Helena wakes in Kaine’s bed in a high West Island tower overlooking the Novis Mountains, wrapped in his arms and frightened by how much she wants to belong there. She tries to leave before Kaine wakes, but Kaine catches her, sees that her claim that the night meant nothing is false, and pulls her back. Their connection shifts from comfort into open mutual desire and possessiveness, and Helena briefly lets herself feel that Kaine’s embrace is home.

After sleeping through most of the day, Helena wakes again to find Kaine still beside her. They speak more easily than before, and Kaine explains that the tower is his home because his family estates are bound to his mother’s torture and death. He also reveals that Amaris, the enormous winged creature Helena saw, is his chimaera and that the tower is practical because Amaris can launch from the roof.

Helena asks when Kaine realized she had not known his supposed punishment was a setup. Kaine admits he knew from Helena’s first arrival at the Outpost and initially found it amusing, then failed to tell Helena because he liked that Helena truly wanted to save him. Helena explains that Crowther’s instructions made Helena believe the Resistance trusted her, until Ilva finally told Helena the truth near the solstice.

Helena then tells Kaine that Atreus, Kaine’s father, may not be dead: during Luc’s rescue, a lich identified himself to Sebastian as Atreus and guarded the room where Luc was held. Kaine rejects the possibility at first, then recognizes that Atreus may have hidden his lich state from Kaine’s mother. Kaine explains that Atreus adored his wife and became obsessed with preserving her life after Morrough promised a cure, but Kaine assumes Atreus would still blame Kaine for what happened.

Kaine asks why Kaine survived Bennet’s failed experiment when all later subjects died. Helena reluctantly admits Helena used the Stone of the Heavens, an amulet from the Holdfasts that Ilva gave Helena and that had chosen Helena, to sustain Kaine long enough to recover. When Helena says things worked out because Helena escaped the order to kill Kaine, Kaine reacts coldly—not out of self-pity, but because Kaine is furious at how the Resistance has used Helena as expendable labor and leverage.

Helena snaps back that Kaine also exploited Helena’s ignorance and cruelty, while Ilva and Crowther at least manipulated Helena for a reason. Kaine apologizes sincerely and admits Kaine hurt Helena because Kaine expected betrayal and tried to make Helena give up before Kaine cared. Helena says Helena kept trying because Kaine seemed lonely beneath the mask, and Kaine tells Helena her instinct to save people makes Helena better than Kaine. Helena finally insists Helena must return, and though Kaine struggles to let Helena go, Helena reassures Kaine that Helena will always come back to him.