After Rowan bites Celaena, Celaena fully shifts into her Fae form. Her senses sharpen, her wound begins healing, and her fire rises uncontrollably. Rowan provokes the magic with his own ice and wind power, causing Celaena’s blue flame to surge through the clearing.

Rowan stops Celaena’s fire by pulling the air from around her, suffocating both the flames and Celaena until he lets her breathe again. As Celaena shifts back into mortal form, Celaena realizes Maeve chose Rowan because Rowan’s power can suppress Celaena’s. Rowan asks whether Celaena’s lover knows what Celaena is, then refuses to bite Celaena again because he believes women tied to other males are off-limits.

Celaena admits that Celaena and Chaol are no longer together because Celaena wanted Chaol to be safer if Chaol hated her. Rowan tells Celaena that loved ones are weapons to be used against someone, which makes Celaena think of Nehemia. When Celaena realizes Celaena is forgetting Nehemia’s face and voice, Celaena becomes numb and unresponsive.

Rowan tries to force Celaena to shift again, threatens punishment, and calls Celaena worthless, finally saying Celaena might have been more useful if Celaena had died ten years earlier. Celaena decides to leave Mistward. Celaena packs quickly, refuses to speak to anyone, and heads into the forest, believing Celaena must find another way to learn about the Wyrdkeys and fight the King of Adarlan before Rowan destroys what remains of her will.

Rowan intercepts Celaena on the path and accuses Celaena of running from hardship. Their argument escalates when Rowan questions Celaena’s mission and Celaena’s neglect of Celaena’s own kingdom. Celaena declares that Celaena made an unbreakable promise to free Nehemia’s kingdom, then screams that Nehemia is dead and that Celaena has been left with a worthless life. Rowan stops following Celaena afterward.

Celaena wanders until night, makes crude spears for protection, and finds a shallow cave before a storm breaks. Celaena builds a fire by hand, eats the food in her satchel, and notices small glowing eyes watching from the forest without threatening her. Feeling clearer and convinced leaving was necessary, Celaena falls asleep beside the fire, then wakes suddenly when the forest goes silent.