Bree and Alice sneak around the Lodge to the basement door, trying to stay hidden while Bree keeps her mental boundaries guarded. Bree texts William, who lets them in with relief and warns that bringing Alice inside as an outsider risks exposing Bree’s broken Oath of Secrecy. William accepts Alice because Bree trusts her and hurries them downstairs, explaining that the last two hours have descended into multiple demon attacks.

In a map room, the Scions and Squires argue over how to respond. Russ wants caution, while Fitz insists the attacks are escalating toward campus and must be met with full force. Bree interrupts to say they need to find Lord Davis and Nick. Felicity explains that Davis and Nick argued after the gala, then left privately and have not answered calls. Since then, Sel, Tor, Sarah, Felicity, and Russ have fought multiple fully materialized demons, and Sel, Sarah, and Tor have not yet returned from the latest attack.

Sarah suddenly arrives screaming for help with Tor gravely wounded. William and Whitty take Tor to the infirmary and work together to treat broken ribs, internal bleeding, a punctured lung, and sliced organs. Sarah, traumatized, says a fox-like demon stole Sel’s aether and weakened their armor before a cougar-like demon attacked Tor. Sel sent Sarah back with Tor and stayed behind to fight alone, also warning that Lord Davis is trying to force Arthur’s hand.

Bree gathers the others and tells them what she knows: Sel and Bree’s discoveries, Lord Davis’s actions against Bree, and his plan to force Nick’s Calling if Nick refuses. The group debates how Davis can be breaking Oaths and whether Nick may be resisting Arthur’s Call. Evan argues that Nick’s anger, heroism, and love for Bree may be helping Nick hold off the Call, which explains why Davis’s plan has not yet succeeded.

Vaughn arrives after seeing green and blue-white mage fire over mid-campus, suggesting Sel is still fighting nearby. Bree and Alice push the group to ask why the demons are moving toward the center of campus, and Felicity reveals the bloodline secret: Excalibur, the oldest and most powerful aether weapon, lies in the ogof beneath the Bell Tower. Because lesser demons seek large sources of aether, Bree realizes Davis and Nick must be there, near sealed underground Gates, and that Davis may be opening more Gates to force Nick into position.

The group splits responsibilities. William volunteers to close the open Gates aboveground using a vial of part-demon blood, while Alice goes with him to help keep Onceborns away. Bree, Felicity, Russ, Fitz, Evan, Pete, Greer, Whitty, and Vaughn prepare to enter the tunnels. Since Bree and Vaughn are not Squires and cannot use aether weapons, Russ breaks into a hidden weapons room; Vaughn grudgingly advises Bree to take a sword because it is the weapon she is least likely to misuse.