Aelin wakes in the cave still uncertain whether her rescue is real, because Maeve’s illusions had often felt convincing. The Little Folk’s reassurance and the unchanged cave help Aelin accept the truth, but her magic remains dangerously pressurized beneath her skin. Aelin recognizes Rowan, remembers their bond, and realizes that her mate truly came for her.

Aelin approaches Rowan but cannot yet bear full emotional or physical closeness. When Aelin smells Cairn’s blood on Rowan, she asks whether Cairn lives. Rowan tells Aelin that Cairn is dead, explaining that Rowan tortured, beheaded, and burned Cairn in vengeance for what Cairn did to her. Aelin is relieved, but instead of accepting Rowan’s request to hold her, Aelin says she needs to wash away what happened.

Aelin enters the freezing underground lake, using the cold water to siphon off some of her overwhelming fire. As Aelin swims, her thoughts steady and her identity returns to her: Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. Rowan watches from shore as Aelin explains that she did not break or reveal information, describes Maeve’s mind games, and asks how long she was held. Rowan tells Aelin it was two months, three days, and seven hours.

Aelin reveals that Maeve had been about to put a Valg collar on her, which drove Aelin toward escape. Rowan is horrified and confesses that the supposed Valg collars were part of a deception he and the others created to lure Maeve out, not realizing how Maeve would weaponize the lie against Aelin. Aelin does not blame Rowan, saying the lie may be why they are alive now. Rowan then updates Aelin on the others and on Lysandra’s masquerade in the North, while Aelin realizes Maeve may be raising an army to strike Terrasen.

A strange boat arrives, pulled through the lake by blind, eel-like creatures and guided by the Little Folk. Aelin explains that soldiers and spies hunt them aboveground, so their only route to the sea is through the caves. Lorcan questions the plan, but Elide and Rowan back Aelin, and the party prepares to leave by the underground waterway.

Before boarding, Aelin bows to the Little Folk, who return to her the Crown of Mab, a silver, pearl, and diamond crown that had fallen into a river. Gavriel explains to Lorcan that the Little Folk aid Aelin because she descends not only from Brannon but also from Mab, making Aelin their queen as well. Aelin accepts this with solemn certainty, boards the boat, and sails into the darkness with the crown in her hands.