Contents
10. Harlow
Overview
Harlow rejects Bea’s plea to rest and prepares one last job before departing for Mountain Haven, debating a risky continuity plan for her vigilante work. At Ashen Eclipse, Henry derails her hit, exposing vulnerabilities—his colorblindness and loss of his sister—and leverages blackmail to drag Harlow to meet his friends, forcing her to postpone the assassination.
Summary
At Guardian’s Crossing, Harlow resists Bea’s warning to rest after recent dangers, hinting Rafe engineered her prior setup. She plans to leave for Mountain Haven the next day and insists on one last job, while Bea questions whether rebels aimed to push the Havenwoods from the city.
During a blackout, they discuss the city’s sunstone and candle economy. Bea presses a contingency for the Poison Vixen work while Harlow is away, proposing Josie and allied pleasure-house women with small magic. Harlow refuses to risk them, but Bea asserts they will proceed to maintain the façade and protect clients, effectively cornering Harlow into tacit agreement.
Harlow heads to Ashen Eclipse to target a red-haired abuser. She uses her enchanted necklace to glamor her eyes and positions herself to draw the man’s attention, leveraging a Mattingly marker for service and a provocative display to bait the mark.
Henry arrives uninvited, loudly claiming a date and drawing attention. Their sparring reveals he can’t see color since the Mountain Haven attack but has heightened senses; Harlow removes her eye glamour, realizing he wouldn’t notice. Probing further, Harlow learns Henry’s sister, Holly—the intended heir—died defending the wall, reframing Henry’s role and motives.
When Harlow moves to engage her target, Henry physically halts her and insists on spending time together. He escalates to blackmail, threatening to expose her vigilantism to Kellan, forcing Harlow to abandon the hit and accompany him to meet his friends, delaying her mission and deepening their fraught entanglement.
Who Appears
- Harlow Harlow (Widow Harlow)Protagonist; refuses to rest, plans one last hit, debates succession with Bea, then is coerced by Henry to postpone her mark.
- Henry HavenwoodInterrupts Harlow’s operation; reveals colorblindness and sister Holly’s death; blackmails Harlow into meeting his friends.
- BeaBartender ally; urges Harlow to rest, proposes Josie and network maintain Poison Vixen work during Harlow’s absence.
- Red-haired markHarlow’s target at Ashen Eclipse, an alleged domestic abuser; notices Harlow but is spared when Henry intervenes.
- Bartender at Ashen EclipseServes Harlow a sparkling wine using a Mattingly marker, enabling her setup to bait the target.