Celaena wakes in her room a few hours after killing the ridderak. Her torn clothing has been replaced with a nightgown, her fatal bite has healed into pale scars, and Nehemia sits nearby with Fleetfoot. Nehemia explains that Celaena would have died within minutes if Nehemia had not found her, then presses Celaena to explain where the wound came from, since there was blood only in the bedroom.

Realizing Nehemia is not allied with Cain, Celaena confesses that Lillian Gordaina is a false identity and reveals that she is Celaena Sardothien. Nehemia is shocked to learn that Celaena survived Endovier and that the king brought her to the castle to compete to become his Champion. Celaena explains that winning would bind her to serve the king as an assassin for four years before earning freedom, and she angrily insists that she had no real choice.

Nehemia responds with compassion rather than condemnation. Nehemia takes Celaena’s hand, calls Celaena her dearest friend, and says Celaena did not let Endovier break or corrupt her. Nehemia gives Celaena the name Elentiya, meaning Spirit That Could Not Be Broken, offering Celaena a name to use when her other names become too heavy. Comforted by Nehemia’s unconditional friendship, Celaena tells Nehemia much of her history and the competition, though Celaena still withholds the truth about Cain and the creature.

The next morning, Celaena walks with Chaol through the frigid castle. Chaol notices Celaena’s quiet mood and asks about Dorian, then probes whether Celaena understands what a relationship with Dorian could mean. Celaena deflects with sarcasm, while privately wishing she could tell Chaol about Cain but deciding not to because revealing the ridderak would expose the secret passage and test Chaol’s trust too far.

After an hour of sword practice, Celaena and Chaol return toward her rooms and talk more easily about poetry, with Chaol laughing at her defense of epic poems. Their light mood ends when they turn a corner and find the hallway filled with guards. Celaena sees the King of Adarlan, abruptly bringing the king’s power and danger back into focus.