Content Warning: This section of the guide contains descriptions of self-harm, cruelty to animals, and sexual assault.

The following day, Mia reports Rose and Lissa to a teacher for passing notes, leading him to read aloud their written exchange about the incident with Jesse and Dimitri. This embarrasses both girls and Jesse, who is present. Jesse approaches Rose after class, begging her to tell Dimitri (of whom he is terrified) that he had nothing to do with the note being read. Rose finds his “apparent cowardice” unattractive. She heads off to training, pleased when she hears other students gossiping about Mia’s parents’ jobs and displeased when she hears others speaking about the dead fox.

Rose recalls that two years prior, she and Lissa were gossiping in the woods about Lissa’s first time having sex with Aaron. Suddenly, they heard a sound that they attributed to a wild animal. They were caught by Ms. Karp, who had unnerved Rose ever since the incident in which she healed Rose’s hands. The teacher frequently had marks on her forehead, as if she scratched at her face. The trio heard another sound, which they followed. They found a dead raven, and when Lissa touched it, the raven came back to life.