Inside the plaza before Dunne's temple, Violet is transfixed by the silver-haired attendants—and especially a young brunette girl whose braid ends in silver, mirroring Violet's own hair. She has never seen anyone with hair like hers and desperately wants to learn more, but Tairn urges her to focus on survival. A gate opens and a commander of the guard and a high priestess emerge, followed by three formidable warriors: the twins Costa and Palta, and a woman named Marlis. The commander asks if Xaden is their champion or their prince.

Aaric stuns everyone by stepping forward and speaking fluent Unnbrish, revealing his royal identity and declaring he will fight. Xaden forcefully overrules him, arguing that Aaric is too valuable—his kingdom needs him alive—and orders him to tell the Unnbrish that Xaden is the champion. Aaric reluctantly complies, and Costa is chosen as Xaden's opponent. The high priestess ritually cuts Costa's forearm and then Xaden's, offering blood to Dunne before the fight.

Violet watches with mounting dread, keenly aware that Xaden cannot use his mind-reading signet due to his severed bond and that Costa is a massive, scarred veteran. Before Xaden can fight alone, the priestess suddenly slashes Dain's arm, declaring he must fight alongside Xaden because Dunne's law tests both the strongest and the weakest. Palta, the second twin, steps forward as Dain's opponent. Aaric tries to volunteer in Dain's place but is refused by the priestess, who reads each member of the group with unsettling insight.

The priestess then turns to Violet and speaks cryptically about an incomplete "dedication," implying Violet has a deep connection to Dunne's temple. She suggests Violet could still choose the goddess's path. Violet firmly declares she chooses Xaden and Tairn instead. The priestess quotes Dunne's teaching that battles may be lost by the weakest as well as won by the strongest, then cuts Violet's forearm—indicating that Violet, too, must fight.