Four months after arriving in Nenavar, Talasyn has settled into her new life as the Lachis'ka—heir to the Dragon Queen. She begins her day by scaling the tallest tower of the Roof of Heaven, a daily ritual that keeps her connected to her scrappy origins in Hornbill's Head. Her lady-in-waiting, Jie, summons her to a tea with Urduja, and Talasyn changes into formal attire before attending.

During the tea, Urduja seeks to smooth over a recent argument in which she forbade Talasyn from visiting the Sardovian hideout in the Storm God's Eye and denied her access to the Belian Sever. Talasyn feigns compliance on both counts while privately resolving to sneak out to the Sardovians by night and to find a way into the Lightweaver temple ruins. Urduja lectures her on the importance of mastering courtly politics and mentions her own mortality, urging Talasyn to prepare to rule. Their discussion is interrupted by Prince Elagbi, who brings urgent news: a fishing boat has spotted a flotilla of at least thirty Kesathese warships and a stormship approaching Nenavar.

Talasyn argues that Alaric Ossinast—who has since become Night Emperor—would not be reckless enough to attack the Dominion with such a small force, given his firsthand experience with Nenavar's void magic, moth coracles, and dragons. Urduja agrees the flotilla likely does not constitute a full invasion, but Elagbi raises the alarming possibility that Kesath may have discovered the Sardovian refugees' presence. Urduja dismisses both of them to consult her Grand Magindam, and Elagbi privately tells Talasyn that Urduja is rattled, warning that Kesath learning about the Sardovians could trigger a crisis.

Elagbi then takes Talasyn to his study to show her newly discovered aetherlogs—moving image recordings—of her mother Hanan holding baby Talasyn. Watching the footage, Talasyn feels a ghostly sense of recognition and catches a faint scent memory of wild berries. Elagbi recounts how he met Hanan in the Dawn Isles after his airship crashed there, how they fell in love, married, and had Talasyn despite the court's disapproval. He expresses his hope that Talasyn will someday experience love of her own. Talasyn, thinking of Khaede's grief over Sol and her father's lingering sorrow, dismisses the idea of romance as not worth the pain, though a small part of her remains curious.