Liam arrives at the Sandsun Isles resort, where Dianna has hidden Gabby among thousands of mortals. The crowded, noisy setting unsettles him and triggers reminders that he is no longer at war. As he navigates the unfamiliar mortal building, Liam reflects on Logan’s near-fatal injuries and worries that his lack of emotional reaction proves he is becoming as hardened and broken as the old gods.

After struggling with the elevator controls, Liam reaches the twenty-sixth floor and searches door by door until he senses Gabby’s faint power and familiar scent. Liam tells Gabby that Dianna sent him, but when Gabby opens the door, Gabby immediately stabs him with a forsaken blade. Liam is unharmed enough to pull the blade free, but Gabby’s terror reveals a greater threat behind him.

Three shadowy, armored beings attack. Liam kills one and pushes Gabby back into the room, returning the forsaken blade so Gabby can defend herself. More creatures arrive through the walls, and Liam uses ablaze weapons and speed to destroy them while trying to keep Gabby hidden and alive.

One creature grabs Gabby by the hair and begins dragging Gabby away. The blood pact with Dianna burns in Liam’s palm, reminding him that Gabby must remain free, unharmed, and alive or the bargain will break. Liam kills the attacker, gets Gabby moving, and starts to flee as the destroyed creatures begin reforming.

In the hallway, Liam and Gabby are stopped by a black-armored conjuror who recognizes Liam as the World Ender and demands Dianna’s sister. Liam refuses because Gabby is innocent, though he recognizes the odds of saving Gabby and defeating the surrounding enemies are poor. Before the fight can begin, the floor shakes, and Gabby identifies the force as Dianna.

Flames burst through the floor and consume the conjuror’s forces. A black, winged figure tears through the building, then lands as the fire recedes into her body. The figure shifts enough for Liam to recognize Dianna, leaving him stunned and demanding to know how Dianna escaped.