Ravyn finds Ione Hawthorn in Elm’s room, soaked and wearing Elm’s tunic, and immediately fears that Elspeth’s favorite cousin will die now that she is back at Stone. Elm explains that Ione was at Hawthorn House and that Gorse and Wicker saw her, leaving Elm no choice but to bring Ione to the castle. Ravyn notices Ione’s bloodstained dress and Elm’s bruised knuckles, and Elm says highwaymen attacked them on the forest road; Ione flatly assures Ravyn the blood is not theirs.

Ravyn tells Elm that he has been at Castle Yew digging under a certain stone and that the old truth is real. Ravyn also reveals that the King has begun the inquest, has seen the prisoner, and will now question the others. Royce Linden arrives to say the King wants Linden to wield the Chalice, while Jespyr has gone to return the prisoner to her cell.

Elm challenges whether the King specifically summoned Ione or whether Linden was too eager to expose her. Ravyn, desperate to preserve the King’s trust despite Ravyn’s attachment to Elspeth, chooses to act as the cold Captain of the Destriers. Ravyn states that Ione, as kin of an infected person, will submit to the Chalice like her father and uncle, even though Elm is clearly furious.

As Linden leads Ione through Stone’s corridors, Ravyn uses the Nightmare Card to speak privately with Elm. Ravyn asks why Ione did not flee with her family and why Elm did not use the Scythe on Ione; Elm says Ione must not have been at Spindle House when Elm compelled the others away and that Gorse and Wicker prevented him from using the Scythe. Ravyn reflects bitterly that Elm had warned him about Elspeth’s danger, and that if Ravyn had listened, Hauth might not have reached Elspeth and the Shepherd King might have remained contained.

Ravyn stops Elm before they reach the throne room and demands the truth. Elm admits that Ione saved his life: Elm could not reach the Scythe in time, so Ione took it from Elm’s pocket and killed the highwaymen. Ravyn warns Elm that Ione chose Hauth and cannot be saved, but Elm insists Ione may not have understood what that choice meant and says he owes Ione not kindness, but balance. Ravyn tells Elm that Ione will likely die at Stone, either by the dungeon or the King’s command, and cautions Elm not to be swayed by her beauty; Elm cuts back that Ravyn has also been turned by a beautiful woman.