Atroxus drags Mische into a blindingly clean version of the altar chamber, where he condemns her for desecrating an altar with blood and for giving herself to death through Asar. Mische is terrified and ashamed, but beneath the old instinct to submit to Atroxus, anger begins to surface.

Mische asks why Atroxus allowed Saescha, one of his faithful followers, to become trapped in the Descent. Atroxus does not even recognize Saescha’s name, and when Mische presses him, he erupts in fury. As punishment, Atroxus forces Mische to watch the truth of Saescha’s death.

In the recovered memory, Mische is newly turned, feverish, starving, and terrified after a vampire forced blood into her mouth. Saescha finds Mische in the desert and tries to comfort her and take her home. Overcome by Turning sickness and blood hunger, Mische bites Saescha’s throat again and again, killing the sister who came to save her.

The revelation devastates Mische. Atroxus uses Saescha’s death to reinforce Mische’s guilt and obedience, ordering her to finish her task despite the relic’s disappearance. When Mische asks about the Sanctums and suggests that Alarus’s love may mean the place is not purely suffering, Atroxus dismisses the idea and hints that Alarus was not as pure as Mische imagines. He then reveals that the missing relic is still hidden beneath the surface of the Sanctum of Secrets.

Mische pleads for Saescha, arguing that her sister was more loyal and deserving than Mische ever was. Atroxus agrees that if Mische completes her task, he will restore Saescha to the life Mische stole from her. Mische then risks asking Atroxus to spare Asar, arguing that the Heir of the House of Shadow could be useful leverage against Nyaxia. Atroxus accepts, promising not to smite Asar if Mische stays silent and obeys him until the end.