Chapter 75

At a celebration beneath an icy dome, Kaan dances with Raeve, sensing she is hiding something. When Sabersythes attack overhead, Raeve flees into a maze of ice pillars. Kaan pursues her through the labyrinth, eventually finding her atop a tall pillar beneath a moon, where they share an intimate moment that culminates in a passionate kiss.

The chapter opens with Kaan and Raeve dancing at a celebration in an icy venue. Kaan observes her with intense longing, recognizing signs of deep pain and loss beneath her composed exterior. Though Raeve attempts to create what she calls a "perfect goodbye," Kaan resists, insisting he wants to truly know her. Their dance grows more intimate when Raeve settles her head against his chest. The mood shatters when two Sabersythes plummet from the sky, battling above the dome and unleashing dragonflame. Raeve unexpectedly flees into a nearby maze of ice pillars. Kaan pursues her, noticing her panicked behavior is uncharacteristic—she is hiding something. Following her scent through the winding paths, he notices runes on the ice pillars that only become visible when illuminated by the dragons' flames. When he demands she show herself, Raeve reluctantly emerges. She requests he close his eyes, then tenderly kisses his temple, neck, cheeks, and eyelids—intimate touches that move him deeply. She then asks him to count to ten before finding her beneath the moon, singing a haunting melody as he chases her through the maze. Kaan reaches the top of a tall pillar where Raeve lies beneath a luminous moon. They lie together, and she speaks cryptically of loss and the dead, revealing she has lost someone. Raeve explains that while she is not truly back—not who she was—this moment is a gift. When she traces the shape of the moon with their joined fingers and nuzzles against his hand as she once did, Kaan's composure fractures. He removes his mask and draws her close, kissing her passionately while tasting her tears.