After two days of recovering from her raid on Moon Isle, Isla wakes weak but alert enough to attend afternoon tea. Isla concludes that the bondbreaker is not in the Star, Sky, or Moon libraries, leaving Sun Isle as the only likely place it could be hidden. Isla worries that Cleo must suspect her of attacking the Moonling guards and entering Cleo’s secret library, though Cleo lacks proof.

Isla enters the tearoom, a once-beautiful space now blocked from sunlight and lit by floating fire orbs. Oro arrives first, followed by Cleo, whose silent stare convinces Isla that Cleo knows the truth. Isla also reflects on Cleo’s hidden army and ships, wondering whether the other rulers understand that Cleo may be preparing for war.

Oro hosts an elaborate tea service performed by Starlings, Moonlings, Skylings, and Sunling-heated tea. Isla enjoys the tea despite her tension, exchanges a guarded remark with Oro, and calmly deflects Cleo’s cruel jab about Wildlings drinking blood. As Isla finishes each cup, Isla notices strange patterns in the tea leaves.

Oro then reveals that the tea is his demonstration and that it is truth tea: each ruler’s greatest secret is written in the leaves. Isla sees her own secret, I have no power, written across her cups and struggles not to panic. Celeste realizes the danger and deliberately drops her cups first, sacrificing her place in the trial to signal Isla to do the same; Azul, Isla, and Grim also shatter their cups to hide their secrets.

Only Oro and Cleo remain, and because the final trial will determine who chooses the ruler pairings for the next stage of the Centennial, the stakes are enormous. Cleo refuses to reveal her secret and breaks her cups, making Oro the winner of the trials. Oro then reveals his own greatest secret anyway, saying that he is dying.