Dorian rides through the frozen game park on a hunt, hoping the cold will clear his mind. Instead, Celaena dominates his thoughts: her kiss, her uncertainty, and the way she makes Dorian want to become someone worthy of the crown.

Dorian sees a stag and prepares to shoot, but Dorian lowers the bow when Dorian remembers that Celaena must duel the next day. Fear for Celaena unsettles Dorian, though Dorian reassures himself that Celaena is strong, clever, and fast enough to survive.

That night, Celaena stands alone before her balcony doors and looks down over snowy Rifthold. Celaena has refused all visitors, including Chaol and Dorian, and hopes Nox has escaped far from the castle and its dangers.

As midnight passes, Celaena focuses on the final duel against Cain. Celaena weighs Cain's strengths against her own: Cain has power and endurance, while Celaena has speed, and Celaena hopes Chaol's grueling running drills will let Celaena outlast Cain.

Celaena's thoughts shift from tactics to the darker stakes of victory. Losing might mean death or a return to Endovier, but winning means becoming the king's Champion and losing the freedom to choose whom Celaena kills, unlike Celaena's former life under Arobynn.

Celaena realizes that the person dragged from Endovier could never have imagined caring about the castle or the people in it. Celaena admits to herself that Celaena wants to stay, not only to win eventual freedom, and that desire makes the coming duel more painful and more important.