Chapter 41

At dawn, Jovie wakes to Acker hurriedly packing her things. He announces they must leave while weather allows, aiming for a port and a ferry to Claudine, where Wells’s parents will shelter Jovie and Irina. Acker intends to return to the palace with Fredrich to confront his father and the advancing armies.

Jovie challenges his unilateral plan and the hypocrisy of making her choose between him and Kai while sidelining her from the fight. Their argument exposes deeper hurt: Acker accuses Jovie of courting death in Maile’s cave battle, while Jovie throws back his infidelity. The confrontation crescendos, then softens as both admit their pain; they kiss, and Jovie’s buried wound begins to mend.

Acker then reveals a decisive move: he sent Messer to inform Kai he accepts Kai’s condition—yielding Kenta—in exchange for military support. He admits he has failed at statecraft, is better suited to battle, and prioritizes Jovie’s safety over his crown, even asking Kai to attack his own soldiers if needed.

Acker offers to serve at Jovie’s side in Maile as her right hand, declaring, “It’s always been you.” The offer infuriates Jovie; she rejects the notion of his subservience even as their bond resurfaces. They share another charged kiss before Jovie shoves him away, calling him an asshole, signaling her unresolved conflict between love, agency, and the cost of his sacrifice.