On the rooftop of Celaena’s old apartment, Aedion celebrates Aelin’s destruction of Narrok’s forces, while Chaol quietly accepts that the enemies the king sent were no longer innocent men. Chaol has come intending to tell Aedion and Ren what he knows about the king’s spell and how it might be destroyed, but he holds back because he does not know how Aedion would use the information once Chaol leaves for Anielle.

Aedion warns Chaol to keep a low profile when Aelin’s identity becomes known. Chaol understands that Aelin will return not to him, but to Terrasen, Aedion, Ren, war, and duty. When Aedion asks whether Chaol wants to send Aelin anything, Chaol cannot give up the Eye of Elena or fully let her go; instead, Chaol asks Aedion to tell Aelin that Chaol, Dorian, and the others are safe and that Aedion barely dealt with them.

Meanwhile, Sorscha lies awake beside a sleeping Dorian after again stopping short of fully committing to their intimacy. Sorscha thinks about Aelin’s survival, the possible return of magic, and the danger Dorian will face if events move toward rebellion. Though Sorscha is grateful for the love she has been given, Sorscha doubts her own strength and concludes that Dorian needs a true queen, not someone as quiet and frightened as herself.

Over the next two days, Chaol and Aedion plan an escape for Dorian and Sorscha. Dorian and Sorscha do not object, and Chaol prepares to use his departure for Anielle as an excuse for them all to leave the castle together. Chaol submits his recommendations for a replacement and braces himself to leave the life he has built, though he cannot bring himself to surrender his sword.

The plan collapses when the King of Adarlan summons Chaol to his private council chamber. Chaol arrives to find Aedion already there, surrounded by unfamiliar guards wearing the royal wyvern embroidered in black, while the king smiles as if he has anticipated them. Dorian hears of the summons and rushes to Sorscha to get her out immediately, but Amithy appears with more unfamiliar guards and announces that the king wants both Dorian and Sorscha brought to his chambers at once.