Tharion goes to the Meat Market under the pretense of searching for Emile because the River Queen expects updates, but he is really listening for useful gossip. He hears someone mention a dragon and realizes Ariadne may be nearby. After texting Hypaxia and learning only that the previous night involved "Flame and Shadow posturing," Tharion asks Flynn to meet him and leads him to a guarded door inside the Viper Queen’s territory.

Inside, Tharion and Flynn find Ariadne lounging in the Viper Queen’s rooms after fighting in the pit. The Viper Queen explains that she did not capture Ariadne; Ariadne came willingly and bargained for asylum and a share of her winnings to buy her freedom. Tharion, who has considered handing the dragon to the River Queen as compensation for failing to produce Emile and for breaking faith with her daughter, tries to gather information instead. In a back room he encounters the Harpy buying drugs, then pays the Viper Queen by agreeing that Bryce’s group will help spin Ariadne’s presence there as legally justified. In exchange, the Viper Queen tips him off that something is wrong and tells him to call his friends. None of them answer, and Tharion leaves with Flynn in growing alarm.

Elsewhere, Bryce, Hunt, Ruhn, and Hypaxia arrive at Urd’s Temple to meet the Under-King, who had threatened Connor and the Pack. The temple is deserted. The Under-King, sitting on Urd’s throne, first claims the Reapers that attacked Bryce and Ruhn came from the Eternal City rather than from Apollion, because even he dislikes his territory being invaded. Bryce questions him about Sofie’s coded numbers, and instead of answering, he points toward the entrance as Pippa Spetsos and Lightfall soldiers surround the temple. The Under-King admits he made a deal with Pippa because war brings him more dead souls and more secondlight, then reveals he is only a projection and vanishes.

With rebels trying to break in, Bryce decides escape requires outside intervention. Hunt floods her with lightning, and Bryce teleports away to several city Gates until she finds one she can use to send a disguised emergency report that Ophion is attacking Urd’s Temple. She returns nearly exhausted, then teleports Hypaxia out first and Ruhn out second, though each trip weakens her badly. Before she can take Hunt, the imperial response arrives: Pollux, Mordoc, the Hind, and the Hind’s dreadwolves crash into the battle outside and begin slaughtering rebels. Bryce returns for Hunt anyway, but she is physically spent, nose bleeding and barely able to stand.

As fighting spills into the temple and Hunt considers blasting a way out, a huge black hound appears from the shadows behind Urd’s throne and signals them toward a hidden passage. Hunt carries Bryce through the concealed doorway, where Baxian reveals himself as their rescuer and leads them down stairs into underground catacombs. He explains that he heard Pollux’s orders, researched the temple, and found the secret entrance. In the tunnel, Bryce finally stops trusting him, points her rifle at him, and demands the truth about why he keeps appearing. Baxian answers by showing a tattoo over his heart in Danika’s handwriting and revealing the stunning truth: Danika was his mate.