Aelin remains trapped in Cairn’s box, starved, restrained, and struggling against the mounting pressure in her body and mind. She understands that Maeve is bringing the Wyrdstone collar closer and fears that once it is placed around her neck, the Valg prince within it will tear every secret from her.

When Aelin wakes healed and cleaned, she realizes she is in a tent in a Fae army camp rather than by the river. Fenrys lies nearby, grieving and exhausted, while Cairn has prepared a metal table, tools, and braziers for what he intends as his final, indulgent torture before Maeve’s victory.

Cairn reveals that he means to heat the metal table beneath Aelin and make her burn without access to her own fire. Because the torture would corrupt and weaponize the element Aelin loves, Aelin begins to unravel, but she forces herself to think of endurance and of the hand she has been dealt.

Seeing two stars through a hole in the tent roof gives Aelin a final gift and a final idea. As Cairn raises the flint to light the braziers, Aelin says, “Wait,” trying to draw out one last chance to end her captivity before Maeve can collar her.

Near dawn, Rowan waits at the southern entrance to the camp, planning to strike during the weakest guard shift and fight through to Cairn’s tent. Although the original plan is to wait for the shift change, a warm commanding voice he recognizes as the Lady of Light urges him to go immediately, and Rowan attacks, suffocating the entrance guards and tree sentries with his magic before charging into the camp.

At the eastern edge of the camp, Lorcan and Gavriel wait for Rowan’s magical signal while Elide hides deeper in the forest. Before any signal appears, Lorcan senses death stirring nearby and realizes the assault has begun too soon.