Manon meets with Duke Perrington and Vernon Lochan the Lord of Perranth, a large city in Terrasen. Perrington orders Manon to supply a Blackbeak coven to breed with the Valg. Manon’s second-in-command Asterin defies her by protesting Perrington’s orders; in response, Manon demotes her to Third.

Manon discovers a servant in her room with a mangled ankle—Elide Lochan, the niece of Vernon Lochan. Manon senses that Elide is only pretending at meekness and slices Elide’s cheek open as a warning not to spy. When Manon tastes Elide’s blood, she realizes Elide has diluted witch-blood.

Arobynn summons Aelin to the Assassin’s Keep, where he toys with her and warns her not to betray him if caught during Aedion’s escape.

Afterward, Aelin meets with Lysandra. They acknowledge how much they’ve changed from two years ago and ally to destroy Arobynn, who’s taken so much from them both.

In return for Aelin’s promise not to kill Dorian—even if she’s unable to free him from the Wyrdstone collar—Chaol reveals that destroying the Wyrdstone tower in the castle garden will release magic. Aelin becomes worried that the king will use Wyrdmarks, or spells made with ancient runic magic, to trap her during the rescue.