At midnight, Violet leads a covert team—Ridoc, Rhiannon, Imogen, Bodhi, Quinn, and Maren—across campus to the Healer Quadrant. They enlist Dyre, a healer Violet once saved, to drug the other healers and keep watch while they retrieve Sawyer from his infirmary bed. Despite Sawyer's self-doubt about his metallurgy abilities and his recent leg amputation, Ridoc delivers a rousing speech that convinces him to join the mission. Quinn stays behind to cover Sawyer's absence while the rest navigate the campus, dodging guard patrols. Xaden is deliberately left out of the plan, and Tairn confirms Xaden is out of range and won't interfere.

When they reach the wardstone chamber's entrance, they find Mira waiting instead of the expected guards—she had anticipated Violet's plan and dismissed the guards herself. Mira warns of the catastrophic risks if they fail, including the wards falling, but ultimately agrees to help rather than risk Violet attempting the plan again without her. Inside the chamber, Brennan is also waiting, making it a full Sorrengail family effort.

Under Mira's guidance, Sawyer uses his metallurgy signet to alter the iron wardstone's runes one by one, attempting to remove the restriction that prevents fliers from wielding magic within Navarre's wards. During the process, Violet is overwhelmed by grief as she recalls her mother's final words in this same chamber. One rune nearly catastrophically fails—molten metal oozing from the stone—but Ridoc's ice signet stabilizes it while Brennan stands ready to mend. After the second rune is altered, Maren successfully wields lesser magic, proving the wardstone now permits flier magic while Mira confirms the protections against dark wielders remain intact.

The next morning at Battle Brief, Violet's plan unfolds perfectly. Cat, acting on Violet's instructions, informed her uncle (Crown Prince Halden) about the successful wardstone alteration twenty minutes before the briefing. This triggers renewed alliance negotiations between Navarre and Poromiel. Devera announces the fliers will remain integrated with the riders and that additional flier cadets will arrive from Cygnisen. Wing leadership is reorganized, with Dain Aetos promoted to lead Fourth Wing. However, the chapter ends with Colonel Aetos bursting into the briefing room and charging Violet with high treason against Navarre.