The group gathers for a formal dinner hosted by the triumvirate—Nairi, Roslyn, and Faris—along with Talia, in Faris's monochromatic dining room. Xaden adopts a cold, controlled demeanor reminiscent of his earliest days at Basgiath. As dinner is served, the triumvirate begins evaluating the party not through tests of knowledge but by dissecting their personal life choices. When they learn Xaden's ducal title has been restored, Nairi, Roslyn, and Faris push for Xaden to enter a contract marriage with Cat to forge a political alliance between Tyrrendor and Poromiel, suggesting this would demonstrate the "wisdom" they prize.

Xaden shocks everyone by telling them to draw up papers—then specifies Violet Sorrengail's name for a lifetime contract, making clear he will never leave Violet. Cat, surprisingly, supports Xaden and Violet's relationship, explaining she is now with someone else. The triumvirate presses Talia's case that even a three-year arrangement would be worthwhile for knowledge-sharing, but Xaden fiercely refuses, telling Talia she has no right to ask him to sacrifice anything more after abandoning him as a child. Talia insists she couldn't take him because he was Tyrrendor's heir and that staying would have meant her execution.

Mira intervenes, arguing the triumvirate was never going to share knowledge or form an alliance, and that the group proved its lack of wisdom simply by coming. Nairi acknowledges this truth and, intrigued, asks for their assessment of the city. Violet critiques its beauty as cruel, noting the city was razed and rebuilt with no tolerance for imperfection, and points out its lack of a port. Aaric reveals he knows the ancient name of the Continent—Amaralys—and bluntly tells the triumvirate he finds them lacking, arguing they hoard knowledge selfishly while people die. He also defers command to Violet despite being the highest-ranking noble present.

Roslyn and Nairi each place their jade stones forward, indicating two of three votes of interest in continuing talks. Faris, the holdout, presses Violet on why she doesn't simply stay and worship Hedeon if she seeks knowledge. She responds she won't hide while people she loves are dying. Dessert arrives: chocolate cake that Talia has been stockpiling chocolate for weeks to prepare as Xaden's childhood favorite. Violet realizes Talia's surprise at their arrival on the beach was faked—she knew Xaden was coming, meaning Faris also knew, likely tipped off through Courtlyn and the Deverelli connection.

Violet notices that Faris, Talia, Nairi, and Roslyn conveniently lack forks and aren't eating the cake. She realizes the cake has been poisoned or drugged. She grabs Xaden's knee to stop him from eating and snatches Aaric's fork away, but Garrick has already consumed a third of his slice. Garrick suddenly collapses, stops breathing, and Aaric catches his head before it hits the table. Xaden shouts for Garrick as Aaric announces Garrick isn't breathing.