Kamran waits for Alizeh to answer how she knows the Tulanian king, while privately struggling with suspicion and concern. Alizeh’s presence at the ball, her healed injuries, her missing snoda, and her expensive gown all make Kamran fear that his grandfather’s accusations may be right, yet Kamran’s instincts insist that Alizeh is in danger rather than dangerous.

Kamran reflects that he had ordered Hazan to bring him King Cyrus, but changed course after seeing Cyrus speak with Alizeh and then watching Alizeh run through the crowd in terror. When Alizeh begins to deny knowing the Tulanian king, Hazan arrives breathless and shocked to see Alizeh. Hazan warns Kamran that the ball is unsafe and says the king wants Kamran returned to the throne immediately, but Kamran resists the urgency.

Before Kamran can leave, Omid appears and calls out to Alizeh. Alizeh warmly embraces Omid, astonishing Kamran and Hazan because Omid had once nearly killed her. Omid explains that he searched the ball for Alizeh and that a frightened woman told him Alizeh was there in a purple dress and was not a snoda, but a queen.

Alizeh clarifies that Omid invited her to the ball to apologize for attacking her, while Omid insists he never meant to kill her. Hazan presses Omid about the woman who identified Alizeh, and Omid says the woman was hiding from a man who had done terrible magic to her and wanted Alizeh warned to run away. Kamran and Hazan connect this threat to Cyrus, since the Diviners are dead and Cyrus is suspected of using magic that night.

Alizeh asks Omid to show her where the frightened woman was hiding. Hazan again urges Kamran to leave immediately for safety, but Kamran dismisses Hazan’s panic. Their argument is cut short by a sharp, bloodcurdling scream.