During a royal hunting party, Chaol trails the king, Perrington, Roland, Dorian, and the assembled lords through the game park. Disgusted by the nobles' incompetence, Chaol reflects on the life he rejected as a lord of Anielle and briefly imagines how his stern father would react to Celaena.

The king notices Chaol's distraction and privately orders Chaol to place six men outside the council room the following night, when the Princess of Eyllwe will be questioned. The king does not explain the purpose, but his warning about preventing complications clearly makes Chaol think of Celaena and the danger of her interfering.

After the king rides on, Dorian approaches and asks what the conversation was about, but Chaol hides the truth. The exchange between the former friends is tense: both acknowledge being busy, and Dorian, aware of Chaol's relationship with Celaena, rides away after telling Chaol to treat her well.

That night, Chaol lies beside the sleeping Celaena and chooses not to tell her about the king's plan to question Nehemia. Chaol reasons that warning Celaena or Nehemia would not stop the interrogation and might expose his divided loyalties if the king is testing him.

Unable to sleep, Chaol leaves his chambers for the gardens and thinks about his loyalty to Celaena, even imagining a future in which he leaves Rifthold with her and marries her. While absorbed in that vision, an unknown assailant grabs Chaol from behind, presses a foul-smelling cloth to his face, and knocks him unconscious.