25. Arcady: The Question

Summary

• The chapter takes place on a rooftop, where the characters, Everen and the narrator, are practicing a court dance on a music box for an upcoming event at the Last Golden.
• As they dance, the two begin to mirror each other and find their own rhythm. The narrator becomes increasingly transfixed by Everen’s presence and can sense a growing bond between them.
• Losing themselves in the dance and the moment, they grow closer and closer until they are nearly touching. The narrator is physically attracted to Everen and desires his touch, as does he, but they contain their feelings due to a past incident involving magical manipulation.
• They continue to dance, guided by their bond until the music comes to an end. Everen’s hands hover over the narrator’s and their bodies remain close together, the tension between them palpable.
• Despite their mutual attraction, the pair agrees they shouldn’t act on their feelings. However, they can’t resist each other and grow physically closer, their bodies pressing against one another and their gloved hands trailing each other’s figures.
• The intimate moment is interrupted when Everen reaches for the ties of the narrator's shirt. The narrator is repulsed by the thought of revealing the marks they bear and ends the encounter abruptly. They panic, fearing Everen had seen their markings, and wishing they hadn’t broken their promise to keep their hands to themselves.
• When they open their eyes, Everen has disappeared. The narrator scans the horizon and, taking in the cityscape below, they are alarmed to find a red tide appearing in the water. They know from experience that this can bring about a plethora of negative outcomes for the city’s inhabitants.
• The chapter ends with a rising sense of dread felt by both the narrator and the city around them. Historically, a strong red tide was a precursor to a catastrophic event known as the Second Strike, and the people fear this might be happening again.