Celaena follows Archer through the sewers after sealing the gate, consumed by rage over his role in Nehemia’s murder, his manipulation of her grief, and his part in turning Celaena against Chaol. Though Celaena’s Fae senses are gone, Celaena feels close to catching Archer and resolves to make Archer pay slowly.

At the sewer tunnel, Celaena finds the grate shut and realizes Archer is trapped. Archer ambushes Celaena from behind, and the two fight. Celaena is exhausted from the battle in the other realm, while Archer is fresh and still skilled from assassin training, forcing Celaena onto the defensive.

As Archer fights, Archer tries to justify Nehemia’s death as a sacrifice for the rebel cause and argues that Celaena’s ability to open portals could serve their uprising. Celaena rejects Archer’s vision of freedom, saying she would rather live under the king than in a world ruled by men like Archer. Archer then tries to manipulate Celaena further by hinting that Nehemia knew more about Celaena and by invoking Rourke Farran’s torture of Sam Cortland, which sends Celaena into a murderous fury.

Archer attempts a maneuver Celaena once taught him, but Celaena recognizes it, counters, and knocks Archer down. With a dagger at Archer’s throat, Celaena considers torturing or maiming Archer in revenge. Archer pleads for mercy and invokes Nehemia, claiming Nehemia would not want Celaena to kill him.

Nehemia’s remembered plea for Celaena not to let her inner light go out briefly stops Celaena. Celaena orders Archer to leave Rifthold with his allies by dawn and turns away, deciding that sparing Archer is enough. But when Archer calls Celaena a good woman and reveals a look of triumph, Celaena understands Archer believes he has manipulated her again.

Celaena calmly returns to Archer and kills Archer with a dagger to the heart. Holding Archer as he dies, Celaena tells Archer that Celaena is not a good woman, but Nehemia was, making Archer’s death both vengeance and a rejection of his attempt to use Nehemia’s memory against her.