Kai spars with his half-brother Kitt on the castle training grounds, first using abilities and then swords. Kai easily counters Kitt’s fire with water, disarms him with a hidden dagger, and reflects that Kitt is suited to rule while Kai is suited to fight as the future Enforcer. Kai’s inner thoughts show how their father has trained each son for a separate role and how completely Kai identifies with violence and warfare.

During their sword practice, Kai lets his mind drift and takes a cut on his arm before quickly regaining control of the match. As the brothers pause, Blair approaches and taunts Kai about the upcoming Trials, implying that the kingdom expects him to win. Her comments force Kai to stop ignoring the event’s importance, because the Trials are now only two weeks away and tied to his public role in the kingdom.

When Kai questions whether Blair will even compete, Blair uses her Tele ability to pull a dagger from a rack and hold it against Kai’s throat. In response, Kai focuses on her power, takes hold of it, and uses Blair’s own telekinesis to turn the dagger back on her chest before dropping it. The exchange reveals that Kai can channel other people’s abilities, just as he had used Kitt’s fire and water earlier, and it confirms both Blair’s ambition and Kai’s dangerous edge.

Kai and Kitt leave the training grounds and head into the kitchens, where they fall into an easy, familiar rhythm with the cook Gail. Gail teases them, throws potatoes at Kai, and treats both princes with affectionate bluntness, showing a more domestic side of castle life. The chapter ends when a nervous young boy delivers a summons from the king, shifting the mood from playful to formal and setting up Kai’s next confrontation with royal duty.