Violet wakes from a recurring nightmare in which the Sage levitates her, threatens her, and demands she bring him something, all set near the walls of Draithus. As she orients herself, she realizes Xaden is also trapped in a nightmare. She wakes him, and they begin comparing their dreams. Violet describes the Sage choking her, the battle in the distance, Andarna's scream, and the Sword of Tyrrendor at her throat. Xaden grows increasingly alarmed because every detail matches his own recurring nightmare — down to the setting at Draithus, which Violet has never visited, and the Sage's demand that Xaden deliver Violet to him.

As they talk, Violet recalls another vivid dream she had in Samara — one in which she experienced the fall of Cliffsbane from the perspective of someone desperately saving a family portrait, someone who told Cat she was the future queen of Tyrrendor. Violet realizes with horror that she may have been inside Maren's dream, experiencing Maren's worst memory. Xaden concludes that Violet's second signet — the one granted by her bond with Andarna — is dream-walking, a form of inntinnsic. Unlike Xaden's ability to read intentions in waking minds, Violet can enter sleeping minds without anyone's knowledge or consent, bypassing all shields.

Andarna confirms the signet when confronted, defending herself by saying she did not choose it, just as Tairn did not choose lightning. Xaden warns Violet that the ability is extraordinarily dangerous: no one can shield while asleep, meaning Violet could theoretically walk into even Melgren's dreams undetected. He tells her that anyone who learns of it will want her dead, regardless of her value against the venin. Violet insists on confirming the theory and goes to Maren's door in the middle of the night.

Maren shows Violet her family portrait, and Violet immediately recognizes it from the Samara dream, confirming that she did indeed walk into Maren's nightmare. Before the implications can fully sink in, Tairn bellows a warning: a venin horde approaches from the east. Bells ring overhead, and Aretia is under attack.