Alone in the cave during the storm, Celaena realizes the forest has gone unnaturally quiet and smells a rancid, ancient hunger. Remembering Rowan’s warning against fires and his mention of skinwalkers, Celaena recognizes that the fire has become a beacon. Celaena flees the cave and sees three tall, inhuman figures investigating the entrance.

Celaena tries to escape through the rain-soaked forest, but the skinwalkers track Celaena with terrifying speed. Celaena collides with Rowan, who pulls Celaena into a hollow tree and tells Celaena that survival depends on shifting into Fae form. Rowan explains that the creatures do not breathe, so Rowan’s usual air magic cannot stop them; Rowan is only masking their scent long enough to run.

With Rowan helping Celaena breathe and with the skinwalkers closing in, Celaena shifts. In Fae form, Celaena hears the skinwalkers planning to skin Rowan and take Celaena alive. Rowan gives Celaena daggers and orders Celaena to follow him toward a river beneath a cliff, using wind to lure the skinwalkers briefly in the wrong direction before they sprint away.

During the chase, a fourth skinwalker ambushes Rowan, but Rowan kills it with brutal speed. The remaining skinwalkers pursue them to the cliff, boasting that the river will not save Celaena and Rowan. As Rowan leaps, Celaena realizes mortal weapons cannot kill the creatures but her immortal fire might. Celaena jumps after Rowan, warns Rowan to shift, and unleashes blue wildfire that incinerates the skinwalkers.

On the riverbank, Celaena shakes from cold, terror, and the force of her own power while Rowan extinguishes the forest fires her blast caused. Rowan explains that mastering shifting is necessary because Celaena fears it, and that strong magic has a bottom; if a wielder draws too much or holds on too long, the power can destroy the mind or body. Rowan also reveals he was once tortured while shackled in iron, prompting Celaena to mention being too late to save Sam.

Celaena thanks Rowan for saving Celaena, and Rowan says the blood oath to Maeve required Rowan to keep Celaena alive, though Rowan would not abandon anyone to skinwalkers. Rowan questions what triggered Celaena’s successful shift and controlled fire; Celaena admits it was because Celaena did not want Rowan to die saving Celaena. Rowan decides Celaena is not leaving Mistward, gives Celaena a warm cloak and jacket, and Celaena follows Rowan back toward the fortress.