Woven by Gold

Dayton finds himself in a desperate situation: Rosalina is magically drained, Keldarion’s mind is muddled from the alcohol, and Ezryn is enraged by Caspian’s betrayal. As goblins advance and Farron’s fiery wolf rages uncontrollably, the Autumn Guard arrives, mistaking the wolf for a monstrous enemy. Dayton tries to protect Farron, but the Autumn soldiers, who see only Dayton wielding a thorn sword taken from a goblin, accuse him of siding with the Below.

To protect Farron from the soldiers, Dayton transforms into his own golden wolf. However, Farron’s beast attacks him, and Princess Niamh, Farron’s mother, arrives and orders her archers to fire on both wolves, believing them to be monsters. Dayton is struck by multiple arrows, shifts back to his fae form, and collapses from his wounds. As goblins close in on his fallen body, Ezryn arrives with their swords.

From a balcony in the keep, Rosalina watches in horror as Dayton is shot with arrows. Inside her room, she confronts a despondent Keldarion, who is consumed by guilt for his part in the bargain with Caspian. He confesses that his revelry poisoned him and left him unable to act. Rosalina reminds him of his true nature as the Sworn Protector of the Realms, urging him to overcome his self-loathing and help their friends. She tells him that his instinct is to care for and shelter those he loves. Moved by her words and their shared mate bond, Keldarion seems to find renewed purpose.

On the battlefield, Ezryn finds Dayton bleeding out from three arrow wounds. In a desperate act, he draws on Farron’s ambient fire magic to cauterize the wounds and save Dayton’s life, though the effort leaves him completely drained. Just as goblins and Autumn soldiers close in, Keldarion arrives. He unleashes a torrent of ice magic, freezing goblins and Autumn Guard alike in a destructive storm. The frost spreads rapidly, and Ezryn is forced to use the last of his energy to create a root barrier to protect himself and the unconscious Dayton.

Keldarion’s magical onslaught stops, but the battlefield is a frozen wasteland. Horrified, Princess Niamh declares Keldarion a traitor and orders his arrest, along with Ezryn and Dayton for conspiring with him. Keldarion reveals that the wolf the Autumn soldiers tried to kill is Farron, but Niamh responds that if what he says is true, her son has fallen to darkness and is a shame to his people. She says with his death, she could reclaim the blessing to protect the realm. However, she allows the wolf to flee, vowing to hunt it later.

As the princes are taken to the dungeon, Rosalina’s father and Farron’s brothers, Dominic and Billagin, rescue her from the keep. They reveal they witnessed the battle and now believe the wolf is Farron. Rosalina devises a plan: Her father and Farron’s brothers will search the ruined library for any surviving spells, while Marigold and Astrid will sneak into the dungeon in their animal forms to reassure the princes. Believing Farron will transform back into a man at dawn, Rosalina resolves to track him down so she can be there when he wakes, scared and alone.

Rosalina tracks Farron to an ancient shrine, but instead of his usual wolf form, she finds a monstrous, disheveled beast. Terrified, she flees into the forest with the monster in pursuit. It corners her in a thicket of briars, but her fear gives way to anger, determination, and empathy for Farron. She confronts the beast, declaring her love and acceptance of Farron, including the darkness within him. As she embraces the monster, it transforms back into Farron’s fae form. His mate bond, which had been dormant in his chest, now glows bright and beautiful. The two share a kiss as Rosalina’s second mate bond awakens.

Farron realizes Rosalina’s love allowed him to fight through the darkness of his beast form. As they lie together, he feels an overwhelming need to claim her. They make love, and Farron understands that the Enchantress who cursed him gave him a second chance so he could find his mate and be loved by her.

Rosalina and Farron’s lovemaking solidifies their mate bond, and it feels like a cosmic, fated completion for both of them. Afterward, as sunlight filters through the trees, Farron undergoes a transformation: The silhouette of a wolf shines behind him and then dissolves. His wounds from the beast form heal, and his skin gleams as if lit from within. Rosalina realizes Farron’s curse has been broken.

Farron now has control over his wolf form, a gift left by the Enchantress. He and Rosalina ride back to Coppershire, where they discover a war camp of Winter dissenters led by the vizier, Perth Quellos. Perth reveals he has been creating winter wraiths by having soldiers stab themselves through the heart and then resurrecting them using his crown’s dark magic. He also raises hundreds of fae and goblin skeletons from the War of Thorns mass grave on which he deliberately camped, assembling a vast undead army. Horrified, Farron and Rosalina race to warn the city.

Farron, in his majestic new wolf form with Rosalina on his back, charges into Coppershire. He melts the ice and restores the sacred alder tree before entering the throne room. There, he transforms back into his fae form before his mother, Princess Niamh, and the assembled court. He gives a powerful speech, acknowledging his past failures but declaring himself a new man, ready to lead with courage and love. Moved by his transformation, Niamh places the crown back on his head and kneels before him, followed by the entire court.

With an attack imminent, Farron holds a war council. He and the other princes, now freed, decide to briefly return to Castletree. Rosalina discovers she can use her mother’s locket to open a portal. At the High Tower, they find that Farron’s rose is now a healthy, glowing gold, and the surrounding purple briars have turned golden and bloomed with yellow and red roses, also growing stronger—an unresolved mystery that unsettles Rosalina. The princes agree to fight alongside Farron, but Keldarion announces he has things he must set right and departs without explanation, drawing vocal objections from Ezryn and Dayton.

Before the battle, Ezryn says goodbye to Rosalina before leaving with a scouting party. He explains he is going to assess the enemy’s numbers and will help prepare the land’s defenses upon his return. He stays with Rosalina until she falls asleep. Later, she and Farron discuss their anxieties about the battle. Rosalina insists that they speak with Dayton about the nature of their relationship. They find him, and after an emotional conversation, Dayton kisses Rosalina.

Dayton, Farron, and Rosalina begin a passionate encounter. Farron is distressed by the sight of the scars his beast form left on Dayton’s chest, but Dayton and Rosalina comfort him. The three of them engage in a polyamorous sexual encounter.

The encounter between Rosalina, Dayton, and Farron continues, with the three exploring their connection. Dayton orchestrates the scene, ensuring both Farron and Rosalina experience pleasure. The experience culminates with all three physically intertwined, their collective passion creating an emotionally charged moment that reinforces their bond.

Afterward, Dayton attempts to leave, telling Rosalina that while their encounter was “fun,” he cannot truly be with her and Farron. He explains that if he allows himself to fully give in to his feelings for her, he will lose the desire to find his own fated mate, which he must do to regain his full magic, free his people, and help his sister. He fears he is close to falling in love with Rosalina and must maintain distance to protect himself and his realm’s future. As the sun sets, he transforms into his wolf form and leaves her to rest with Farron before the coming battle.