The Assembly chamber erupts in arguments as riders and cadets debate how to respond to the crisis at Draithus. Thousands of civilians are fleeing through a mountain pass, a dozen dark wielders and hundreds of wyvern threaten the city, and Theophanie holds Mira captive on the field north of Draithus. Violet stands at the war table with Xaden and Brennan, studying an updated map showing the venin have surged past the eastern front directly to Draithus in the last twenty-four hours, bypassing easier targets. Professor Kaori projects a three-dimensional model of the terrain: the city sits on an intermontane plateau accessible only through winding valleys, a western river, or by air—which Theophanie controls with her signet.

Xaden declares he will accompany Violet, and when Professor Trissa objects that Melgren has already proclaimed this battle a defeat, Violet counters that Melgren only saw the outcome of one path—one that couldn't have included three rebellion relics. Xaden overrules Felix and Trissa's objections to sending cadets, allowing only volunteers from second-year and above. The entire Second Squad volunteers. Meanwhile, Cat provokes an officer over abandoning civilians, and Sloane charges forward before Dain restrains her. Garrick clarifies that Theophanie demanded Violet and Xaden's "brother," and Xaden realizes the venin doesn't actually want Bodhi—she wants Jack Barlowe, whom she previously tried to rescue. Xaden quietly sends Garrick on a covert errand related to this realization.

Brennan forces everyone except the core group out of the chamber and confronts Violet directly: she is the variable that could doom the mission because she will try to save everyone, and Xaden will prioritize her over everything else. Brennan demands Violet choose a single objective. After wrestling with the impossibility of choosing between rescuing Mira, defending Draithus, and protecting the civilian pass, Violet recognizes that Theophanie is truly hunting her—not Mira. She chooses to kill Theophanie, reasoning that eliminating the dark wielder has the greatest strategic impact. Xaden affirms that if Violet is lost, Bodhi will succeed him as duke.

Brennan approves and outlines a plan: unlock the armory, have Trissa open her hidden cache of runes and maorsite arrowheads, require Xaden to trust Violet not to get killed, and above all, demand that Violet understand she cannot save everyone and must not stray from her orders. Violet privately resolves to do whatever it takes to save Mira, but agrees to Brennan's terms.