As soldiers celebrate Erawan’s destruction, Aedion follows Gavriel’s lingering scent through ruined Orynth to the barracks room where Gavriel’s body has been laid. Aedion kneels in grief for the father he only just began to want to know, fearing Gavriel may have died believing Aedion rejected him. Lysandra joins Aedion silently, shares his mourning, and Aedion resolves to bury Gavriel in Terrasen’s royal graveyard with full honor.

When Aedion and Lysandra step back into the street, a rukhin-clad man named Falkan Ennar approaches Lysandra. Falkan reveals that he is Lysandra’s uncle and has searched for his dead brother’s abandoned child for ten years, not realizing Lysandra might have inherited shapeshifting gifts and changed her appearance. Falkan offers Lysandra his fortune and security, but Lysandra, joyful and tearful, takes Aedion’s hand and says she already has everything she needs.

On the balcony where Erawan was destroyed, Dorian sits exhausted beside the black stain left behind and retrieves Damaris, now permanently darkened. Dorian reflects on Erawan’s longing for his brothers, on the cost of power, and on his own identity before affirming, with Damaris’s warmth in his hand, that he is human. Manon arrives on Abraxos, and when Dorian looks for the Thirteen, Manon tells him they are gone; Dorian embraces Manon while Manon grieves them and Abraxos stares toward the place where his mate will never return.

Aelin and Rowan climb Orynth’s candlelit streets to the castle gates, where Darrow blocks the entrance with Evangeline beside him. Darrow asks why Aelin faced Erawan and Maeve with depleted magic, and Aelin answers that Terrasen is her home. Darrow accepts Aelin as queen, calling her “Your Majesty,” and Aelin realizes Evangeline has somehow fulfilled Aelin’s old command to win back the kingdom.

Inside the castle, Aelin reunites with Aedion and quickly sees his grief. Aedion leads Aelin to Gavriel’s body, where Aelin posthumously offers Gavriel the blood oath, declaring him a male of honor who stood by his son and Terrasen. After Aelin leaves with Aedion, Rowan, Fenrys, and Lorcan kneel beside Gavriel, and Rowan sings ancient Terrasen mourning prayers.

In the Great Hall, Elide helps the healers until Manon arrives with wounded witches. Manon tells Elide that all of the Thirteen are dead, comforts Elide despite her own devastation, and commands her to live. Later, Elide finds Lorcan keeping vigil by Gavriel, learns Perranth has been reclaimed after Erawan’s fall, and accepts Lorcan’s request to stay with her; Lorcan agrees to marry Elide, take the Lochan name, and bind his life to hers so they will never be alone again.