Chapter 48

Acker escorts Jovie to a blacksmith’s home in the city, greeting Wells and Olivia, lifelong friends and confidants. Over dinner, Acker confirms to them that he and Jovie are matched, adding that the king’s whereabouts are unknown. Olivia recognizes Jovie from childhood summer visits, revealing a prior connection and her fall from nobility after marrying Wells, a merchant.

Talk turns to court prejudice against marriages between gifted and giftless. Wells and Olivia disclose they are secretly matched and ask Jovie to keep it quiet. They explain the stages of a matching bond: dreams that intensify and can trap the pair, leaving their bodies vulnerable. Wells recounts losing a full day after collapsing during training. They are unsure whether Jovie and Acker’s “mind melding” is part of matching.

After dessert and goodbyes, the carriage ride back turns tense. Acker worries Jovie doesn’t want the bond; Jovie counters that his secrecy—about the bond, betrothal, and court risks—undermined her trust. Acker apologizes, affirms he has no doubts about her, and promises honesty. They reconcile with a kiss.

As they arrive at the palace, Jovie notices the cages on the walls are occupied not by animals but by people, starkly revealing the regime’s brutality and heightening the peril surrounding their return and the missing king.