Aelin Ashryver Galathynius returns to Rifthold and hides in the Vaults, a dangerous underground pleasure hall filled with criminals, fighters, and spies. She has dyed her golden hair auburn after slipping past black-uniformed guards at the docks, realizing that the king’s forces may soon be searching for the King’s Champion who failed to obey his orders in Wendlyn.

Aelin observes that Rifthold feels quieter and more fearful than before, and the new guards’ black uniforms and wyvern insignia suggest the king is no longer disguising his brutality. She wants to learn what has changed in the city, whether the Captain of the Guard is safe, and why Arobynn Hamel is risking a secret meeting in the Vaults.

Aelin followed Tern, one of Arobynn’s favored assassins, from the Shadow Market to the Vaults and saw other assassins gathering, a sign that Arobynn himself is present. Tern recognizes Aelin at the bar and directs her toward Arobynn’s booth, where Arobynn is meeting a secretive client guarded by an armed young woman.

As Aelin crosses the room, she reflects on her return journey: she missed Rowan, planned revenge against the two men responsible for destroying her life, and lost access to her magic and Fae form when the ship neared Adarlan. Aelin reminds herself that she was trained to kill without magic and steels herself to face Arobynn.

Before Aelin reaches the booth, Arobynn’s client rises angrily and leaves. Aelin recognizes the man’s movement and posture as Chaol Westfall, though he is dressed in plain, blood- and dirt-stained clothes instead of his black uniform and lacks his eagle-pommeled sword. To avoid being immediately exposed, Aelin slips into a card game and asks to be dealt in as Chaol looks her way.