Bryce Quinlan wakes in a deep subterranean cell beneath a mountain, realizing she has not reached Hel as intended. Three powerful Fae—Rhysand, Amren, and the silent, hazel-eyed warrior who brought her in—question her about her name, her blood-soaked clothes, her ability to speak the Old Language, and her possession of the Starsword, which they call Gwydion. Bryce presses them to identify their world and begins to suspect it is the original home of the Midgard Fae.

Bryce refuses Rhysand’s request to search her memories, even after he mind-speaks politely and promises not to pry without consent. Rhysand lays out the power dynamic: they will not torture her, but they can keep her imprisoned until she cooperates. Bryce reveals she came through a Gate while fleeing the Asteri and insists her only goal is to save her captured mate and brother, Hunt Athalar and Ruhn.

As the interrogation continues, Bryce explains what the Asteri are and what they have done: ancient parasites who feed on harvested magic (firstlight), conquered many worlds, and built Midgard into an empire through propaganda and control. She says only three places successfully resisted them—Hel, Iphraxia, and the original Starborn Fae world—and argues this world must be that third planet. Amren confirms their old name here: the Daglan. Bryce warns that Rigelus, leader of the Asteri, seeks this world for revenge after fifteen thousand years.

To prove the scope of the threat, Bryce asks to show them the Asteri’s resources. Rhysand returns with a Veritas orb that can capture and display memories; Bryce loads it with images of guns, missiles, Omega-boats, and Asteri power while carefully avoiding revealing the Horn or her own full capabilities. The vision unsettles all three, and Bryce confirms that the Asteri want to bring that level of destruction to this world.

Amren offers Bryce a silver “bean” that will translate their language and let Bryce speak it; Bryce swallows it to gain leverage. The spell hits violently—Bryce collapses and begins glowing, while Azriel’s dagger reacts with strange black light. As Bryce recovers, Amren notices glowing letters on Bryce’s back and recognizes them as matching text from the Book of Breathings. With Bryce newly able to understand their tongue and her secret markings exposed, Azriel turns lethal and demands, “Explain or you die.”