Lysandra’s carriage creeps through Rifthold’s crowded solstice streets while revelers fill the city, unaware of the attack about to unfold. Evangeline sleeps against her, and Lysandra regrets that they did not leave the night before because Lysandra needed to say goodbye. Seeing the glass palace in the distance, Lysandra prays to Mala and Temis, choosing to remain in the carriage and leave the city for Evangeline’s sake, even though it means abandoning her friends to danger.

Below the city, Aedion and Rowan carry heavy vats of volatile hellfire through the sewers toward the castle. The path is treacherous, and both understand that one fall could mix the substances too soon. Aedion recalls that a much smaller test had produced smoke visible for miles, making the destructive potential of their current load terrifying.

Aedion and Rowan follow the lingering stench of the Wyrdhounds through tunnels toward an ancient gate marked with Wyrdmarks. Aedion recognizes that Lorcan’s earlier slaughter of the Wyrdhounds and Aelin’s manipulation of Lorcan cleared their route. Though irritated by Rowan’s warnings, Aedion realizes Rowan may be trying to keep them both focused as they carry the attack’s most dangerous weapon into the castle catacombs.

At street level, Aelin leads Chaol in chains toward the castle fence, pretending to hold him prisoner with a dagger at his side. Chaol knows the plan, but the revelation that Dorian still exists within the Valg possession weighs heavily on him. As they near the gates, Chaol sees sixteen corpses in red-and-gold uniforms hanging from the iron bars: his loyal guards, including Ress and Brullo, tortured and displayed as a message to him.

Chaol is devastated and blames himself for the deaths of his men. After Aelin quietly apologizes, Chaol decides the plan must change and tells Aelin what he needs to do. Aelin accepts the change, promises to make it count, and resumes the guise of Celaena Sardothien, swaggering up to the castle guards to announce that the king’s Champion has returned with a valuable prisoner.