Celaena wakes in Chaol’s bed and finds that he left hours earlier for his duties. After bathing and returning to her rooms, she receives a coded list from Archer naming more men to investigate. Nehemia does not arrive for their Wyrdmark lesson, and Celaena, still angry over Nehemia’s interest in rebellion, decides to keep her distance for now.

Celaena spends the day in Rifthold stalking the men on Archer’s list, then returns to the castle expecting to tell Chaol what she learned. When Chaol does not come to dinner or visit later that night, Celaena grows increasingly uneasy. Her worry sharpens into panic as she remembers Sam’s capture and death, fearing that Chaol may have been taken to hurt her.

Celaena rushes to Chaol’s rooms and finds a sealed note addressed to her lying atop his sword. The note says Chaol has been captured, orders Celaena to come alone to a warehouse in the slums, and threatens to kill him if she brings help or waits until morning. The threat breaks Celaena’s restraint, and she enters the cold, focused state Arobynn once called her killing calm, ready to answer as Adarlan’s Assassin.

Meanwhile, Chaol is chained to a stone wall, thirsty, injured, and guarded by robed, masked captors. The captors have beaten Chaol but have not questioned or killed him, leading Chaol to suspect they are waiting for a ransom or using him as leverage. Their nervous arguments reveal that they are waiting for a woman, and Chaol realizes they mean Celaena.

Chaol threatens to kill the captors if they hurt Celaena. A tall warrior with two swords mocks Chaol and warns that Chaol must stay silent when Celaena arrives. From the warrior’s contempt for royals and his education, Chaol concludes the captors are likely connected to the rebels and dangerously organized. Though terrified for Celaena, Chaol tells the warrior that if the captors think she is merely one girl, they are in for a surprise.