After sending a harsh letter to Arobynn, Aelin leaves her warehouse apartment for food and returns to find a cream-colored box on the table. Arobynn has entered without leaving signs of intrusion and sent back Aelin’s old black assassin’s suit, improved with hidden weapons and reinforced for her weaknesses. The gift reminds Aelin of Arobynn’s control, his past abuse, and the debt he forced on Sam, but Aelin decides she can pretend to be Celaena Sardothien again if it helps rescue Aedion.

While Aelin examines the suit, a hired carriage arrives in the rain. Aelin arms herself and confronts the visitor, who reveals herself as Lysandra, the courtesan Aelin once hated and threatened to kill. Lysandra begs to speak somewhere safe, and Aelin allows Lysandra, the driver, and a scarred young girl named Evangeline inside rather than leave the child in the slums.

Inside the apartment, Aelin treats Evangeline gently and sends the girl to choose food while Aelin questions Lysandra. Their old rivalry resurfaces, including Arobynn’s purchase of Lysandra’s Bidding with Aelin’s money and Aelin’s past attack on Lysandra. Lysandra says Arobynn sent her to deliver his plan to free Aedion and also to test Aelin’s loyalty, but Lysandra believes Arobynn may have intended Aelin to kill Lysandra as a gift.

Lysandra warns Aelin that Arobynn is watching her, has his own agenda, and may use the favor Aelin owes him as a trap. Lysandra then gives Aelin an unopened letter from Wesley, Arobynn’s former bodyguard and Lysandra’s lover. Lysandra explains that Wesley learned too late what Arobynn had ordered Rourke Farran to do to Sam and what Arobynn had arranged for Aelin; Wesley killed Farran in revenge and had planned to rescue Aelin from Endovier before Arobynn murdered him.

Aelin angrily dismisses Lysandra, unwilling to trust her or the painful revelations. As Lysandra leaves, Evangeline stays behind and explains that Lysandra scarred Evangeline’s face deliberately to save her from being trained as a courtesan after Evangeline’s mother sold her to Clarisse. Lysandra accepted blame, was beaten, and was forced to buy Evangeline’s debt, which is why Lysandra remains trapped. Aelin realizes Lysandra may have changed, compares the act to something Nehemia would have done, thinks of Kaltain, and calls after Lysandra to wait.