Violet is escorted by Colonel Aetos—now promoted to General—through the quadrant and into the great hall, where the Senarium is gathered alongside Xaden. Aetos presents Violet's lightning-wielder patch as evidence of her involvement at the wardstone and demands a quick trial. Dain attempts to intervene as her wingleader, but Aetos disowns him publicly, declaring he has no son. Xaden, seated as the newest member of the Senarium, reveals he has the patch and confronts Violet about her actions.

Rather than deny her involvement, Violet openly confesses to orchestrating the wardstone alteration, framing it as a service that enabled the flier alliance. Xaden delivers the decisive legal argument: the Senarium and the king signed an accord that morning pardoning all prior actions, rendering the crime unpunishable. The Senarium reluctantly agrees there is nothing they can do. Queen Maraya of Poromiel then enters and praises Violet's feat, confirming her awareness of the deal Violet struck with Viscount Tecarus. When she learns Violet only asked for library access to research how venin were historically defeated, the queen offers unrestricted access to her own vast library—superior even to Tecarus's—though she warns no such historical record has yet been found.

In the hallway afterward, Violet reunites with her worried squadmates. Aetos confronts her again, and Brennan steps in protectively. Violet boldly challenges Aetos, arguing that Navarre cannot afford to lose her dragons, her signet, or Xaden. Aetos reveals he has been appointed Commanding General of Basgiath, replacing Violet's late mother. He threatens to punish Violet's friends whenever she steps out of line, and immediately orders every second-year in Rhi's squad to two days of frontline duty at the Samara outpost—an active combat zone requiring an exhausting eighteen-plus-hour flight—beginning the next morning.