During Gabriel’s night watch, Dior climbs the snowy slope to keep Gabriel company. Gabriel is drunk enough to blunt his thirst for Dior’s blood, but not enough to miss Dior’s guilt over Aaron and Baptiste. Dior blames herself for their fate, while Gabriel insists the blame is not hers.

Gabriel tries to steady Dior’s faith in herself by pointing to the rescued children, who have lost everything but now look at Dior with hope. Dior asks where the group can go because the children cannot be abandoned. Gabriel lays out two choices: seek sanctuary in the Barony of León with Gabriel’s estranged grandfather, or have Lachlan take the children while Gabriel, Dior, and Celene continue toward the Nightstone.

Dior raises concerns about Lachlan, Phoebe, and the Highlands. Gabriel explains why Lachlan’s faith could become dangerous once Lachlan learns what happened at San Michon, then describes Highland duskdancer society, its leófuil, velfuil, and úrfuil bloodlines, and the risk that shapechanging eventually consumes the dancer. Gabriel warns that the journey to the Highlands would be brutal and especially dangerous for a silversaint.

Gabriel notices a sound in the woods and takes Dior to investigate. They find a lone wretched, possibly a straggler from the Dyvok attack or a wandering rogue. Dior wants to fight it, and after hesitating because Dior has trained only briefly, Gabriel relents and gives Dior Ashdrinker.

Gabriel distracts the wretched while Dior attacks. Just before Dior strikes, Gabriel sees a fresh bloody thumbprint on the creature’s face, and the wretched recognizes Dior. Dior kills it cleanly with Ashdrinker and celebrates, but Gabriel realizes the mark means enemies have already found their trail. The chapter ends with Gabriel furious and afraid that the hunters pursuing Dior are closer than he hoped.