Inside Anielle’s keep, Elide helps the healers as casualties pour into the Great Hall. Though Elide has no healing magic, she steadies thrashing soldiers, fetches supplies, and forces herself to keep working despite horror, exhaustion, and pain from her limp. Elide also worries about Lorcan, who did not come to her the previous night or seek her out that morning, making Elide fear her harsh words drove him away.

On the battlements, Chaol fights from Farasha’s back as Morath throws soldiers at the walls and gates with relentless fury. Aelin and Rowan fight together, Fenrys joins Chaol near a second siege tower, and the khagan’s armies press Morath toward the keep from the field. Chaol endures exhaustion because Yrene is inside the keep, and Chaol refuses to let Morath reach her.

Beyond the walls, Nesryn commands the left rukhin flank while Sartaq leads the center and Borte and Yeran lead the right. When a scout alerts Sartaq, Nesryn follows Sartaq toward the mountain dam above Anielle. They discover Morath soldiers attempting to break the dam with a battering ram, intending to flood the plain and destroy both armies rather than allow defeat.

Nesryn has no arrows left, but Sartaq uses his last shots while Morath soldiers continue battering the dam. The attackers also have a heavy iron bolt launcher to keep the ruks away. Nesryn and Sartaq weave Salkhi and Kadara through the air to avoid the bolts, then strike: Salkhi destroys the launcher, Kadara tears through the soldiers and hurls the battering ram away. When Nesryn and Sartaq inspect the damaged dam, what they see sends them racing back toward the keep.

Meanwhile, Lorcan and Gavriel fight through the first siege tower and help collapse the assault on the gates by attacking the battering ram outside. When Chaol orders Lorcan and Gavriel back up a ladder to the battlements, Gavriel obeys, but Lorcan feels drawn into the battle and pushes onward toward the khagan’s advancing lines. Grieving the loss of Elide and convinced he belongs only to violence, Lorcan drops his magical shields and fights recklessly.

Lorcan’s choice leaves him vulnerable. A more skilled Valg soldier cuts open Lorcan’s back, then drives a sword into Lorcan’s gut. Lorcan collapses in the mud as hooves thunder and arrows fly overhead, and the chapter ends with Lorcan losing consciousness amid the battle.