Feyre and Rhys descend into the Prison to bargain again with the Bone Carver. Feyre has not brought the bone he previously requested, and instead asks him to name another price for joining their war against Hybern. The Bone Carver refuses every alternative and insists that he wants only the Ouroboros, the mirror that serves as his "window to the world." His fixation on the mirror makes clear that if Feyre wants his aid, she will have to face the object she fears may destroy her.

During the exchange, the Bone Carver taunts Feyre and Rhys, first by probing Feyre's fear of the mirror and then by jokingly asking for their firstborn. Rhys's reaction confirms that the boy-shape the Carver wears is not random but resembles the son Feyre once imagined. When Feyre gives up and leaves, the Bone Carver repeats that he will belong to her only if she brings him the Ouroboros. Rhys mockingly tosses him a chicken bone on the way out, but the bargain remains unchanged.

As Feyre and Rhys climb back through the Prison, Feyre decides she may have to seek the mirror after the High Lords' meeting, delaying the risk in case the mirror truly breaks her. Rhys quietly asks what the imagined child looks like, and Feyre answers by showing him mind-to-mind as they walk. The moment deepens their bond by turning a private vision into something shared.

Back at the town house, Feyre and Rhys head to the kitchen in search of food and find Elain with Nuala and Cerridwen, all covered in flour and attempting to make bread. Elain explains only indirectly, but her hunger and willingness to learn show a fragile step back toward life. Feyre responds warmly rather than overwhelming her, and after leaving, Feyre tells Rhys that Elain still has far to go. Rhys reminds Feyre that all of them do, and the hopeful sight of Elain is followed by an intimate retreat upstairs for food and privacy.

The next morning, Feyre finds Nesta waiting at breakfast, apparently watching for someone else rather than for her. Feyre notes that Nesta remains close to unlocking the power or skill Amren believes could help repair the wall, but Nesta still resists opening herself fully. Before Feyre leaves for a flying lesson with Azriel, Nesta finally asks why Feyre went into battle so readily. Feyre answers that she fought because she had to and because people needed help, and Nesta's silence afterward suggests the question matters personally, even if she cannot yet explain why.