Nesryn and Sartaq fly Kadara to the Watchtower of Eidolon, a ruined Fae outpost near the lifeless Dagul Fells, where kharankui territory begins. Sartaq explains that the tower once allowed Fae sentries to watch the mountains, and Nesryn briefly experiences a strange vision of lethal glass before focusing on the mission. Because secrecy remains vital, they have told no one where they are going or what they seek.

Kadara lands nearby, and Nesryn and Sartaq approach the tower on foot. The ruins show no webs or obvious life, but the owl statues at the entrance identify the place with Silba and the Torre. Remembering Houlun’s warning that the tower may be trapped, Nesryn stops Sartaq from entering the lower stairs recklessly and insists on taking the lead because of her experience facing Morath’s horrors.

Nesryn tests the stairwell with stones and triggers concealed bolts, proving the traps still work. She and Sartaq descend slowly, using rocks and weapons to probe each step, but a hidden stair suddenly drops open beneath Nesryn. Sartaq catches her before she falls into a spike-filled pit, losing his knife in the process; after Nesryn recovers, they continue past more shifting stairs and bolts.

At the bottom, they find a dungeon with open cells, a stained stone table, abandoned weapons, and no surviving books or papers. Sartaq and Nesryn recognize that the Fae outpost was built for ruthless war against the kharankui. Among the old weapons, they discover still-sharp Fae blades, likely forged in Asterion, and each claims one for protection.

Nesryn notices writing low on the far wall, and Sartaq identifies it as blood. The message is in the Fae tongue, which neither of them can read, so Sartaq considers returning to Kadara for paper and ink to copy it. Before he can leave, a light female voice in Halha translates the warning: it says, "Look up." Nesryn looks up and sees something crawling from the stairwell along the ceiling toward them.