Oraya waits until midday to attempt her escape, knowing Raihn left overnight and hasn't returned. Using a twisted silver earring as a makeshift pick, she manages to open the first bolt on her door but struggles with the second lock. Reluctantly, she summons her Nightfire magic—an act that forces her to confront buried grief over Vincent's death. After gaining control of the volatile flame, she uses it to melt the metal bar holding the second lock, and the door flies open. She carefully conceals the damage and slips into the hallway.

Drawing on her intimate knowledge of the castle's hidden passageways—secret tunnels Vincent had built and taught her as a child—Oraya navigates downward through the labyrinth. Rather than fleeing immediately outdoors, she heads to Vincent's private underground wing beneath the easternmost tower, hoping to find weapons and supplies. Most doors are locked, but the fifth opens to reveal Vincent's study, still smelling of him and cluttered with his work.

Oraya is overwhelmed by grief as she examines the room. She finds inventories, maps, and a one-page report on the destruction of Salinae—her homeland—written in cold, factual language. She also discovers a small, crudely made dagger she'd crafted as a child and given to Vincent, kept among his most important possessions. The juxtaposition of Vincent the ruthless king and Vincent the loving father devastates her, and she fights to suppress her tears.

Her attention turns to a pile of mirrored glass shards neatly stacked at the center of the desk. When she accidentally cuts her finger on a shard, the pieces assemble themselves into a shallow, mirrored bowl that collects her blood. She is flooded with an overwhelming sensory echo of Vincent's emotions and fragmented thoughts from when he used the device. Then she hears a faint, distant voice—Jesmine, who initially mistakes Oraya for Vincent. The device is some kind of magical communication tool.

Before Oraya can learn more, she hears voices approaching in the hallway: Raihn and Cairis, coming down the staircase that was her planned escape route. They discuss searching Vincent's rooms for intelligence and mention plans involving someone named Misrada and Septimus's confidence. Cairis continues ahead, but Raihn stops at the study door. Oraya pockets the mirror shards and hides under the desk. Raihn dismisses Cairis, opens the door, and reveals he detected Oraya's scent, addressing her directly and ending her hope of remaining hidden.