Chapter Eleven

Summary

• The narrator has received a letter from her best friend Garrick which has made her very happy.
• While cooling down from a run, her companion Imogen criticizes her for being overly cheerful and questions her about her relationship status with her complicated romantic interest.
• Their conversation is interrupted by the appearance of a scribe, Jesinia, who has come to the narrator with a request.
• Jesinia needs help translating a book written in Old Lucerish, a language the narrator can read.
• After helping Jesinia with the translation, the narrator is left to consider the dangers surrounding her own secret research.
• Lieutenant Rhiannon surprises the narrator with mail during their training, prompting the narrator to initially hope for news from her romantic interest, Xaden.
• The disappointment comes when the letter turns out to be from Mira, the narrator's cousin, and sections of the letter appear to be redacted.
• A demonstration by third-year cadets, including Cath and Dain, showcases a new landing strategy that amazes the onlookers.
• The narrator discusses concerns about her upcoming challenges and assassinations with Bodhi, revealing tension and the continued complexity of her relationships with those around her.
• Bodhi and the narrator encounter Major Varrish, who has the narrator's belongings searched, revealing distrust from the military leadership and increasing tension.
• Varrish finds nothing incriminating but warns the narrator about potential punishment for her absences during formations.
• Bodhi admits they were testing what the officers might do, using the narrator as a control in an experiment without informing her.
• The narrator confronts Bodhi about being used as a pawn and insists on being asked for help directly in the future.
• As the narrator is about to leave with Tairn, they reveal that they are smuggling contraband, intensifying the stakes of their actions.
• The chapter concludes with Tairn launching into the night, heading toward the front lines and Xaden.