Rose in Chains
by Julie Soto
Contents
Chapter 44
Overview
Orion verifies the fabricated memories around Cohle’s death, critiquing Briony’s work while securing witnesses. Upstairs, Toven helps Briony process her first kill, and their grief turns intimate before Serena interrupts with news that Mallow will arrive by nightfall. Serena then reveals she is a seer monitored daily by Mallow and affirms her goal was preserving Briony’s choice, not engineering an heir.
Summary
In the aftermath of Cohle’s death, Orion questions Serena, Reighven, and the nurse’s handling. He forces Briony to rework Reighven’s memories, demonstrating his own precise rewriting and deeming her edits “sloppy but serviceable.” Briony notes they will still need a dead body after releasing the second nurse.
Upstairs, Toven urges Briony to lower her mental barriers and confront Cohle’s death. As Briony relives the killing and her accumulated grief—Reighven’s violation, the freed nurse’s hope for Sammy, Phoebe’s loss, Cordelia’s state, and fear for Rory—Toven holds her while she breaks down, assuring her she acted to protect them.
The comfort turns physical; Briony and Toven kiss and grind urgently until a knock from Serena halts them. Serena reports Reighven and the nurse are dispatched and that Mallow will arrive after nightfall. Toven departs to see Orion, leaving Briony to rebuild her defenses.
Serena thanks Briony and, in turn, discloses her secret: she is a rare seer compelled to daily mind inspections by Mallow. She explains the Hearsts courted favor because she foresaw Mallow’s rise. When Briony asks about the Heir Twice Over, Serena denies steering Toven toward fathering it; her aim was preserving Briony’s choices. Briony, steadied by this allyship, prepares for Mallow’s arrival.
Who Appears
- Briony RosewoodProcesses her first kill of Cohle, endures Orion’s scrutiny, breaks down, shares an intimate moment with Toven, and prepares mental barriers for Mallow’s arrival.
- Toven HearstExhausted from heart magic; guides Briony to release her barriers, comforts her through grief, and initiates a restrained but intense kiss before duty calls.
- Serena HearstClaims killing Cohle, manages witnesses, announces Mallow’s imminent visit, and reveals she is a seer under daily inspection, aiming to protect Briony’s choices.
- Orion HearstReturns, audits and refines the memory edits, critiques Briony’s work, and coordinates cover-up logistics ahead of Mallow’s arrival.
- ReighvenSubdued witness whose memories are altered to fit Serena’s account of Cohle’s death; later sent away.
- CohleDead torturer of Toven; his killing by Briony triggers her emotional collapse and necessitates the memory cover story.
- Unnamed nurseWitness to events; Briony previously released her. Her memory is aligned with the cover story before being sent off.
- MallowOffstage ruler en route after nightfall; conducts daily inspections of Serena’s mind, heightening the chapter’s urgency.