After the tense court confrontation, Raihn retreats with his advisors—Cairis, Ketura, and the newly arrived Vale—to a makeshift war room in a former library. The castle, once Vincent's seat of power for two hundred years, has been partially stripped for intelligence and traps. Raihn reflects on his dread upon first returning to the castle after the Kejari, haunted by memories from his time as a slave under the former Rishan king Neculai Vasarus. He avoids certain wings entirely, unable to face the worst of those memories.

Vale, Raihn's new Head of War, arrives late due to storms and reveals he has recently Turned a human woman into a vampire. Raihn is disturbed by this, drawing parallels to Neculai's wife Nessanyn, who was loved but ultimately not saved. The strategic meeting reveals the dire state of Raihn's position: the Hiaj hold key cities with strong forces built over Vincent's two centuries of rule, while Rishan strength is depleted and almost entirely dependent on Septimus's Bloodborn troops. Vale criticizes Raihn's deal with Septimus, the lack of negotiated terms, and the decision to keep Oraya alive. Raihn deflects these criticisms, unwilling to reveal his true motivations.

After the meeting, Cairis lingers to press Raihn further. He warns that Oraya is dangerous—she won the Kejari—and that Raihn must be more careful with the nobles to avoid losing their already fragile loyalty. Raihn deflects by mimicking Neculai's cruelty, claiming it's satisfying to keep Vincent's daughter "leashed" as revenge for what Vincent did to Nessanyn. Cairis sees through this but pivots, invoking Nessanyn's old advice: "Remember who wins." Nessanyn, Neculai's wife, had been the one kind presence among the enslaved, and she would urge them not to lash out self-destructively. Cairis uses this memory to counsel pragmatism over vengeance, but Raihn remains unconvinced.

Later, Raihn reflects on exploring the king's wing after the takeover. He found a dent in a doorframe made with Ketura's head centuries ago, and on Vincent's bureau, childhood notes in Oraya's handwriting—fighting stance studies Vincent had kept for years. The discovery moved and pained Raihn. He chose not to stay in the king's wing, instead taking the suite next to Oraya's. That night, he presses his hand against their shared wall and listens. He hears Oraya's violent, suffocating sobs—a sound he's come to recognize. He no longer goes to her room, knowing his presence only causes her pain. He resolves to send her headache tea and give her what she needs, understanding that what she needs is not him. Lying awake, he reflects bitterly on Nessanyn's words—"Who wins?"—concluding that neither Nessanyn nor Oraya won anything.