Elide Lochan painfully climbs to Morath’s aerie with an urgent letter for Manon Blackbeak after a relieved messenger leaves it with her. As Elide searches the empty aerie, she studies the surrounding mountains, army, and escape routes, confirming what she has learned from Manon’s map. Elide thinks of her lost title as Lady of Perranth, her imprisonment by Vernon, and her plan to hide in a supply wagon and flee Morath before Vernon or the horrors beneath the mountain consume her.

Manon suddenly appears and accuses Elide of spying, having smelled Elide’s fingers on Manon’s map. Elide tries to appear meek and ignorant, admitting she cannot read, but Manon sees through the false stammer and recognizes the intelligence behind Elide’s fear. Manon questions Elide’s parentage and mother’s origins, then dismisses her, privately aware that Elide has strong witch blood in her mortal veins.

Abraxos enters hungry, terrifying Elide at first, but the wyvern notices Elide’s chains and injured leg with unexpected gentleness. Elide realizes Abraxos is scarred, smaller than the other wyverns, and oddly un-evil, which suggests Manon may have sympathy for broken things. After Elide leaves, Manon reads a harsh letter from her grandmother ordering obedience to the duke and threatening Manon, the Thirteen, and Abraxos if Manon disobeys again.

Manon remains troubled by the Crochan witch’s claim that Ironteeth witches were “made” into monsters, so Manon seeks out Ghislaine and asks about the Valg. Ghislaine explains that witches descended from Valg and Fae offspring, with Ironteeth inheriting more Valg traits and Crochans more Fae ones. Ghislaine warns that the Valg are not true allies but embodiments of evil who would break the Thirteen’s bonds and codes for amusement.

Manon tells Ghislaine that Duke Perrington has ordered Manon to choose a Blackbeak coven for experiments meant to create Valg-Ironteeth children. By the next morning, all the witches know of the order, though Manon does not blame Ghislaine. A newly arrived Yellowlegs coven leader asks to be considered for the duke’s task, hoping for a different kind of glory, and Manon says she will consider it.

When Perrington asks which coven Manon has selected, Manon gives him the volunteer Yellowlegs under Ninya instead of Blackbeaks, despite Perrington’s displeasure. Manon then asks why Perrington and his allies are raising such forces when they already control the continent. Perrington answers that they do it because they can and because “this world” must be improved, making Manon realize the Valg-backed ambition may extend beyond Erilea and could someday threaten even the witches’ restored homeland.