Kel begins recovering at Marivent after nearly dying from the Crawler attack. Weak from injury and morphea, Kel falls when first trying to walk, prompting Conor, Delfina, Queen Lilibet, and Jolivet to intervene. Jolivet prescribes exercise, food, and no alcohol; Conor surprisingly accepts the advice, though Conor remains distracted by Prosper Beck’s demand for money and spends long stretches away from the Castel Mitat.

Kel rebuilds his strength by walking the Palace grounds, reflecting on how little his near death has changed anyone else’s life. Kel overhears Queen Lilibet, Bensimon, and Jolivet discussing the possible return of Artal Gremont, whom Bensimon calls a monster. Kel also overhears Conor speaking Sarthian to a woman about arrangements, but Kel dismisses it as Conor’s business.

Elsewhere, Lin dreams of the moments before the Sundering, seeing Sorcerer-King Suleman and feeling the pull of Adassa’s past. Waking shaken, Lin studies the Source-Stone brooch and wonders whether it belonged to Adassa. Mariam then arrives late at night and tells Lin she has found a way to get Lin back into the Palace to examine Kel.

In the second week of Kel’s recovery, Queen Lilibet corners Kel and warns that Kel is Palace property, meant to die only in defense of Conor. Queen Lilibet says Conor cannot survive without Kel until Conor becomes king and takes the Lion Ring, after which Aigon will protect him. Kel is uneasy, wondering whether Queen Lilibet fears a danger beyond Beck’s threat.

Antonetta smuggles Lin into Kel and Conor’s rooms by bribing Delfina and arranging for Kel to be told Jolivet is waiting. Lin examines Kel, is pleased by his healing, criticizes Gasquet’s long use of morphea, and reveals she knows Kel is the Sword Catcher because she recognized his Ashkari talisman. Lin promises secrecy, then gives Kel a note from the Ragpicker King, who says he knows about the debt and the Crawlers and tells Kel to come to him if Kel wants to protect Conor.

Conor returns unexpectedly, finds Lin there, and reacts with cold anger, though Antonetta’s feigned innocence helps blunt the confrontation. After Antonetta leaves, Conor escorts Lin out and argues with her about obedience, privilege, Kel’s scars, and whether Conor could free Kel from his role. Lin condemns the system that made Kel a Sword Catcher; Conor insists he was also a child and remains bound to House Aurelian. Conor sends a royal carriage to ensure Lin leaves Marivent, and the chapter closes with a tale of Judah Makabi spying on Suleman and learning of Dannemore’s plan to attack young Queen Adassa of Aram.