Celaena practices archery with Chaol in an abandoned hallway, but Chaol notices her lack of focus. Celaena admits that Cain knows her true identity because Perrington told him, and Chaol concludes that although Celaena has lost the advantage of surprise, Celaena can still defeat Cain in the duels.

Two guards interrupt with news of another body in the servant passages. Chaol brings Celaena to examine it, and Celaena identifies the mutilated corpse as Verin Ysslych. The body’s missing face, brain, and chest contents, the claw marks in the stone, and the two Wyrdmarks drawn nearby confirm a connection between the killings and the symbols Celaena has been investigating.

Celaena studies the scene and reasons that Verin was not merely surprised by an animal. The clean claw marks suggest the creature sharpened its claws before attacking, and the burning torches mean Verin would have seen it unless someone had already disabled him. Celaena finds cut tendons and broken fingernails, concluding that a person likely crippled Verin, summoned or controlled the creature, and watched while Verin tried to crawl away.

Later, Celaena searches books for the Wyrdmarks and pauses over a map of Erilea, lingering on Orynth, her birthplace in Terrasen, before shutting the book. Dorian arrives near midnight, and their conversation moves from Verin’s murder to music, memory, and Celaena’s guarded past. Celaena admits that music matters because it lets Celaena create rather than destroy and reveals that Celaena once wanted to be a healer.

Celaena then asks why Dorian is not married, leading to an argument about love, duty, politics, and the responsibilities of a crown prince. Their exchange becomes intimate despite their disagreement, and Dorian notices Celaena’s ring, which Celaena refuses to explain. Celaena invites Dorian to play billiards, realizing with alarm that Celaena likes him.

Meanwhile, Chaol watches Duke Perrington at dinner and notes that Perrington seems oddly unconcerned about Verin’s death. Chaol observes disturbing moments when Perrington’s eyes darken, especially when Perrington looks at the black ring on his hand. Kaltain also watches Perrington with cold calculation, and although Chaol tries to dismiss the duke as merely ambitious, Chaol leaves uneasy, feeling that Perrington may have been watching him too.