After Kadara kills the giant spider, Falkan collapses in human form, badly wounded. Nesryn moves to help him despite Sartaq’s warning and anger. Falkan admits that he listened at their camp, followed them as a falcon, and saw the spider stalking them. Sartaq distrusts Falkan because shape-shifters can be spies and assassins, but Nesryn insists that Falkan saved their lives and must be saved in return.

Falkan explains that he is a merchant from Adarlan who did not know he could shift until he came to these lands after magic vanished at home. He says the gift ran in his family but that he never wanted it. He also admits that he hoped killing the spider might restore the years stolen from him, even if this spider was not the exact one responsible. Nesryn believes him and forces Sartaq to bring bandages and supplies, but Falkan faints before she can tell him more about knowing another shifter.

Nesryn cleans and packs Falkan’s wound, and the group flies back to the aerie with Falkan strapped awkwardly behind Nesryn and Sartaq. Sartaq remains furious and refuses to risk either Nesryn’s life or his own for Falkan beyond what is necessary. When they reach Altun at sunset, Kadara signals the aerie, and Houlun, Borte, and others gather to receive Falkan and provide aid.

While Sartaq confronts Houlun about Falkan’s presence and secrecy, Borte studies the evidence on Kadara and Nesryn: black blood, red blood, and Nesryn’s Fae blade. Borte demands to know what happened. Nesryn tries to refuse, but Borte threatens to ask questions around the aerie, so Nesryn tells Borte everything under a promise of silence.

Later, Sartaq follows Nesryn to her room. Nesryn expects him to be angry about Borte, but Sartaq instead asks who has the Wyrdkeys. Houlun has remembered old stories of a Wyrdgate opened by three keys, stolen and hidden after Maeve used them to send the Valg back. Sartaq concludes that Erawan must possess at least one key, perhaps two, which explains the speed and scale of his army. Nesryn does not know where the remaining key is and argues that this is why they need the khagan’s armies before Erawan comes for the southern continent too.

Sartaq, shaken by seeing the spider and learning the Valg once used such creatures as foot soldiers, reveals that Houlun has found records of three more ruined watchtowers to the south. They will investigate once Falkan heals. Sartaq decides to bring Falkan because even an imperfect shifter who can become a huge wolf is too useful to leave behind, and he declares that Falkan will ride with him while Nesryn flies with Borte.