Contents
Chapter 19
Overview
Wren discovers her faked death certificate in Marina’s dossier and arranges weekly access with Kallister. She clashes telepathically with Cross over Lyddie and loyalist hunts, then decompresses with Xavier and bonds with Poppy, learning community gossip and Fiona’s overprotection. Training with Hawkins deepens her power control fears, while his past accident reinforces the stakes. Gray ends by inviting her to fly.
Summary
After an hour in Kallister’s office, Wren closes Marina Serrano’s file, shaken by discovering her own death certificate. Kallister proposes weekly dinners so she can keep reading. Distracted, Wren skips the shooting range and links to Cross, who reports a rare Intelligence briefing about hunting loyalist Mods where Lyddie hovered over Travis. Wren bristles at Cross’s cooperation and Lyddie’s presence; they tense, then reconcile.
They discuss the staged fire: Cross suggests morgue access and doctored DNA for the remains. Wren weighs Jim’s love for Marina and admits she would still love Cross even after a betrayal. Back in her quarters, she finds Xavier just out of the shower, deflects his flirting, loans him a tablet, arms up per Adrienne’s warning about coyotes, and heads out to clear her head.
On a mountain path, Wren meets Poppy picking flowers. Drawing on Jim’s plant lore, Wren warns her about paralyzing violet bells and explains other species. Poppy invites her to the aviary, where they admire rescued birds and share easy laughter. Poppy reveals gossip: Evlynne has a child living in the valley, Karra cheats on Gray, and Poppy finds Saint cute. The calm ends when Fiona sternly summons Poppy away, telepathically pressuring her.
Wren trains with Hawkins in the Temple, successfully gathering and channeling gold further through her body. Feeling isolated by others’ fear of inciters, she asks Hawkins how he copes; he advises not to seek approval and admits to solitary hobbies like hiking and flying. Probing his past, Wren references his girlfriend Zoe’s fatal fall from the Ledge; the confirmation deepens her fear of losing control.
As the session ends, Wren’s device pings with a message from Gray: an invitation to fly, hinting at renewed connection and the next step in her integration with the Dagger.
Who Appears
- Wren (Stella Hess)Protagonist; discovers her faked death, argues with Cross, bonds with Poppy, advances gold training, fears inciting, receives Gray’s flight invite.
- HawkinsTrainer guiding Wren’s gold control; terse advice on being feared; tacitly confirms past accident with Zoe; mentions hiking and flying.
- PoppyTeen who befriends Wren on a walk; shares aviary, gossip about Karra and Evlynne, and chafes at Fiona’s overprotection.
- GrayDagger member and ally; ends the chapter by inviting Wren to fly, signaling closeness and opportunity.
- KallisterDagger leader; grants Wren ongoing access to Marina’s file via weekly dinners.
- CrossWren’s partner; attends briefing on loyalist Mods with Lyddie present; clashes and reconciles with Wren.
- FionaPoppy’s overprotective mother; telepathically summons Poppy away, signaling distrust of Wren.
- XavierWard under Wren’s custody; lounges in her quarters as she heads out; given a tablet to pass time.
- EvlynneDagger member; revealed via Poppy’s gossip to have a child, Fisher, living in the valley.
- KarraGray’s on-off partner; rumored by Poppy to cheat on him, implying a shaky relationship.
- SaintDagger member; Poppy admits finding him cute, reinforcing the team’s casual relationship norms.
- Lyddie (Lydia)Former friend turned collaborator; attends Travis’s briefing, aggravating Wren’s resentment.