Dido au Raa arrives in the warroom at the head of an armed column of Peerless Scarred, confronting Romulus over his secrecy and Seraphina’s mission. She admits to removing his escort and Krypteia, then announces patriots are seizing Io and that she will serve as Protector until a new Sovereign is chosen. Romulus warns she cannot hold Io and claims Seraphina returned with nothing; Dido implies otherwise and orders his arrest.

When Bellerephon moves to seize Romulus, Diomedes transforms his razor and explodes into motion, killing several of Dido’s men, including Aevius, and dueling Bellerephon. Marius joins clumsily and is badly wounded, while Vela braces beside her brothers. As Dido’s forces ready rifles, she halts the gunfire.

Dido confronts Diomedes directly, pressing herself onto his blade until Romulus commands his son to stand down. Diomedes yields, and Dido’s soldiers disarm and bind Romulus and his kin. The coup remains contained and ritualized, with Dido honoring the dead.

Seraphina enters, saddened for her father. She confirms to Dido that she found what she sought, validating Dido’s challenge to Romulus’s claim. Dido orders honors for the fallen and reasserts control of the room and situation.

Lysander and Cassius reveal themselves under their aliases, are seized again, and then vouched for by Seraphina as the men who saved her life. Dido shifts posture, feeds and waters them, declares them guests, and signals their potential value amid her takeover.