Rowan races back to Aelin’s ship after warning the other vessels to anchor during the attack. He finds the deck bloodied, Aelin kneeling over Fenrys, and the last ilken escaping toward the coast to report to Morath. Rowan takes Fenrys’s bow, endures grim jokes from the wounded Fenrys, Aedion, and Aelin, and shoots the fleeing creature through the head on the first shot.

After the immediate danger passes, Aedion reflects on the shock of Gavriel leaping in to save him during the battle. Gavriel was wounded defending Aedion, and the scent of Gavriel’s blood drove Aedion to fight beside his father until the ilken were dead. Aedion then brings water to Aelin, who is using her limited healing magic to draw poison from Fenrys’s ravaged chest.

Aelin keeps Fenrys talking to distract him from the pain and learns more about his magic: Fenrys can slip through folds in the world over short distances, shield himself and others, and heal quickly, though he commands no element. Fenrys also recounts that he and his twin Connall were noble-born warriors whose lives changed when Maeve noticed them. Aelin recognizes that Maeve knows Fenrys hates his blood oath and sent him to Aelin to torment him with temporary freedom.

The conversation turns to the nature of Fae service and Maeve’s corruption of it. Fenrys says Fae males are meant to protect, serve, and cherish, but Maeve makes a mockery of that calling. Aedion then challenges Gavriel about his own oath, prompting Gavriel to admit he only wanted to leave Maeve once: when he loved Aedion’s mother, whom he calls a bright star in centuries of darkness.

Gavriel says he stayed away because Aedion’s mother wished it, but he would have tried to protect her and Aedion if Maeve had threatened them. Aedion absorbs the truth but keeps his distance, refusing Gavriel’s concern for his injured knee and telling Gavriel to tend to his own wounds. Aelin, drained by healing Fenrys, nearly collapses, and Rowan carries her below while warning Aedion to elevate his knee.

Fenrys falls into a healing sleep, and Aedion spends the night alone on watch rather than retreating belowdecks. Later, Lysandra approaches in ghost leopard form and quietly rests her head on Aedion’s thigh. In shared silence, Aedion and Lysandra watch the stars over the calm sea, giving Aedion a brief moment of comfort after the battle and the painful revelations about Gavriel.