Violet spends several days after the Anca mission researching Deverelli and studying her father's manuscript in preparation for a briefing with the Senarium. She reads multiple books on venin and dark magic but finds nothing to help cure Xaden. Jack Barlowe refuses to reveal his Sage's name or explain how Theophanie anticipated their citrine retrieval. On her third reading of her father's manuscript, Violet forms a tentative hypothesis about its direction—one connected to feathertails—but keeps it to herself out of fear.

On the day of the briefing, Ridoc lobbies to join the mission squad, arguing that bad things happen when the squad is separated—invoking the memory of Liam. He also reveals a dramatic advancement in his signet: he can freeze water inside objects, including potentially inside a living body, by drawing moisture from the air. Violet agrees to bring him along. Cat arrives with her cousin, Captain Drake Cordella, a flier from the nightwing drift.

Inside the great hall, the Senarium—flanked by Aetos and Markham—presents Violet with orders placing Captain Henson in command of the Deverelli mission and authorizing Markham and Melgren to search Aretia. Violet tears the orders in half and refuses every condition. She verbally eviscerates Markham for hiding centuries of history, invoking her authority through Tairn, Andarna, and the Empyrean. Halden relents and gives her one chance to name her own squad.

Violet selects Xaden, Mira, Ridoc, Cat, Drake Cordella, Dain Aetos, Prince Halden, and Halden's personal guard. She justifies each choice strategically: Mira can create wards, Dain speaks Krovlish, Xaden is the deadliest rider and has Tyrrish connections to Deverelli, and Cat can speak for Poromiel. The Duchess of Morraine objects to Xaden's inclusion and hints at marriage proposals for him, but Xaden shuts down attempts to control him, declaring he defers only to Violet. Halden accepts the squad but warns that failure will void the Second Aretia Accord and Xaden's restored title.

After the meeting, Mira confronts Drake Cordella by kneeing him in the groin for his role in endangering Violet during the Montserrat offensive. She then questions Violet's squad choices but accepts her role. The group prepares to depart for Deverelli in two days, with Violet hopeful they may soon find Andarna's kind, a cure for Xaden, and the weapon her father directed her toward.