Iris wakes against Roman in a freezing room despite his warmth and notices an eerie, frostlike cold and absent sentries outside. Distant shouting rises, and Iris urges Roman to dress; Attie knocks to summon them to the kitchen, warning that eithrals are approaching and that no curtains should be touched. Before they can act, bombs strike nearby. The house bucks violently, sending Iris to the floor in a panic until Roman steadies her breathing and holds her as debris rains down.

Amid the shaking, Iris worries for Attie and Marisol. Attie clutches Lilac while the kitchen falls apart around them. Marisol appears composed in a red dress with dash-packs, and kneels with them, promising, “This house will not fall. Not while I’m within it.” Further blasts follow, but the B and B holds. When the bombardment pauses and the air warms, Marisol checks her watch, tells them to stay, and leaves; stunned, Iris, Roman, and Attie decide to follow to protect her as vowed.

Outside, they find High Street largely intact except for shattered windows, but deeper in town the bombs have leveled houses and sparked fires. At the bluff, a crater scars the street and buildings lie in rubble under a dirty haze of smoke. From above, Iris notices a strange pattern: some homes are untouched while neighboring ones are destroyed, with apparent protected pathways that include Marisol’s B and B.

The trio joins the aid effort among many wounded and dead. Iris confirms one soldier has died, then assists a young woman with a shattered leg while Keegan, bloodied but alive, coordinates with nurses, Marisol helps a doctor, Attie runs to assist a nurse, and Roman tends another soldier. Seeing the medics delayed, Iris tries to free a plank from a barricade to use as a stretcher.

As frost films the cobbles and the wind dies, Keegan’s hoarse command to get down pierces the chaos. Eithrals emerge from the clouds, their pronged wings and stench of decay unmistakable. Iris locates Roman five paces away across rubble; they hold position. A nearby wounded boy begins to crawl, sobbing for his mother, and Iris pleads for him to stay down while Roman watches, tense and afraid.

Shadows of eithral wings pass overhead as Iris and Roman lock eyes, bracing for impact. Iris whispers Roman’s name, thinking of the future they may lose. The chapter ends with something small and metallic falling from the clouds as a bomb drops toward the space between them.