Bryce presses Aidas on why she cannot simply use the Horn to open a portal to “nowhere.” Aidas explains that no one knows where that place is, and only the sword and knife can pinpoint it. Bryce challenges the plan’s reliance on chance—what if she had never come to Avallen or recovered the knife—and Aidas admits Helena asked him to subtly guide Bryce without pushing too hard, given Bryce’s distrust of the Fae.

Aidas, Apollion, and Thanatos reveal that if Bryce could not access Theia’s hidden power on Avallen, Hel needed another way to “fuel” her. They confess they engineered weapons in Midgard during the First Wars: demons like the kristallos, Shepherd, and deathstalkers, and also the thunderbirds—sent through cracks in the Northern Rift—but the Asteri hunted thunderbirds to near-extinction. As a replacement plan, Apollion and Thanatos created Hunt as a weapon meant to complement Bryce, and the Asteri mistakenly believed Hunt was their own successful breeding experiment.

Hunt demands answers about his origin and learns Apollion’s essence is in his blood, making him naturally suited to hunting demons. Thanatos confirms Hunt’s “lightning” is actually diluted Helfire—power capable of killing nearly anything, even an Asteri in its pure form—and Apollion admits he used Helfire to kill Sirius, though Hunt’s diluted version can only harm Asteri, not kill them. Aidas explains Hunt’s mortal parentage: an angel scientist from the Asteri Archives working on “Project Thurr” learned the truth about thunderbirds, helped Hel’s plan, and fathered Hunt with Hunt’s mother; Rigelus later discovered the man’s link to Hel, tortured him, and executed him before he could expose Hunt’s existence. Hunt learns the father’s name: Hyrieus.

Bryce reframes the revelations as Hunt being a “backup battery” for her, and Hunt asks if the same could be done for Ruhn, but Thanatos says Ruhn’s light and affinity for thin places is insufficient. Hunt also fears Bryce and Hunt being mates was engineered, but Aidas insists it was not intended and likely left to higher powers. Bryce then challenges Hel’s motives, suspecting the princes simply want her to open a door so Hel can take over the fight; the princes counter that Hel can fight alongside her, not replace her.

As the black-salt connection weakens and the princes flicker, Bryce questions Hel’s supposedly ready armies, and Apollion claims she has only seen a fraction of Hel. Aidas clarifies only the three of them will come through the Northern Rift—four other princes are occupied elsewhere—and insists Hel’s armies will be controlled after their “pets” previously ran amok. Bryce refuses to be rushed, says she will think about it, and the connection collapses: Thanatos and Apollion vanish, Apollion warning Hunt that “no true son of Hel can be caged.” Aidas lingers long enough to warn Bryce that if uniting the sword and knife costs too much, she should choose life and choose Hunt, then Hel disappears entirely.