As night fell in a vampire-held château, the captured Silversaint Gabriel de León was compelled by Marquis Jean‑François of Blood Chastain to tell his life. Beginning in the daysdeath world where the sun was veiled, Gabriel recalled an abusive Nordlund childhood, his sister Amélie’s Becoming and burning, and the awakening of a strange, burning touch. After biting a lover in blood-hunger, he was claimed by Frère Greyhand for the Ordo Argent, taught the Five Laws and chymistry, and inked with the silver aegis while witnessing the Red Rite that awaited palebloods who succumbed to the sangirè.

Gabriel’s early hunts led to Skyefall, where a wasting “plague” proved a nest of Voss vampires preying inside noble houses. Disobeying orders in the necropolis cost the Order a quarry but ended with the capture of fledglings and Gabriel’s first open sign of his Esani-like gift that burned the Dead by touch. Back at San Michon, whispers of “sanguimancy” surfaced, Astrid Rennier emerged from the forbidden stacks as a brilliant, defiant royal bastard, and a secret research pact formed with Astrid and Chloe. In the stables, Vivienne la Cour’s escape and Sister Aoife’s murder deepened fractures; suspicion of Aaron de Coste simmered even as the Order rode to face an ancien in Coste.

At Coste, Marianne Luncóit was unmasked as Laure Voss, a Prince of Forever. In a brutal ambush at Falls Bridge, Greyhand was maimed, Talon gutted, and Adrien destroyed in the river, while Laure escaped dispatching white ravens bearing invasion plans. Gabriel and Aaron staggered home to San Michon as Empress Isabella and the host mustered for Avinbourg. Greyhand warned of a feint; a hidden blood-ink riddle later proved him right, pointing to the Twins pass. With Khalid and the saints away, Gabriel and Prioress Charlotte led a desperate column—including Astrid and armed sisters—into the mountains, where Laure struck their rear. Astrid’s blow and Gabriel’s invoked “Esani” burned Laure to ash; he then triggered an avalanche that buried the Endless Legion as the Forever King’s mind vowed eternal vengeance.

The victory curdled: Lorson lay massacred in Laure’s reprisal, and Gabriel found his mother and sister Celene among the dead. Years passed in battles and renown, but Talon’s rot surfaced at San Michon—mind-intrusions, a murdered serving girl, and Sister Aoife’s pregnancy—ending with Greyhand slaying him as he fed on Gabriel. Gabriel and Astrid’s forbidden love yielded their daughter Patience and eventual excommunication; they built a hidden life far south until the Forever King arrived at their door with Patience on his lap. Ashdrinker shattered on Voss’s throat; Gabriel was hurled into the cellar, and by the time he awoke, Astrid had turned. He killed her to spare a monstrous rebirth, drank her blood to escape, and swore war on Voss and never to drink blood again.

Seventeen years later, wandering north addicted to sanctus, Gabriel met Chloe and a mismatched band guarding the pale youth Dior Lachance. Danton Voss demanded the “boy” at Dhahaeth; Gabriel slew a fledgling and maimed Danton, learning their quarry was Dior. In flight through storm and forest, a masked highblood named Liathe and inquisitors harried them. At Winfael, Dior immolated wretched and healed mortal wounds with her own blood, revealing the heresy Chloe and Rafa had chased: the Grail was no cup but a bloodline from the Redeemer and Saint Michon—Dior herself. San Guillaume lay butchered by the Inquisition; Liathe attacked within its profaned walls; and at nightfall Danton’s army slew Bellamy, Saoirse, Phoebe and Rafa as Chloe and Dior fled with Gabriel over the cliff.

After rivers, blight, and the loss of their mare, Gabriel and Dior reached Aveléne, reunited with Aaron and Baptiste, and prepared to lure and kill the Beast. Danton arrived with highblood kin and left Rafa, now Became, as a warning; Gabriel burned him at Dior’s pleading. When Dior fled at dawn toward San Michon to spare Aveléne, Gabriel gave chase by dogsled onto the frozen Mère. Dior’s black-powder trap drowned wretched and highbloods, but Danton pressed on. In the melee, Liathe appeared; Gabriel’s burning aegis faltered against Danton’s Ironheart flesh, and Ashdrinker was lost—until Dior took the blade, her blood sanctifying starsteel. She cut Danton’s throat, and the Beast of Vellene burned to ash.

Silversaints under Greyhand—now abbot—arrived with Silver Sisters and a living Chloe to bring Dior to San Michon. There, as dawn neared, Gabriel discovered the truth in the bloodscript Chloe prized: “Aavsunc” meant lifeblood—the Rite demanded Dior’s death on holy ground. Greyhand ordered Gabriel seized; de Séverin ran him through; and on Heaven’s Bridge, Greyhand cut Gabriel’s throat in a formal execution. He awoke below, his vow broken by a forced draught of ancien blood from Liathe, who unmasked as Celene, his sister made fledgling by Laure’s cruelty. Celene warned Dior’s death would “undo everything.” Gabriel climbed the pillar, armed himself, and stormed the Cathedral. He killed de Séverin and Fincher, throttled Greyhand to ash with his burning grip, and ran Sister Chloe through as she raised the knife over Dior, then burned the ancient tome and cut Dior free, vowing to find another way to end the endless night.

Back in the château cell at story’s end, Gabriel tried to turn hunter, searing Jean‑François with his touch before Meline’s silversteel blade drove him back. As the vampire reformed and promised another session, Gabriel lit sanctus and whispered the name he had etched into his knuckles—Patience—resolving to endure, even as he lamented letting the last hope slip like shattered glass and swore to continue the tale “tomorrow.”