Kel wakes aching after the previous day's events and finds Conor already dressed with Joss Falconet, who reports that a body believed to be Ciprian Cabrol's has been seen in a canal in the Temple District. Kel immediately fears that Ciprian was killed because Kel sent Ciprian to discover which Charter families were tied to the conspiracy.

Kel, Conor, and Falconet go to the canal, where Vigilants are dredging the water while bystanders gather. During the wait, Conor seems distracted and nearly contradicts the cover story about the Solstice Ball, but Falconet lets the mistake pass. The Vigilants recover Ciprian's corpse, confirming Kel's guilt and fear, and then pull up a second body: Gremont, whose throat has been cut.

At the Black Mansion, Kel tells Andreyen, Ji-An, and Merren what happened. Kel explains that Elsabet Belmany deliberately placed the bodies and dueling swords in the canal to make Ciprian and Gremont appear to have killed each other in an illegal duel, a story likely meant to fool some nobles and frighten others. With Ciprian dead, their lead is gone, and Andreyen warns that Belmany, now losing conspirators, may abandon slow political treachery for faster violence against Conor or King Markus.

Lin enters and confirms that Belmany's goal is dangerous because of what Lin has learned about the Blood Royal while secretly treating the King under Conor's royal order. Lin says she must return to Marivent because the King has sent for her, and because something from Markus's time fostered at the Malgasi Court involved fire, shadow, and something terrible he was persuaded to do. Kel recognizes this as connected to Fausten's earlier words and agrees to take Lin to the Palace.

Kel decides that the danger to Conor is immediate enough to end the secrecy: he will tell Jolivet, Bensimon, and Conor everything the group has learned. Andreyen warns that Conor may not forgive Kel for lying, but Kel accepts the risk to save Conor's life. As Kel leaves with Lin, Merren worries that Kel will have no reason to return to the Black Mansion, and Kel promises that he will.

On the ride to Marivent, Kel asks Lin whether she loves Conor and argues that Conor is certainly in love with her. Lin resists, describing Conor's mistress offer as a gilded cage, but Kel explains that Conor's position, his duty to Castellane, and the alliance with Anjelica leave Conor with little else to offer. When they reach the North Tower, Lin admits that she does not want to love Conor because it frightens her, then runs inside to answer the King's summons.