In Morath, Vernon has Elide scrubbed, stripped, and dressed in a plain green robe as preparation for being taken to the catacombs. Elide understands that she is being prepared as a sacrifice and resolves to resist rather than let Vernon and the Valg use her body to breed monsters.

Four guards arrive to drag Elide away to the waiting prince. As Elide begs and struggles, two guards mock her exposed body, but Manon appears behind them and kills them with her iron nails. When the remaining guards release Elide to fight, Manon brutally kills them as well, making clear that Elide is under her protection.

The narration shifts to Manon’s rescue. After hearing that Aelin Galathynius has killed the King of Adarlan, shattered the glass castle, saved Rifthold from falling glass, and declared Dorian king, Manon pushes aside the wider political chaos and gathers the Thirteen. A mysterious wise female voice urges Manon to hurry as she and her coven search three dungeons, slaughtering guards and finding tortured prisoners but not Elide.

Manon reaches the third dungeon above the catacombs and sees Elide being dragged away. Elide’s terror and humiliation break through Manon’s trained brutality, forcing Manon to confront her guilt over the Crochan she killed, Asterin’s story, and the witches her grandmother has used and sold. Manon decides that fighting for the defenseless is not weakness, frees Elide’s ankle chain, and prepares to battle their way out.

As more soldiers and Valg threaten from both above and below, Manon knows escape will be dangerous and that bringing Elide into the fight could get her killed. Before they can move, Elide stares at the cell doorway, where Kaltain appears in a dark, flowing dress.