After ten days of preparation, the squad gathers on the flight field before dawn on the first Saturday of March. Their group has expanded to include Trager and Maren from Cat's side, partly for Trager's healing skills and partly to allow the group to split if needed. Mira arrives displeased about the expanded party, having been on personal leave. Halden, still believing this is only the Unnbriel trip, nearly clashes with Xaden, who confronts him about being dead weight and keeping mission-essential information hidden. Tensions escalate until a blue dragon lands in the fog—Molvic, ridden by Aaric, who reveals himself as Halden's younger brother and a dragon rider. Aaric declares he will serve as the royal representative, replacing Halden, who is banned from Deverelli and prone to reckless anger. Violet backs Aaric's decision, and a stunned Halden reluctantly yields after Violet promises to protect his brother.

The group spends a day each at Athebyne and Cordyn resting gryphons, then two days in Deverelli, where Mira confirms some runes work off the Continent. On the eighth day, they depart Deverelli's southwestern coast and fly nine hours over open ocean toward the isle of Unnbriel (also called the isle of Dunne). Andarna's weakened left wing struggles without magic, though she maintains altitude. They spot the port city of Soneram but give it a wide berth to avoid its cross-bolt defenses, eventually landing in a large clearing on a hillside several miles inland. The dragons and gryphons form a defensive circle facing the surrounding jungle.

While setting up camp, Mira reveals she spent her leave visiting their paternal grandmother, Niara, in Luceras—someone Violet barely remembers because communication was cut off when Violet was a toddler. Mira discloses it was their parents who ended contact with Niara, not the other way around, but refuses to share more details, urging Violet to visit Luceras herself. Violet tries to bridge the growing distance with Mira by offering their father's books, but Mira deflects, and the conversation ends awkwardly. Violet also notices Mira wearing a black tourmaline bracelet with distinctive knotwork that triggers a fleeting sense of recognition.

Camp is established with rotating watches. Xaden joins Violet under the blankets after his patrol shift, and they briefly discuss the plan: the dragons and key fighters must leave at sunrise so Violet's group can serve as bait. At dawn, Tairn wakes them. A soldier in green-dyed leather armor leans over them, warning in the common language that their magic won't help them here. Xaden draws Violet's dagger to the soldier's throat, and Violet palms another blade, declaring they brought weapons. The chapter ends with the squad's first hostile contact on Unnbriel.