Chapter 15

As music for the Matching Ceremony swells, Brynn lays out years of sketches of the rolling hills she’s dreamt of—her imagined home—then sets off with Acker. They slip from the lodging, briefly placate Grenadine with coins, and descend the Main’s levels, timing their movements to avoid latecomers.

Reaching the underbelly of the Main, Brynn leads Acker across slippery beams toward the fishing boats. They drop into the water, reach a boat, and begin untying when Dupre seizes Brynn at swordpoint. Kai arrives, compels Acker to his knees with his gift, and has guards shackle him.

Kai confronts Brynn, claiming he manipulated only emotions she already felt and insisting he acted to protect her from his father. He admits he avoided bedding her to spare her from his magic’s influence, but announces he cannot let her leave and orders the guards to kill Acker.

Acker explodes into action, strangling one guard with his chains and impaling the other with the guard’s own sword. When Dupre presses his blade into Brynn’s neck, Acker hurls Kai’s fallen sword, killing Dupre inches from Brynn. Kai slashes Acker’s side, but Acker disarms and subdues him, poised to kill.

Brynn begs Acker not to kill Kai. Acker relents, choking Kai unconscious instead. They rush to launch the boat; when the first guard staggers up, Acker throws a dagger into the guard’s eye and then recalls the dagger to his hand, revealing precise control. Bloodied but mobile, Acker and Brynn row into the dark, leaving the music and the Main behind.