As Gabriel, Dior, and Lachlan ride down the frozen Mère toward Château Aveléne, Gabriel smells blood and fire before the ruin comes into view. The scent awakens Gabriel’s thirst, sharpened by Celene’s earlier forcing of blood on Gabriel, but Gabriel focuses on the danger and on concern for Aaron, Baptiste, and Dior. Ashdrinker murmurs confused memories of past battles while Lachlan confirms the blade still speaks.

The travelers see Aveléne shattered: the keep is broken, smoke rises from the houses, but the outer battlements remain strangely intact, suggesting no ordinary siege. Dior wants to call out for survivors, but Gabriel silences Dior and decides the group will investigate together. As they approach, Lachlan and Gabriel explain that vampires use mortal thrallswords to burn homes and force people into the open, and that many servants of the Dead are coerced by fear rather than loyalty.

Near the château pier, Gabriel spots a meatwagon: a cage packed with wounded and terrified children, guarded by thrallswords and wretched. When the wind shifts, the wretched smell Dior despite ghostbreath, and the enemy is alerted. Gabriel considers fleeing but chooses to fight because the captives and the mystery of Aveléne’s fall demand action.

Three Dyvok highbloods emerge from the gates: Kane Dyvok, called the Headsmun; Rykard Dyvok, a huge hammer-wielding vampire; and Kiara Dyvok, the Wolfmother. Gabriel recognizes Kiara from the slaughterfarms of Triúrbaile, where captives were kept as food for Dyvok armies, and his rage hardens. Gabriel sends Dior away for safety, then he and Lachlan cut down the first wave of wretched with aegis, pistols, silver, and Ashdrinker.

Kiara orders a full attack. Lachlan’s silverbombs panic the horses pulling the meatwagon, sending the imprisoned children sliding out onto the ice. While Gabriel and Lachlan clash with Kane, Rykard, Kiara, and the remaining wretched, Dior returns to stop the wagon and tries to free the children, only to find the cage locked. Thrallswords close on Dior, and Gabriel cannot reach Dior because Kiara and Rykard block Gabriel’s path.

Gabriel wounds Kiara and loses her golden vial, but Rykard smashes Gabriel with a warhammer, breaking ribs and throwing Gabriel across the ice. As Gabriel struggles to rise and Dior remains in danger, Celene appears beside Gabriel in her red garments and removes her mask. Revealing her ruined face, Celene names herself Celene Castia, Sword of the Faithful and Liathe of Wulfric, and confronts the Dyvok as deliverance for their cursed kind.