Lorcan waits at the edge of the ruk encampment as riders prepare to ferry Aelin, her allies, supplies, healers, and horses back to the keep before the battle at Anielle. He barely notices the birds because Maeve’s revealed nature as a Valg queen has shaken him. Lorcan wonders whether the darkness he thought bound him to Maeve was actually meant to bring him close enough to kill her.

Elide comes to tell Lorcan the ruks are ready, and Lorcan insists that he did not know what Maeve truly was. Elide refuses to absolve him and challenges the difference between loving an immortal, cold queen and loving a Valg monster. When Lorcan denies loving Maeve, Elide admits she keeps returning to the question because she is trying to understand how she herself came to love a monster.

The argument turns personal and cruel. Elide rejects the idea that Lorcan’s blood oath to Aelin changes anything between them, emphasizing that Lorcan is immortal while she is human. Lorcan accuses Elide of jealousy, but Elide says the only thing she envies is that Maeve is rid of him. Lorcan apologizes for everything, but Elide says she does not care and adds that she would not care if he died in the next day’s battle.

As Elide limps away, Gavriel confronts her and says she should have ignored Lorcan instead of striking someone already wounded. Gavriel tells Elide that Lorcan never apologizes and that Lorcan swore the blood oath to Aelin only for Elide, so he could stay near her despite knowing she is mortal. Elide realizes she already knew this and that her cruelty came from trying to punish herself for still longing for Lorcan. During the cold flight over the army and toward the city, even Elide’s inner guiding voice falls silent.

After the ruks depart, Nesryn remains in the camp with Salkhi and watches Borte and Yeran spar with flirtatious insults about war, marriage, and future Gatherings. Their hostility clearly hides attraction, and Yeran whispers something that leaves Borte blushing before both drift away from the group.

Sartaq joins Nesryn as the remaining ruks settle. He notes that Borte and Yeran are becoming more obvious, then turns his attention to Nesryn. With another battle coming, Sartaq says the day’s death has made him want to hold her, and Nesryn, equally affected, tells him to help finish cleaning Salkhi first.