Saeris arrives through the gate into a vast amphitheater and immediately sees Kingfisher kneeling at the foot of a dais, battered and bloody, his armor shredded. Kingfisher speaks to Saeris mind-to-mind, devastated that Saeris followed and saying he wanted to spare Saeris from what is happening. Kingfisher suddenly convulses in pain as if subjected to unseen torture, and Saeris finds she cannot move toward him.

A cold voice welcomes them, and Saeris looks up to the dais in shock: Malcolm sits in the center, with Belikon on one side and Madra on the other, all watching with satisfaction. Malcolm identifies Saeris and Lorreth and notes Lorreth’s past destruction of Barillieth, then moves to Carrion; when Carrion attempts to introduce himself, Malcolm signals Harron, who strikes Carrion down to his knees with a dagger hilt.

Lorreth and Saeris reach for weapons, but Belikon warns them their swords and magic are useless here, calling the arena a graveyard where magic cannot reach. Madra and Belikon repeatedly call each other “sister” and “brother,” and the three rulers imply an alliance across human, fae, and vampire realms. Saeris accuses Madra of stilling quicksilver and closing the gates, but Belikon admits they always knew and have reconciled; Madra counters that she acted after Belikon sent “that beast” to assassinate her, and Belikon declares their reunited Triumvirate is more powerful than it has been in ages.

Belikon’s confession reframes old betrayals: he knowingly let blame fall on Kingfisher’s family and, as Lorreth realizes, has been “feeding” Malcolm’s army by withholding supplies and silver from the south. Madra urges Malcolm not to break Kingfisher before their “game,” and Malcolm eases the invisible torment long enough for Kingfisher to gasp for air while boasting about the fall of Gillethrye. Belikon taunts Kingfisher about witnessing it and descends to insult him, demanding Kingfisher tell his companions what he did; Belikon then kicks Kingfisher hard in the jaw, to the roaring approval of the crowd.

Guards restrain Saeris and the others, and Saeris recognizes them as Winter Palace fae who obey despite visible shame. Malcolm claims the audience should decide what happens “after all, they’re the ones he killed,” while Lorreth insists it was not Kingfisher’s fault. Saeris finally looks to the stands and discovers the “crowd” are burned, dead fae—females, males, and children—still animated in screaming ruin: the dead of Gillethrye.

Belikon amplifies his voice to the entire arena and asks the dead fae whether he should remove Kingfisher’s gag and make him confess. After the uproar, Belikon announces the “Fae of Gillethrye” have spoken and formally releases Kingfisher from his oath, naming him the Bane of Gillethrye, and orders him to tell Saeris and the others about the deal he struck with them long ago.