After leaving the Sin-Eater’s temple, Chaol reflects on the strangeness of working beside Aelin, Rowan, and Aedion instead of opposing them. He remains committed to protecting Rifthold’s remaining rebels, though fear grows after the group’s discovery that Erawan may be entombed beneath Morath.

Nesryn finds the group with news from Ren. The King of Adarlan and Duke Perrington have been building a massive army at Morath, and the Valg guards in Rifthold are only the first wave. Worse, the king has secretly gathered three thousand Ironteeth witches trained to ride wyverns from the Ferian Gap, making war inevitable and threatening to isolate Terrasen from potential southern allies.

Aelin recognizes that the enemy may be waiting for her next move, while Aedion and Rowan begin considering possible alliances and military routes. Nesryn gives Aedion a letter from his second-in-command, and Aelin thanks Nesryn for the risks she and the rebels are taking. Chaol realizes that Dorian may be essential to stopping the king and that only magic-wielders may be able to withstand the coming army.

Aelin storms away, overwhelmed by the thought of wyverns, witches, Erawan, and the lives already lost for this information. Rowan follows and urges Aelin to speak to him, but before Aelin can recover, Lorcan ambushes her from the shadows and presses a knife to her throat. Rowan is forced into stillness, terrified because Lorcan can kill Aelin faster than Rowan can intervene.

Lorcan demands the Wyrdkey and reveals that Maeve wanted Athril’s ring not for sentiment, but because Mala forged it to grant immunity from Valg power and Wyrdstone enslavement. Lorcan claims Maeve killed Athril for the keys and the ring, and that she will become godlike and be destroyed if she obtains the keys now. Lorcan offers to trade the ring for Aelin’s Wyrdkey, saying he intends to destroy the keys to save Maeve from herself, then warns Rowan and Aelin that Maeve’s hunters will keep coming before vanishing.

Back at the apartment, Rowan withdraws in guilt over failing to protect Aelin. Aelin confronts him gently, and Rowan admits Lorcan nearly broke him; he would have surrendered the key to save Aelin. Rowan confesses that he missed Aelin desperately while in Wendlyn and would defy death itself to find her. Aelin demonstrates her trust by baring her throat to him, deepening the romantic tension between them, but Rowan stops before they go further, insisting they wait because of the apartment’s thin walls and the larger dangers still ahead.