- Katsa thinks. And thinks. And rides hard for a couple of days without tiring, which leads Po to suggest her Grace seems to be more than just fighting. That's an interesting idea, but Katsa has bigger fish to fry at the moment.
- After a couple of days, she decides that the whole lovers idea seems like a good deal. She tells Po her decision, and goes to bed feeling vulnerable for pretty much the first time in her life.
- The next day when they set up camp for the night, Katsa asks Po to fight with her because their training bouts tend to relax her.
- Po agrees, and they begin grappling, but partway into their contest of strength Katsa notices blood and they stop. During this pause, as they examine one another for injuries, things heat up in a different way, if you catch our meaning.
- Before things get too far along, Katsa wonders about birth control and Po informs her that Raffin included Seabane (an herb known to prevent conception) in their medicines. With that point handled (big Shmoops to Cashore, by the way, for including it), the heat returns and Katsa and Po spend their first night together as unmarried lovers.
- Katsa is pleased to find later that the choice has not only caused her not to lose herself, but it also feels "natural and comfortable. […] And only the smallest bit terrifying" (20.83).