On the Reckoning’s deck, Paedyn confronts the monstrous sea creature. Having studied it, she targets its weakness and hurls a spear into its glowing eye as it lunges. The beast thrashes in agony, then arcs over the ship and dives back into the sea, leaving the stunned, bloodied crew reeling.

Kai rushes to Paedyn, chilled and shaken, scolding her recklessness while she counters that such orders will not work when she is queen. Captain Torri bellows a declaration of victory, and the crew weakly chants “Silver Savior,” directed at Paedyn, who notes she might have liked the sound.

Two harrowing days follow as the ruined Reckoning limps toward Ilya. Teles hold the ship together telekinetically and Gusts keep torn sails filled, while the crew survives on bread and water after jettisoning excess weight. As dock and safety approach, Paedyn asks Kai whether Kitt will be waiting; Kai thinks he likely is, despite the danger of exposure.

Paedyn presses Kai about why their father treated him and Kitt differently. Kai explains their divergent roles and how Kitt sought to please the king while Kai lived to spite him. They reflect that Kitt’s friendship with Paedyn defied the king’s wishes and that Kitt fears both failing and becoming their father. Kai reveals that after the Bowl, a Sight privately showed him and Kitt part of Paedyn’s fight with the king, confirming pieces of her account. Paedyn admits the king all but told her the Ordinaries’ disease was a lie, and says she withheld it because she had no proof; Kai confesses ongoing fear about what he could do under orders and his terror of harm coming to her.

The ship docks at Ilya, where Imperials hold back the crowd and Kitt waits, looking dulled and weary. As Kai and Paedyn disembark with Torri, Jax bursts through the guard line and throws himself at Kai, who embraces him. Torri formally reports that they encountered and defeated the Shallows beast under his command.

Kitt thanks Torri and promises reward, but Kai redirects credit to Paedyn for saving them. Put on the spot, Paedyn downplays it as delivering the final blow, noting it was not benevolent to the creature. Kitt studies her with an unreadable expression that edges toward realization or awe, then intertwines his fingers with hers for the watching crowd and tells her she will make a fine queen, as though born for it.