After a restless night haunted by phantom screams and anxiety about the Purge Trial, Meryn drags herself back to her room at dawn and manages a few more hours of fitful sleep. In the late afternoon, the twenty-three Bonded pairs of Strategos assemble in the arena, which is packed with more spectators than the Voice Trial drew—nobles in the upper tiers, other packs in the lower seats. King Cyril presides from his elevated platform with his wolf-pommeled sword and a Phylax Rawbond named Audelie on his lap. Killian stands at his father's right hand, and Stark occupies a place of honor, shooting Meryn a look that promises her death.

The king thrusts the Diren Blæd into the platform floor to signal the start of the Purge. Meryn mounts Anassa and opens herself fully to their bond. She senses the wolves communicating among themselves, deciding who must die for the pack's strength—riders are excluded from the pack unity link this time. A silver wolf ridden by Pietr attacks Anassa's flank, and Meryn and Anassa achieve a seamless mental synchrony, fighting as one body. They draw first blood against Pietr's wolf, and Meryn experiences a predatory joy through the bond.

Perielle and two other pairs close in on Anassa, but Meryn realizes the wolves have already collectively marked Perielle for death—her arrogance and divisive cruelty make her a liability to the pack. At Anassa's coordinated signal, Perielle's own wolf bucks her off, and Anassa tears out Perielle's throat. Perielle's wolf lies down beside her, killed by the severed bond. Meryn is horrified to realize the entire engagement with Pietr was orchestrated as bait to expose Perielle's weakness.

The wolves next target Nevah, but Meryn judges Nevah worthy and Anassa agrees. Meryn, Izabel, and Tomison rally to Nevah's defense, and the other wolves back off, unwilling to challenge four unified pairs. Two more Bonded pairs fall before the horn signals the end of Strategos's Purge. Twenty pairs survive out of twenty-three. Anassa offers Meryn comfort and commends her choice to defend Nevah. Meryn feels the weight of Perielle's blood on her hands but accepts Anassa's view that the killing was necessary.

As Meryn heads to the stands to watch the remaining three packs' Purges, she exchanges a smile and thumbs-up with Killian, relieved to have survived and to have more time with him and more time to save Saela. However, her relief is cut short when she notices Stark watching them with narrowed eyes and crossed arms—he saw their exchange, putting their secret relationship at risk.