The chapter opens with a female crux dropping into Ellder’s courtyard, instantly crushing Ramsey’s front-line soldiers. The monster’s massive size and spiked wings render arrows from the ramparts mostly useless as panic erupts. Jocelyn attempts to flee along the wall, but the crux pecks her in two, confirming her death. Ransom shouts for people to take shelter at the defensive spikes and physically shields Odessa, pushing her toward cover.

As bodies fall and a stable catches fire, Odessa searches for familiar faces. She spots Tillia running for safety while Halston and two rangers charge the crux. The monster sweeps its spiked wing; Tillia narrowly evades it, but Halston, distracted by Tillia’s peril, loses a leg to a talon strike. Tillia tourniquets Halston’s thigh while Ransom rushes to aid Luella, who is helping an injured soldier, but Luella insists Ransom leave her and fight.

Ransom attacks the crux with exceptional speed, cutting at wings, belly, neck, and aiming for the legs, but the monster’s resilience forces it airborne. Ramsey shouts for Luella to run as she struggles with the wounded soldier. The crux vaults the courtyard with a single wingbeat and cleaves Luella in half with its beak, killing her instantly. Ransom screams for his mother as shock overtakes Odessa.

Zavier leads three warriors to the walls to fire arrows, but without proper crux bolts, they only anger the beast. The crux flies higher, dragging a few soldiers off the ramparts, and Odessa uses the opening to sprint for the house to protect Evie. She finds Evie hiding under Odessa’s bed with the tarkin, Faze, and quickly arms herself, gathers Evie’s clothes, her journal, and Faze’s carrier.

Odessa leads Evie to Luella’s hidden migration cellar, retrieves concealed books from a hollow step, and decides the house is unsafe due to the lack of rooftop spikes. She plans to reach the dungeons and instructs Evie to hold her hand no matter what. They move carefully back outside, checking for the crux overhead.

At the rear of the house, General Banner steps from Brielle’s quarters with a sword and a predatory calm. He urges Odessa to send the child away. When Odessa asks about Brielle, Banner says she is hiding but speaks of vows and being made a fool by lies. He declares he has promised to avenge his family and, driven by grief and pride, makes clear he intends to kill Odessa—the person the Guardian loves most.