Chapter Thirty-Two

Summary

• Xaden confronts the narrator about a dagger incident involving Rhiannon and the potential consequences of certain individuals becoming aware of their secrets.
• He expresses frustration that additional people, including Quinn, are now privy to parts of their secret. The narrator assures Xaden that they don't know the full extent of the critical issues.
• The narrator is planning a risky mission to break into the Archives to retrieve journals that could provide valuable information for their cause.
• Xaden becomes involved in refining the plan, raising concerns about the potential for their group to get caught, and emphasizes the importance of stealth and speed.
• There is a poignant moment where the narrator and Xaden share a kiss, demonstrating the deep emotions between them, despite Xaden's reluctance to fully express himself.
• The scene shifts to preparing for the Archive heist, with the group reviewing their roles. Tensions rise between Aaric and Xaden due to a hostile history.
• Xaden and the narrator temporarily diffuse a potentially violent confrontation between Aaric and Xaden and convince Aaric to join their mission by appealing to his resentment towards his father.
• The group discusses the gravity of their plan, which involves a high risk of death should they get trapped in the Archives once the door closes.
• As they proceed to the Archives disguised as scribes, an unexpected encounter with a first-year scribe nearly compromises their operation, but Xaden's shadow manipulation averts suspicion.
• Jesinia, aware of the risks, leads them through the Archives to a hidden entrance to where the classified journals are likely held. Tensions persist, keeping the group on edge.
• The chapter culminates in a gamble where the main characters descend a staircase to the secretive part of the Archives, with only 45 minutes remaining before potential capture or death.