Meryn, Izabel, and Venna begin their ascent of Mount Wolfsbane's steep direct route, with screams and falling bodies around them as other recruits perish. Izabel leads initially, with Venna providing climbing guidance from below thanks to her superior skill and specialized gloves. Izabel explains that Bonded families train their children for the climb, sharing secret routes and landmarks, though sharing this knowledge with outsiders is discouraged. Meryn reflects on her luck in having these allies.

When a rock ledge gives way beneath Izabel's feet, Meryn acts quickly—climbing to a higher resting spot, anchoring a rope around a tree, and hauling Izabel to safety. The group continues upward, but their planned route has changed since the twins' family last gathered intelligence. Venna identifies a dangerous patch of thin ice that Izabel nearly leads them toward, then takes the lead and carves a safer path to the right.

At a larger shelf, the twins teach Meryn how to use ice picks, crampons, and proper knots for ice climbing. During the ascent of a sheer ice wall, Meryn's feet slip and she falls, caught by her harness, slamming into the ice and injuring her shoulder and nose. She recovers using training from her mentor Igor, and the trio continues climbing through brutal wind and cold. Meryn keeps herself focused by thinking of finding her sister Saela and returning to Lee.

They finally reach a large rock ledge and share a moment of levity and bonding. Meryn reflects on how unusual it feels to have female friends her own age. Their rest is interrupted when another group of three climbers—a commoner woman and two men—crests the ledge. The woman asks to share their ice picks, showing her own broken one. Meryn refuses, and the woman lunges for Izabel's gear, sparking a close-quarters fight.

During the scuffle, the woman feints and knees Meryn in the nose, and they exchange knife blows. Before the fight can escalate further, one of the woman's companions slips off the ledge, and the rope connecting the three attackers pulls them all over the edge to their deaths. Meryn retrieves the dead man's abandoned ice pick, trying to project confidence but shaken by how easily she could have shared their fate.