Rowan and friends seek the answers they need at the charity ball.
Tropes:
- Cliffhanger: The chapter end with the mayor getting decapitated by an assassin. At the time of the book's release, this marked the end of Part 1, with Part 2 premiering a few months later.
- Honey Trap: Rowan has the option of seducing Marianthe to steal her phone for clues. Alternatively, they can distract her with a drinking contest.
- Likes Older Women: Rowan can flirt with Mayor Green if they choose to. Lincoln and Jocelyn will find it amusing (unless Rowan is romancing them), Abel and Amalia will roll their eyes, and Connor will be too shocked to speak.
- Off with His Head!: The end of the chapter has Mayor Green get decapitated by an assassin.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- If Rowan brings Lincoln to the ball and tells Matthias the truth about the Power, Lincoln will call them out for trusting him.
- Jocelyn lambastes Rowan for trying to kiss her if they broke up with her beforehand.
- Wholesome Crossdresser: It is entirely possible to have a male Rowan show up at the charity ball in a dress. Nobody seems to mind.
- You Lose at Zero Trust: A minor case. If Rowan goes to kiss the love interest they chose as their plus one but their relationship score is too low, the love interest will turn away and say that they don't see Rowan like that. Jocelyn is an interesting case; if you're on the Friends with Benefits route, and you pull her in for a kiss, she accepts regardless of her relationship score, but if Rowan broke up with her in Chapter 7, attempting to do so will cause Jocelyn to not only reject the kiss, but she'll snap at Rowan for being so misleading (and she even threatens violence if they persist) and her relationship score will drop by 10 points.
