Three days after returning from Deverelli, Violet attends an overcrowded Battle Brief alongside Cygnisen flier cadets who have arrived at Basgiath. She and her squadmates quietly discuss the Deverelli deal, including the revelation that the supposedly neutral isle has hidden weaponry. Violet worries about Xaden's worsening condition—the red-rimmed eyes from using venin-like power—and wonders how many more slips he can endure before the transformation becomes permanent.

Professor Devera calls on Violet to analyze the map of venin movements. Violet observes that the enemy has shifted southwest, abandoning conquered territory and repositioning toward Navarre's border—suggesting the venin somehow know about the Aretian wards and are preparing for them to fall. Devera confirms this interpretation, alarming the room.

Over the following week, Violet trains relentlessly, works with Dain to decode her father's passcode-locked books, and reads his observations on the isles, including Unnbriel's combative culture. During a fighting-pit session supervised by the abrasive Professor Carr, the first-years of Iron Squad—led by Sloane—arrive and insist on helping with the mission research. After Sloane argues persuasively that Liam would have wanted her to help prepare Violet, Violet relents and assigns them reading and reports. Aaric privately asks Violet about Halden's behavior on Deverelli, and she confirms Halden caused a guard's death and got himself banned.

Xaden returns from Aretia, and Violet is relieved to feel their bond reopen. However, she notices the gold flecks in his eyes have turned permanently amber—a sign his condition has worsened. Despite his claim of feeling well, the change terrifies her. The squad debates travel logistics for searching the remaining isles and realizes that returning to report between each island would take far too long. Violet proposes defying direct orders: they will leave for Unnbriel as planned but then continue island to island without returning, searching until they find what they need.

Bodhi privately gives Violet two vials—serum and antidote—in case she needs to use them on Xaden, and urges her to take Garrick on the expedition as a safeguard. The chapter ends with a horrifying moment: Professor Carr pushes a second-year cadet to her breaking point in the pit, and when she drains color from the mat in a venin-like display, Carr immediately executes her with an alloy dagger. The swift killing, with no questions or chance at a cure, underscores the urgency of Violet's mission and the danger Xaden faces.