Murtagh survives the creature’s attack because of his wards and realizes the attacker is Silna, a thin young werecat in cat form. Murtagh tries to calm Silna with the ancient language and explains that Carabel sent him, but Silna remains frightened and hostile. When Murtagh gives Silna room to leave, Silna bolts toward the alchemy workshop.

Esvar, three guards, and Arven, a nearly white-haired magician of Du Vrangr Gata, enter and spot Silna and Murtagh. Arven attacks Murtagh’s mind before Murtagh can use the Word, forcing Murtagh to defend his thoughts instead of working stronger magic. Murtagh protects Silna, disables the first guards by exploiting gaps in their wards, and then faces Esvar, who believes Task has betrayed his oath to the watch.

Esvar refuses to stand aside out of duty, and Murtagh’s frustration turns into violence as the fight drags on. Murtagh’s sword shatters against Esvar’s wards, and the broken blade pierces Esvar near the collarbone. Horrified by the injury, Murtagh overwhelms Arven’s mind, causing the magician to faint, then heals Esvar while admitting only that the watch is not what Esvar thinks it is.

Before leaving, Murtagh finds a bird-skull amulet on Arven, identical to the one Sarros wore in Ceunon, and takes it. Murtagh and Silna flee into the catacombs as soldiers approach. Murtagh chooses the tunnel leading under Gil’ead, carries Silna when she tries to run, breaks through grates with magic, and navigates the maze by consistently turning left while struggling with memories of imprisonment and guilt over being an oathbreaker.

After hours underground, Murtagh and Silna reach a grated tunnel mouth near a stream in Gil’ead. Guards search nearby, so Murtagh waits, briefly contacts Thorn, and learns Thorn is hidden outside the city but safe. While waiting, Murtagh studies the stolen compendium of ancient-language words, confronts a spider that triggers memories of past torment, and finally cuts through the grate once the area quiets.

Murtagh helps Silna out and restores the grate to hide their escape route. As soon as Silna reaches the street, the werecat sprints away into Gil’ead and vanishes from Murtagh’s senses. Murtagh realizes he has rescued Silna but failed to deliver Silna to Carabel, leaving him uncertain whether Carabel will still give him the answers he needs; nevertheless, Murtagh decides to seek those answers and hurries deeper into the city.