Rowan, Gavriel, Lorcan, and Elide travel hidden routes toward Doranelle after selling their horses, since the Fae males are too recognizable and too powerful to pass unnoticed. Before approaching the city, they set a trap for Maeve: Elide spreads rumors that a Fae garrison has captured a Valg prince and found Wyrdstone collars, hoping Maeve will leave Aelin to retrieve them herself.

The group climbs a southern hill for a view of Doranelle. Rowan refuses to fly because Maeve’s patrols may be searching for a white-tailed hawk. From the summit, they see the moonlit city, serene and familiar, stirring Rowan’s grief and uncertainty over whether its people are still his own after his break with Maeve and the deaths in Eyllwe.

Gavriel points out Maeve’s palace, but no lights reveal whether Maeve or Aelin is inside. The group discusses the difficulty of entering Doranelle, which is protected by visible bridges and a wild river, and Lorcan urges taking a day to scout and plan. Rowan hates delaying while Aelin is close, but accepts that a rushed rescue could endanger her more.

As they descend toward a sheltered campsite, Elide suddenly freezes in terror. The hilltop had marked the edge of an illusion: beyond it, the seemingly peaceful basin is surrounded by a massive Fae army. Gavriel realizes Maeve has summoned most of her forces, and Lorcan warns that the army may be meant not only to keep rescuers out, but to keep Aelin in.

Gavriel suggests contacting allies in the city, but Rowan rejects the idea because Maeve can invade minds and may already have compromised anyone loyal to them. Elide then offers to enter Doranelle herself, since she is mortal, barely known to Maeve, and able to disguise her appearance as she did while spreading the collar rumors.

Lorcan objects fiercely, fearing Maeve will discover Elide, but Elide refuses to be commanded by him. When Lorcan demands to know what she could ask, Elide reveals her plan: she will inquire after Cairn, posing as a jilted mortal woman seeking a Fae lover. Since Cairn is tied to Aelin’s captivity, Rowan accepts the strategy and grants Elide permission to hunt for information.