Venna leads Meryn through the castle in total silence, taking a deliberately evasive route through servant passageways and into ancient, forgotten tunnels deep beneath the castle. Meryn partially lowers her mental barrier with Anassa in case something goes wrong. The descent is labyrinthine—designed to confuse intruders—and the air grows freezing, metallic, and oppressive. Anassa projects deep unease, which unsettles Meryn further, as the wolf's fear feels fundamentally wrong.

At the bottom of the maze, they reach a door behind which lies a startling contrast: a pristine corridor carved from white marble veined with gold, well-lit, heated, and ventilated. Beyond a second door, Meryn hears children's voices. She rushes inside to find a long prison lined with gilded cells, each holding four to five children in identical gray clothing. The children are fed and given books but are gaunt, pallid, and clearly suffering from prolonged captivity without sunlight or real care.

Meryn finds her sister Saela in one of the cells for older children. The reunion is intensely emotional—both sisters weep and cling to each other through the bars. Saela reveals critical information: the Nabbers brought her directly to the castle, not out of the city, and handed her over to the king's guard. She has been imprisoned for four months, counting the days carefully so she could report everything to Meryn. The guards are not cruel but treat the children as if they don't exist.

Saela then reveals the most horrifying detail: King Allard himself visits every few weeks, studies the children, and selects one or two who are never seen again—though screams are sometimes heard from far away. Saela has been passed over six times but believes she will be chosen next. She begs Meryn not to let him take her.

Meryn desperately considers breaking Saela out immediately but recognizes the impossibility: they are hundreds of feet underground, there are too many children to evacuate, and the risk of discovery is too high. Venna warns that their time is running out. Meryn tearfully promises Saela she will return with help, urging her sister to stay strong and avoid drawing the king's attention. After an agonizing farewell, Meryn leaves with Venna.

As they retrace their steps, Anassa sends a sharp warning not to involve anyone else, but Meryn shuts the bond down, furious at Anassa's pattern of withholding information since the beginning of their bond. Instead, Meryn decides to go to Killian, trusting him completely—believing he will be horrified by his father's actions and will use his authority to free the children. Meryn silently vows that King Allard will pay for what he has done.