Nesta wakes on frozen ground with a pounding head, the taste of drugged sleep still in her mouth, and the scents of many males around her. She realizes she has been dumped into the Blood Rite among hundreds of unconscious Illyrian warriors, and when she reaches for her power, she finds the Rite's magic-nullifying spells have sealed it away. Barefoot, weaponless, and still in a nightgown, Nesta understands she must quickly find clothes, food, and weapons, and above all locate Gwyn and Emerie before the other warriors wake.

Before Nesta can move far, an Illyrian male wakes and fixes on her with obvious predatory intent. Nesta spots a knife embedded in a nearby tree, clearly a violation of the Rite's usual rules, and realizes it is the only weapon available. Because fleeing would leave her defenseless and easy prey, Nesta chooses to race the male for the blade.

Elsewhere, Cassian reels in the wreckage of Emerie's house as Rhysand, Feyre, Azriel, and Amren gather around him. Cassian demands to be sent after Nesta, but Rhysand reminds him that anyone removed from the Blood Rite, along with whoever rescues them, is executed under Illyrian law. Azriel then reports that Briallyn has captured Eris, likely using Koschei's power, and the group explains why the threat cannot be ignored: Eris knows too much about Nesta, the Night Court, and the Dread Trove. Rhysand also cannot risk the mission because Feyre reveals that she and Rhysand bargained after the war to die together, meaning any fatal danger to one of them would also kill the other and their unborn child. Furious but trapped, Cassian arms himself and agrees to go with Azriel to save Eris, trusting that the Valkyries' training may help Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie survive.

Back in the Rite, Nesta sprints for the knife, relying on the footwork Cassian drilled into her to navigate the bodies littering the forest floor. She reaches the tree just as the male slams into her, and both tumble down a steep hill into a streambed below. When the fall stops, Nesta discovers she has driven the knife into the male's throat and killed him. After steadying herself with breathing exercises, she strips the corpse for clothes and boots, takes the knife, covers the male's face with her discarded nightgown, and sets off with cold purpose to find Gwyn and Emerie.