Bryce plunges into the frigid water of the nøkk's tank to rescue a drowning Syrinx. She grabs the chimera's limp body and rides the feeding platform back toward the surface, but the nøkk attacks—slamming her into the glass hard enough to crack it and knocking away her knife. Bryce fights back by grabbing the nøkk's vulnerable anatomy, causing it to release her. She pushes off the cracked glass and swims desperately for the feeding platform, climbing the chain hand over hand as the nøkk pursues. She narrowly escapes the water, and the nøkk, unable to tolerate the air, retreats below the surface.

Bryce immediately begins chest compressions on Syrinx, ignoring the bathroom door buckling under Micah's power. After several rounds of CPR, Syrinx revives, vomiting water. Despite a severely shredded calf—still slowly healing from the synth—Bryce gathers the chimera and begins limping toward the stairs. The Summit attendees watch helplessly through the one-way camera feed; Ruhn begs for audio contact, but Jesiba confirms it only works in one direction.

At the base of the library stairs, Bryce realizes Lehabah is not following. The fire sprite tells Bryce she cannot make it in time and insists on staying behind to buy her time. Through tears, Bryce reveals that she had already purchased and legally freed Lehabah the previous week, and had planned a surprise party to celebrate. Lehabah, who already discovered the papers, smiles and declares that her first act as a free person will be to protect her friends. Bryce tells Lehabah she loves her, and Lehabah returns the words before urging Bryce to go.

Bryce drags herself and Syrinx up the stairs, screaming through the pain, and seals the iron library door behind her. Below, Lehabah performs a summoning dance, chanting her lineage as a descendant of Ranthia Drahl, Queen of Embers, and repeating, "My friends are with me and I am not afraid." She directs her power not at the bathroom door or Micah, but at the already-cracked glass of the nøkk's tank. Hunt, the 33rd Legion angels, Ruhn, and eventually every person in the Summit conference room rise and place hands over their hearts in a final salute to the sprite.

When Micah finally tears through the bathroom door and sees Lehabah at the cracked wall, the sprite hisses, "This is for Syrinx," and slams her palm into the glass. A hundred thousand gallons of water explode into the library, engulfing the nøkk, the library, and Micah—Lehabah sacrificing herself to save Bryce and Syrinx.