Two days after Xaden revealed his venin status to Mira, she departs Aretia without telling anyone his secret, though she still isn't speaking to Violet. Navarre teeters on the brink of war with Tyrrendor: Halden has troops stationed along the Calldyr border awaiting his father King Tauri's order, and Xaden retaliates by cutting off Talladium shipments until Tauri confirms the alliance stands without the Provincial Commitment and the Aretian riot is safe at Basgiath—effectively stalling the war college's forge. Violet rejoins her squad for daily training and spends nights with Xaden, finding comfort in both routines.

During Professor Trissa's outdoor runes class, Violet struggles more than ever because she previously relied on Andarna's more delicate power threads. Quinn advises her to use an aggressive, forceful approach with Tairn's power instead of trying to coax it, and Violet makes her first passable rune. Cat mentions being separated from her sister Syrena with Cordyn effectively blockaded. Professor Trissa's mood is sour after reviewing failed quest runes with Mira; the only consensus is that certain materials can carry magic beyond the Continent and others cannot.

Felix pulls Violet from runes class for wielding practice. He bluntly lectures her about her failure to follow orders during the recent attack—her disobedience drew wyvern toward civilians and nearly cost lives, and Xaden leaving his post for her would have led to defeat without the irid firing the wardstone. Violet reports she successfully split a lightning bolt into two branches and hit both targets. Felix pushes her to demonstrate, and she trains intensely. Over the following days, she practices to the point of burnout, with Brennan repeatedly mending her arm muscles.

Violet reflects on loving life in Aretia with Xaden, who seems more at peace and purposeful. However, when Bodhi storms in arguing with Xaden about wanting to drop out of the war college to man outposts, the truth emerges: Xaden has been training Bodhi as his replacement, preparing him to take over as duke. Bodhi refuses to be a backup plan and tells Xaden that if he wants a family member on the throne, he needs to hold himself together. Violet realizes Xaden has accepted a different, darker future than the one she envisions—he's preparing for his own demise.

Xaden shares two missives: Melgren belatedly warns him not to fly into battle or they'll lose, and the high priestess of Dunne's temple writes that Dunne holds Violet and Rhiannon in her regard and owes Xaden a favor. When Violet presses him directly about preparing for his demise, Xaden confirms it but insists he won't give up a single day with her without a fight. He speaks of their time together in days rather than weeks, months, or years. The chapter closes with them sharing an intimate moment in the Assembly chamber, and an official letter from King Tauri demanding Tyrrendor immediately restore Talladium shipments under threat of dire consequences.