After discovering that Edina left a note for Kingfisher inside the Alchemy book, Saeris feels relieved that she chose to share the book with him rather than keep it from him. Saeris wants to read it immediately, but Ammontraíeth is overwhelmed with preparations for the Evenlight Ball, and constant questions about decorations, wine, seating, music, and petitions keep interrupting her. Frustrated, Saeris decides to leave the arrangements to Tal and return to Cahlish with Kingfisher and Carrion for quiet.

At Cahlish, Saeris tries to study the null blade in the forge. Her new metal-sensing abilities work on ordinary objects, but the null blade makes Saeris feel as if she is falling into darkness, and Saeris cannot shave metal from it for testing. Kingfisher cannot move the blade with his power at all, which alarms them because Belikon’s forces may carry the same weapons. Kingfisher leaves to open shadow gates for Lorreth and Renfis, while Carrion argues that they should bury the blade and postpone the problem.

Saeris turns Carrion’s avoidance back on him by confronting him about his own birthright as the Daianthus heir. Carrion resists the idea of claiming a throne in a realm he barely knows, but Archer enters with stew and firmly tells him that Yvelia’s people have prayed for his return since the deaths of Rurik and Amelia Daianthus. Archer’s unexpected sincerity leaves Carrion shaken. Saeris then asks Archer about Edina, and Archer describes Edina as kind, graceful, and quietly afraid when Belikon sent for her, adding that Edina often visited the forge and said she was visiting a friend.

Archer remembers that Edina loved flowers growing near the courtyard wall and rushes into the snow to fetch some. Moments later, Archer screams for help. Saeris and Carrion find an infected feeder in renegade armor dragging Archer toward the wall. Saeris accidentally throws the null blade at the feeder; instead of stopping it, the blade sinks into the creature and makes it stronger. Saeris attacks with Erromar, the feeder and Archer fall on top of her, and Carrion is thrown into a wall, where vines briefly burst into white flowers before wilting.

Because Saeris knows infected feeders can absorb magic, Saeris refuses to unleash her power and warns Carrion not to touch the creature. Archer instead tackles the feeder to protect Saeris, and the feeder bites into Archer’s neck. Archer’s molten inner substance sprays over the feeder and reacts violently with the rot, melting the creature and burning away the infection until only the null blade remains. Archer is left gravely wounded, his flames nearly extinguished, and Saeris and Carrion carry their badly burned friend back toward the forge rather than abandon him in the snow.