Matthias dreams of hunting Nina across fields and ice, sometimes killing Nina and sometimes kissing Nina. The tenderness of the dream disgusts Matthias because Matthias sees desire for Nina as a betrayal of Fjerda and of himself. Matthias wakes in his Hellgate cell to find Nina truly beside him, dressed richly and crying as Nina begs Matthias to wake.

When Matthias remembers the Hellshow and the wolves Hellgate forced Matthias to kill, Matthias' confusion turns to rage. Matthias attacks Nina and begins strangling Nina, but Kaz stops Matthias with a gun and then disables Matthias' arm with his cane. Kaz insists that the crew is breaking Matthias out, and the escape begins as Jesper releases the animals from the arena cages to create a riot.

Kaz, Nina, Inej, and the disguised Muzzen move Matthias through the chaos instead of taking the obvious staircase, which Kaz says would be checked by guards. In the arena, animals rampage among panicked spectators and guards; Inej kills a poisonous desert lizard that threatens the group. Kaz leads everyone through the animal tunnels to a small boat, where Jesper waits after finding a sea exit from Hellgate.

Matthias calculates a desperate escape: knock Inej into the water, seize Jesper's gun, take the boat, and kill Nina. Inej anticipates Matthias' move and trips Matthias before Matthias can act. Because Matthias is too dangerous and likely to capsize the boat, Kaz orders Nina to put Matthias to sleep, and Nina uses Nina's Grisha power to force Matthias unconscious despite Matthias' threats.

Matthias wakes bound in a black-and-crimson gambling room while Kaz explains jurda parem, the reward, and the plan to break into the Ice Court. Matthias refuses to commit treason and even offers to provide a partial layout of the Ice Court if Kaz will let Matthias kill Nina. Instead, Kaz produces a pardon clearing Matthias of slave trafficking charges because Nina has recanted Nina's testimony and will face only a short perjury sentence.

The possibility of returning to Fjerda as a cleared drüskelle tempts Matthias, even though helping Kaz would betray the Ice Court. Matthias reasons that joining the mission may let Matthias prevent Bo Yul-Bayur's knowledge from empowering Fjerda's enemies, and Matthias secretly vows to punish Nina later. Matthias agrees, Kaz introduces Inej, Jesper, and Wylan, then reveals that Wylan is Jan Van Eck's son and the crew's guarantee that Van Eck will pay the thirty million kruge.