies out of the shadows and attacks him, too. Amid his screaming, he lunges at Lady Tremaine again. Elin enters and hits him over the head with a post, killing him. Lucy, however, does not survive.

Lady Tremaine and the girls drag Simeon’s body downstairs and wrap him in rugs. She instructs the girls to clean up the blood. Then, they put the body on a cart and wheel it out to the yard, where they bury it. Upon seeing a carriage in the distance, they all race inside just in time. Still covered in dirt and mud, the women greet Queen Sigrid. They feign nonchalance, insisting that they haven’t seen the prince. Privately, Lady Tremaine tells Otto that the prince is gone for good. He covers for the women.

Later that day, Lady Tremaine and the girls bury Lucy. Lady Tremaine says goodbye to her friend but feels happy being with her family.

In the following months, Lady Tremaine’s life settles into a new normalcy. Otto moves in with her and the girls, although he and Lady Tremaine do not marry. Hemma has her baby, and the palace covers up the scandal by announcing that the child is Queen Sigrid’s. Meanwhile, Elin, Mathilde, and Rosamund remain unmarried. Lady Tremaine knows their lives might not seem happy, but she wonders otherwise.