A venin horde approaches Aretia from the east, and Violet and Xaden scramble to organize the city's defenses. Brennan reports only six dragons on patrol, with four heading the wrong direction. Most of the army's leadership—generals Suri and Ulices—are absent. Xaden assumes command, assigning infantry to ground positions, retired riders throughout the city, cadets to the wardstone, and the second- and third-year cadets to the city gates. Violet insists on being placed at the front as the strongest weapon; Xaden compromises by stationing her on the wall. Dain takes command of the cadet wing, sending third-years to the east gate and second-years to the north.

Bodhi demands to fight alongside Xaden, but Xaden orders him to stay with the first-years, revealing that Bodhi is next in line for the Riorson family and Tyrrendor's leadership since neither has an heir. Bodhi obeys furiously, warning Xaden his ego will be Tyrrendor's downfall. Xaden kisses Violet fiercely and departs for the officers' line to the east. Meanwhile, Aaric urgently tells Violet to protect Dunne's temple outside the city walls, cryptically insisting it is how she saves Tyrrendor, but Violet dismisses him and joins her squad.

Violet mounts Tairn and flies to the northern gate. Using her conduit, she wields lightning to illuminate the field, revealing dozens of wyvern pairs approaching in scattered formations rather than massed ranks—likely to probe the ward boundary. Tairn argues they must advance beyond the walls rather than stay near civilians, and Violet agrees, breaking from the squad with Rhiannon and Feirge following. Beyond the wards, Tairn uses his black scales to ambush a wyvern in the dark, killing it, while Feirge and Tairn together destroy a second by snapping its neck in a coordinated rolling maneuver.

Violet reaches for Xaden through their bond and encounters a wall of freezing onyx ice instead of his usual shadow, alarming her. Tairn confirms Sgaeyl is coping but redirects Violet's attention below: four wyvern are skimming the ground toward Andarna, who has positioned herself in front of a lone structure beyond the walls—likely Dunne's temple. Violet and Tairn dive, and she gathers enormous power through the conduit, splitting a lightning bolt to incinerate the lead pair of wyvern. The second pair is revealed, one carrying a silver-haired rider—a venin. Tairn drops onto the nearest wyvern, and in the ensuing clash he bellows in pain as the chapter ends on a cliffhanger.