When alarm spreads through the great hall, Tora tells Freya that the guards on the walls have signaled an attack. Harald rushes in and confirms that Hrafnheim’s wards have been breached and that attackers are using fire. Because Freya fears Snorri may be outside and able to command her through the blood oath, Harald warns Freya to stay away from the walls before hurrying off to defend the fortress.

Freya goes to the doors anyway and sees burning arrows falling on the western side of Hrafnheim. Realizing the fires could quickly consume the thatched roofs and force Harald to open the drawbridges, Freya understands the attack may be part of a larger strategy. A limping, heavily tattooed man near the entrance notes that the attack is coming only from the west. After briefly considering the eastern side, Freya decides the harbor is the safest destination because boats might offer escape if the flames spread.

Freya returns to the hall and urges the children, elders, and other noncombatants to move to the harbor. Steinunn backs Freya’s judgment, which helps turn panic into action, and the crowd begins to evacuate. As smoke worsens, Freya helps the slower members of the group along, especially the supposedly injured man, because she does not want anyone left behind if the fire overtakes the town.

Near the harbor, the man asks to rest and offers Freya water. After several swallows, Freya realizes the drink tastes bitter and wrong. The man’s friendly manner disappears as he throws aside his crutch, stands without difficulty, and reveals himself to be a Skalander agent. Telling Freya that her king has come for her, he confirms that the attack was a trap, and Freya collapses into unconsciousness before she can call on her power.