Rose in Chains
by Julie Soto
Contents
Chapter 38
Overview
In a flashback, the Bomardi school is attacked as coordinated portals open using Trow blood. Briony searches for Rory amid kidnappings of Eversun students and hides with Toven. Orion reveals Mallow has killed King Jacquel and covertly aids Briony’s escape. Rory escapes separately with General Meers and Cordelia, leaving Briony to save herself.
Summary
News of a deadly incident in Barta reaches Briony and Rory at the Bomardi school. During class, a hawk’s arrival precedes a violent quake as the mountain and school collapse. Bomardi operatives open portals, grabbing Eversun students as hostages. Briony shields herself, then searches frantically for Rory amid rubble, kidnappings, and chaos.
Pursued by attackers, Briony turns invisible, navigating broken stairwells and halls where Bomardi separate students and portal them away. She’s nearly discovered when Toven Hearst drags her into a study and wards them. Both fear a planned operation blocking border towns and trapping Eversun heirs.
Orion Hearst arrives for Toven and reveals that Mallow attacked Jacquel, leaving Evermore without a king. He confirms Eversun children are being captured to ransom against Evermore and that General Meers departed with Rory and Cordelia minutes earlier. Briony realizes she was not collected in the escape.
Recognizing Briony’s disguise as Larissa, Orion subtly grants her time and tosses her a vial of Genevieve Trow’s blood so she can open a portal. He pointedly hints the borders are open because Jacquel is dead. After Orion escorts Toven away, Briony drops the illusion.
With only minutes before Rory’s coronation would reestablish the borders, Briony uses the Trow blood with her own to open a portal—confirming Orion’s warning—and steps into the void toward Biltmore. She leaves the ruined school realizing she has been left behind and is now expendable in the shifting power struggle.
Who Appears
- Briony RosewoodEversun princess; survives the school raid, searches for Rory, disguises herself, and escapes using Trow blood.
- Toven HearstBomardi student; hides Briony, shields them, confronts his father, and nearly brings “Larissa” with them.
- Orion HearstToven’s father; reveals Jacquel’s death, recognizes Briony’s disguise, and covertly gives her Trow blood.
- Rory RosewoodBriony’s brother; evacuated by General Meers with Cordelia, leaving Briony to fend for herself.
- General MeersBomardi-aligned officer; portals away with Rory and Cordelia during the raid.
- Cordelia HardstarkStudent ally; departs with Rory and General Meers in the evacuation.
- Liam QuillClassmate; present during the attack, seen panicking amid the chaos.
- Larissa GainsClassmate; Briony assumes her likeness to misdirect Orion and attackers.
- Riann CohleBomardi operative; kidnaps an Eversun boy via portal during the assault.
- Collin TwindleBomardi operative; drags an Eversun student from hiding to hand off.
- Veronika MallowBomardi leader; orchestrates attacks and is credited with killing King Jacquel.
- Genevieve TrowProperty owner; her blood enables portals into the school, and a vial aids Briony’s escape.
- King JacquelEversun king; killed by Mallow, opening borders and triggering succession.