Kiara ambushes the fugitives on Cairnhaem’s bridge, killing Gabriel’s horse Bear and Dior’s Pony with a devastating maul strike. Gabriel is thrown into a burning barricade and badly injured, while Dior is hurled onto the bloodied stones. Celene attacks with blood magik and skill, but Kiara proves fresher and stronger, eventually smashing Celene away over the snowy slopes.

Kiara turns on the exhausted, unarmed Gabriel, while Kane Dyvok, a houndboy, and snowhounds watch from the bridge’s edge. Gabriel’s aegis keeps Kiara’s blows from landing cleanly, but Kiara breaks Gabriel’s arm and prepares to kill him. Dior rises behind Kiara with Ashdrinker and tries to repeat the kind of surprise attack that killed Danton, but Kane warns Kiara, who disarms Dior and sends Ashdrinker into the gulf before seizing Dior by the throat.

Alba and Aléne arrive with Voss thralls and order Kiara to release Dior, declaring the girl belongs to them. Gabriel’s narration pauses as Jean-François asks why Kiara’s defiance surprises him, prompting Gabriel to explain vampire society’s bonds of servage, famille, and soumission, and why an ancient Voss pair should command a younger Dyvok. Back in the memory, Kiara refuses to yield, drinks from a golden vial, and challenges the Terrors rather than submit.

Kiara launches a Dyvok Tempest, but instead of striking Alba and Aléne directly, she smashes the ancient bridge beneath their feet. The bridge disintegrates, dropping the Terrors, rubble, horse carcasses, and thralls into the chasm. Dior tumbles over the edge but catches a rusted gibbet, and Gabriel, despite his shattered body, grabs the chain to keep Dior from falling.

Phoebe, wounded but alive, attacks Kiara and forces the Wolfmother to release Gabriel, but Gabriel falls over the side while still holding Dior’s chain. Gabriel urges Dior to climb as the bridge breaks apart and Phoebe fights Kiara and Kane above. When Gabriel’s grip gives out, Celene reappears and catches Gabriel’s broken hand, burning from Gabriel’s silver aegis, then pulls Dior to safety.

Kiara overpowers Phoebe and hurls the limp duskdancer from the bridge. Gabriel, dangling from Celene’s hand, thinks of old days fighting beside his sister, but Celene rejects the comparison. With hatred in her eyes, Celene lets Gabriel go and turns back toward Kiara, leaving Gabriel to fall into the dark while Dior screams.