Elide approaches Aelin after the destruction of the ilken army, intimidated by Aelin’s power, her court, and Elide’s own shabby appearance. Lorcan reads Elide’s unease and, hurt by what he thinks her association with him implies, pulls ahead. A strange warning urges Elide to pay attention, and Elide spots a hidden mountain lion preparing to attack Lorcan.

The mountain lion and then a white wolf attack Lorcan with deadly precision. Elide realizes the beasts are no ordinary animals and throws herself between Lorcan and the wolf’s killing blow. The wolf bites Elide’s arm instead of Lorcan’s neck, grievously wounding her before transforming into Fenrys, while the lion becomes Gavriel. Lorcan protects Elide with his last shield, but when Gavriel offers to heal Elide and Fenrys struggles against Maeve’s order to kill Lorcan, Lorcan drops the shield, choosing Elide’s life over his own.

Gavriel heals Elide’s mangled arm, and Fenrys attacks Lorcan under the force of the blood oath. Rowan intervenes with wind and shields, pinning both males and invoking Aelin Galathynius’s protection over Lorcan and Elide. This wording delays Fenrys and Gavriel from obeying Maeve’s command, giving everyone time and ending the immediate threat.

Aelin and Aedion arrive, and Aelin recognizes Elide by her resemblance to Elide’s mother, Marion. Aelin apologizes for Marion’s death and delivers Marion’s final message: that Marion loved Elide very much. The reunion breaks through years of grief, and Manon’s arrival confirms that she, too, survived and sees hope in Elide’s meeting with Aelin.

Elide explains that she survived because of Lorcan, Manon, and Kaltain Rompier. Elide gives Aelin the cloth-wrapped Wyrdkey Kaltain entrusted to her, explaining that it was repayment for Celaena’s kindness and a reminder of Aelin’s promise to punish their enemies. Aelin accepts the key, claims Elide as Lady of Perranth and under her protection, and clashes teasingly with Manon and Lorcan over who has a claim on Elide.

As the group moves on, Elide joins Aelin and Aedion without looking back at Lorcan. Rowan remains with Lorcan and asks how Lorcan found them. Lorcan says a dark god and the ilken led him there, warns that Aelin’s power could destroy her, and deflects Rowan’s questions about Lorcan’s own mission.