Elide waits alone in a mossy glen near Doranelle while battle sounds carry from miles away. She fears the rescue might fail but forces herself to remain where the others told her to wait.

Lorcan emerges with Aelin, who is blood-soaked, barefoot, thin, and still trapped in the iron mask, shackles, and gauntlets. Aelin has little recognition in her eyes and becomes fixated on the irons, repeatedly demanding that they be taken off. Lorcan tries to pick a gauntlet lock, but the mechanism breaks his dagger, sending Aelin into a frantic, sobbing struggle against the restraints.

Rowan and Gavriel arrive carrying an unconscious, badly wounded Fenrys in wolf form. Rowan goes to Aelin, gently stops her from tearing at herself, and calms her enough to let him examine the mask. Rowan, Lorcan, and Gavriel try to break or force the iron chains, but the locks and metal hold, and Aelin’s despair deepens.

Elide asks whether there was a key, prompting Aelin to silently indicate that a Wyrdmark might open the locks. Rowan cuts his palm and offers his blood, but Elide realizes that Aelin cannot use the Wyrdmark herself because the iron gauntlets block her magic. Aelin guides Rowan’s bloodied finger to trace the opening mark on each shackle, and one by one the ankle irons, wrist manacles, gauntlets, and mask unlock.

Freed at last, Aelin studies Elide, Gavriel, Lorcan, and Rowan with an empty, wary awareness. When Rowan speaks her name, Aelin’s fire erupts around her, burning away her shift without harming the forest. Through the flames, Elide sees that Aelin’s body bears almost no visible injuries or scars, as though someone has erased every mark from her skin.