Celaena realizes Cain has been growing stronger by using Wyrdmarks and the summoned ridderak to steal strength from murdered Champions. Hidden in the tunnels, she watches Cain feed his blood into glowing marks as the ridderak emerges and kneels to him, proving the murders, the creature, and the Wyrdgate magic are real.

Celaena tries to retreat, but Cain discovers her. A strange wind forces Celaena into the chamber, and Cain moves with inhuman speed, disarms her, locks her inside, and leaves the ridderak to kill her. Celaena understands the creature wants her alive first, as it likely did with Verin, and panic gives way to a realization: Elena wanted Celaena in the tomb because something there could save her.

Celaena uses herself as bait. When the ridderak charges, she leaps over it, letting the monster smash through the locked door, then races down the stairs toward the royal tomb. The open tomb door suggests someone has prepared the way, and Celaena runs inside while the ridderak pursues her.

Inside the tomb, Celaena heads straight for Damaris, Gavin’s ancient sword. As the ridderak leaps, Celaena seizes the blade and drives it through the creature’s face. The monster dies, but its teeth tear into Celaena’s right hand, leaving deep, bleeding punctures and a spreading cold.

Shaken but methodical, Celaena frees her hand, cleans Damaris, returns the sword to its stand, and thanks Elena before staggering back to her chambers. There, the wound worsens and Celaena collapses as cold spreads through her body. Nehemia finds her, carries her into the bathing chamber, and uses glowing turquoise Wyrdmarks and unknown words to hold Celaena in the water before blackness overtakes her.