At the Luminaries Dinner in the palace courtyard, Rune Winters endures a night of performing patriotism, fake-smiling through praise for her speech and feigning disgust for witches. She feels sick and hungry as guests swarm her, and she keeps scanning the crowd for Captain Gideon Sharpe, unsettled when he does not appear.

Rune spots Verity and breaks away to meet her in a quieter corner. Verity reports what she learned from a prison guard: witches are kept in the seventh circle of the prison, past Fortitude Gate, and every prison worker carries an access coin that functions like a limited key. Verity adds that Blood Guard officers of sufficient rank, usually captains or their seconds, have access coins that allow them to escort witches through to Fortitude Gate, prompting Rune to consider stealing such a coin and possibly a uniform.

The conversation is cut short by a commotion as Laila Creed arrives in scarlet uniform, dragging a hooded prisoner in iron witch restraints across the courtyard. Rune realizes the newly assembled “stage” is actually a purging platform when she sees chains hanging from a beam and watches Laila fasten them to the witch’s ankles. Rune instinctively starts forward, but Verity stops her, warning there is nothing Rune can do in front of this crowd.

Laila removes the hood, revealing a face Rune recognizes from Nan’s locket: Seraphine Oakes, appearing inexplicably young, as if she has not aged since the portrait. Confused and horrified, Rune watches as Good Commander Nicolas Creed steps onto the platform, addresses the guests, and then fixes his gaze on Rune, calling her up by name.

Rune climbs the steps, seeing Seraphine’s injuries and recognizing the night’s “entertainment” is a private purging. With Gideon still nowhere in sight, Nicolas publicly praises Rune as a model patriot while Seraphine glares at her in hatred. Laila opens a black box, lifts the purging knife from red velvet, and grants Rune “the privilege” of purging Seraphine herself.