After Chaol's room is repaired and extra guards are posted, Chaol does not see Yrene for the rest of the day. He worries about whether Yrene and Hafiza found anything useful in the scroll, but Shen reports that Yrene returned safely to the Torre and has not left it.

Chaol's back pain worsens, but Chaol hesitates to summon Yrene because his suite is unsafe and because Chaol is troubled by guilt over betraying Nesryn's trust. Hoping to ease the pain, Chaol takes a hot bath, but the heat aggravates his strained muscles, and Chaol nearly has to crawl into bed.

At dawn, Chaol wakes in severe pain and panics when even reaching for his cane is difficult. Chaol confirms he can still move his toes, ankles, knees, thighs, and hips, but every movement sends agony through him.

Yrene arrives and quickly assesses the situation. After hearing everything Chaol did the day before, Yrene realizes the hot bath was the wrong treatment and tells Chaol he needed ice for strained muscles. Yrene makes Chaol roll over despite the pain, then discovers that the Valg darkness has crept back into his spine.

Instead of continuing gradual healing, Yrene declares that she is going in to end the infestation immediately. Chaol worries about whether he can endure it and whether Yrene might hurt herself, but Yrene says she has a theory only Chaol can help her test. Yrene places the bit in Chaol's mouth and enters his body with her magic.

Inside Chaol, Yrene becomes a spear of light and attacks the shadow trying to reclaim him. The darkness is cold, rotten, and hateful, and Chaol screams in agony above her as Yrene commits herself fully to the fight, determined that the Valg presence will end that day.