Late at night, Ruhn sits with Declan and Flynn and tries to use the comm-crystal Cormac gave him to contact Agent Daybright. After awkwardly extending a mental bridge into the dark, Ruhn reaches a female presence cloaked in flame while his own mind veils him as a body of stars. They confirm each other through coded phrases, Daybright dryly nicknames him Agent Night, and she tells him to pass along one message: safe passage is granted under the cover of the waning moon.

The next morning, Ruhn reports the contact to Cormac. Cormac is relieved the connection worked but frustrated that Ruhn did not get updates on Sofie or the Asteri's mech-suit shipment along the Spine. He orders Ruhn to wait until Daybright contacts him again or until Cormac has another message to send, then leaves to keep searching for Emile, even planning to question the dangerous Reapers around the Black Dock despite Ruhn, Declan, and Flynn warning him not to.

Elsewhere, Hunt and Isaiah are summoned to Celestina's private residence, where Naomi, Baxian, and Pollux are already waiting after the previous night's public brawl. Celestina questions Pollux and Baxian about what happened in the alley. Pollux insists the female wanted sex and dismisses her refusals as a game, while Baxian says he followed because he knew Pollux was about to assault her and beat Pollux to stop him.

Celestina explains that the victim refused to press charges, likely because she feared the consequences, and that the filmed fight has become a public scandal. Instead of punishing Pollux, the Asteri decide to bury the story by creating a new one: Celestina announces that she has been ordered to mate the Archangel Ephraim on the Autumnal Equinox in Lunathion. Hunt realizes the mating is less a celebration than a reminder that the Asteri control Celestina's body and future, and Celestina makes clear that Sandriel's former triarii and other powerful guests, including the Hind, will attend.

After dismissing the others, Celestina asks Hunt about Bryce's arranged engagement to Cormac because Bryce and Cormac will be expected at the ceremony. Celestina then reveals that Shahar had secretly been her closest friend, that she regretted not helping when Hunt and Shahar rebelled, and that she tried three times to buy Hunt's freedom after Shahar's death. Hunt is shaken but chooses to meet her honesty with his own, warning her that Pollux, the Harpy, the Hawk, and especially the Hind are dangerous. When Hunt leaves, Baxian stops him, claims he no longer has to pretend under Celestina's rule, and refuses to explain further, leaving Hunt with the sense that Baxian is hiding something important.