After healing Princess Lilian, Diem breaks down alone in the palace washroom, overwhelmed by blood, fear, Prince Luther's suspicion, and renewed grief for Auralie. Being surrounded by the Descended in the palace feels like proof that Diem's life has crossed into the world Auralie tried to keep her away from, forcing Diem to admit her mother may truly be gone.

Diem returns to the healers' center with Lana while Maura remains at the palace to check on the unconscious King of Lumnos. The injured children survive, but only Elric thanks the healers. On the way back, Diem sees the luxury of Lumnos City and reflects on Emarion's realms, the places she has visited, and the realms still beyond her reach.

That evening, while Diem and Maura work alone, Maura reveals that the scarred man who held Lilian was Prince Luther, the King's nephew and future King of Lumnos. Diem is horrified because Luther is the very royal she had been seeking, the brother of Teller's crush, and the man Diem threatened during the emergency.

Maura questions how Diem treated Lilian's broken arm and grows serious when Diem says she set it without Descended help. Maura explains that Descended bones are stronger than iron and normally impossible for mortals to move. Maura also reports that Luther asked whether Diem had brown eyes as a child and whether Maura knew Diem's father, though Maura protected Diem by only naming Andrei Bellator as the well-known mortal war hero.

Diem decides she may need to take over Auralie's palace duties so Teller can remain focused at the Descended academy. Maura reluctantly reveals the hidden terms of Auralie's bargain: Auralie agreed to serve the Crown for life in whatever way requested, and if she fails, the Crown can execute her. Worse, Prince Luther knows the bargain because he negotiated it on the Crown's behalf.

At dinner, Diem hides her turmoil from Teller and Andrei while resenting the secrets Auralie kept to protect her. Later, Diem gathers every bottle of flameroot powder and throws them into the sea, rejecting the substance tied to her suppressed emotions and praying to the Old Gods to prepare her for whatever truths come next.