Patricia Hartwood explains that Faye practiced Wildcraft, a branch of Rootcraft tied to energy in growing things such as plants, herbs, and trees. Bree is shaken by the revelation that her mother manipulated energy and kept this hidden from Bree, especially because Bree had known Faye as a botanist and scientist rather than as someone with secret abilities.

When Bree demands answers, Patricia says Rootcraft usually passes from mother to daughter and that Faye likely kept it secret even from Bree’s father. Patricia describes auras as personal spiritual energy and explains that a college friend named Janice, a Reader, once identified Faye as someone who knew the craft. Patricia had asked Faye to practice and fellowship with her, but Faye politely declined and seemed uncomfortable, so Patricia never raised it again.

Bree struggles to stay calm as she realizes Faye may have known about hidden magical communities on campus, perhaps even the Order and Merlins. Patricia decides she should stop for the day because Faye’s silence may have been intentional, and Patricia wants to consider the ethics of revealing what Faye chose not to share. Bree insists she needs to know more but avoids revealing her suspicion that the Order may be connected to Faye’s death.

Bree carefully admits that she knows the word aether. Patricia reacts sharply and explains that the practitioners who use that term are not Faye’s people. Patricia distinguishes Rootcrafters from the Order’s language and says that Bree’s mother’s people call the invisible energy of the world root.

Later, Bree returns to her dorm and compulsively checks her phone for a message from Nick while deciding not to tell him about Patricia yet. Bree reflects that Faye’s hidden life makes Bree feel both closer to her mother and more estranged from her, because Faye may have been hiding on campus just as Bree is now.

Alice invites Bree to dinner, but Bree lies that she has dinner with a secret society. The conversation turns playful when Alice notices Bree’s tone while saying Nick’s name and teases Bree about having a crush on him. Bree enjoys the ordinary comfort of best-friend conversation but ends the chapter aware that she still cannot tell Alice the whole truth if she wants to keep her safe.