The chapter shifts to Rhiannon's perspective as she takes command at the Medaro Pass, where thousands of civilians are being evacuated along a cliffside route. With Violet, Imogen, and Quinn absent from the squad, Rhiannon must defend the pass with diminished forces. The freak windstorm caused by the storm wielder Theophanie has just subsided, and Rhiannon confirms that the cliff shielded the evacuees from harm. Rain begins to fall, adding to the danger on the exposed cliffside.

A horde of seventeen wyvern rises from the valley floor, heading toward the pass. Rhiannon organizes her forces: she orders the Riot squad—herself on Feirge, Ridoc on Aotrom, and Sawyer on Sliseag—to launch in formation and intercept the wyvern far from the cliff, while Drift squad (Cat and Maren on gryphons, plus Bragen and Neve) guards the evacuees under Bragen's command. Cat objects to the defensive assignment through her gryphon Kiralair, but Rhiannon holds firm, reasoning the gryphons' maneuverability near the cliff and their rune arsenal make them better suited for close defense.

Rhiannon switches from thorn to vertical formation as they approach, and the aerial battle begins. Feirge executes aggressive combat maneuvers—diving onto a wyvern from above, breaking its wings, and snapping its neck. During the fight, Ridoc demonstrates a dramatic use of his signet: Aotrom rolls inverted against a wyvern, and Ridoc physically touches it, causing it to turn pale gray, stiffen, and plummet to the ground, cracking apart on impact. Sawyer finishes another kill below them.

Despite their efforts, seven wyvern break through to the cliff. Cat and Kira immobilize one, Maren uses an incendiary crossbow rune to set another's wing ablaze, and Bragen and Neve each pursue wyvern up the cliffside. Four wyvern remain free to attack the screaming civilians. Rhiannon orders a regrouping into shield formation, resolving to hold the pass despite being shorthanded. Throughout the battle, Rhiannon struggles with fear for Violet, who remains alone and without her dragon on the other side of the mountain peak.