Talasyn returns to the Roof of Heaven after the Belian trip and soaks in a bath, brooding over what happened between her and Alaric. She mentally apologizes to Khaede for the kiss and her conflicted feelings, shedding tears in private. She resolves to use the time before the eclipse to reinforce her emotional defenses against Alaric and forget the intimacy they shared on Belian.

On the night of the Eclipse of the First, the Kesathese contingent—Alaric and Sevraim, with Commodore Mathire absent—arrives at the palace atrium where Dominion Enchanters led by Ishan Vaikar have set up an amplifying configuration: a circle of metalglass jars containing sariman blood and rain magic cores connected by wires. Alaric inquires about the sariman blood and learns that Nenavarene law forbids killing aether-touched creatures except in self-defense. He privately reflects that the Continent's chimera was hunted to near-extinction and considers introducing a similar protective law in Kesath.

Talasyn arrives looking regal in her gold crown, and she and Alaric avoid meaningful eye contact. As the eclipse begins to obscure the moon, Ishan signals them to begin. Talasyn and Alaric summon their respective Light and Shadow Severs, merge them into the black-gold barrier sphere, and the Enchanters activate the amplifying configuration. The sphere expands to cover the entire atrium. Palace guards fire amethyst bolts from the battlements, and every bolt is absorbed harmlessly by the barrier, proving its effectiveness.

Inside the barrier, Alaric is struck by what Nenavar's peacetime ingenuity has achieved—innovation that the war-torn Continent lost. Talasyn reads his expression and tells him she knows what he's thinking. She briefly considers killing Alaric while they're sealed inside the impenetrable sphere, where no one could intervene. But she stays her hand—not only because of the strategic need to face the Night of the World-Eater together, but because her feelings for him have grown too complicated. She sees him as both enemy and something more: her first kiss, a kindred lonely soul, a patient teacher, and a source of danger in every sense.

The barrier dissipates after nearly six minutes. Ishan is thrilled with the results and outlines the path forward: Talasyn will have five months to strengthen her shields while the Ahimsa Enchanters develop larger amplifying configurations for the Night of the World-Eater. As Ishan mentions reporting to the Zahiya-lachis, Talasyn spots Urduja's silhouette watching from a high tower window, suggesting the Dragon Queen has been observing everything.