At Jesiba Roga’s House of Flame and Shadow, Jesiba clears the onlookers while Hypaxia Enador confronts the Astronomer over Ithan Holstrom helping the Fendyr heir escape. Hypaxia argues no law was broken because the Fendyr heir was never a legal slave. The Astronomer demands ten million gold marks in compensation, and Jesiba coolly agrees to pay, forcing him to leave.

With the crowd gone, Ithan learns Jesiba summoned Hypaxia specifically to attempt necromancy on the dead Fendyr heir. Hypaxia reveals she has been overthrown: Morganthia Dragas and a traditionalist coven staged a coup, ordered Hypaxia’s execution, and seized the crown that powered her mother’s enchantments. To survive, Hypaxia swears fealty to the House of Flame and Shadow.

Elsewhere on Avallen, Lidia Cervos meets her sons in a closed student recreation area arranged by Renki. Lidia admits she is leaving on a dangerous mission and may not return, but cannot share details. Brann presses for honesty about why she left them; Lidia insists it was to keep them safe and says she has thought of them every day. She gives them her ruby ring as a valuable heirloom, tells them she is proud, receives a strained goodbye from Actaeon, and leaves before she breaks down.

Back in Jesiba’s office, Hypaxia explains the coup in more detail and clashes with Jesiba, who condemns Hypaxia for yielding without a fight and warns Morganthia will spill more blood. Hypaxia agrees to help Ithan with necromancy starting tomorrow, but first must swear old allegiance oaths at the Black Dock before sunrise; Jesiba orders her to go.

Alone with Ithan, Jesiba reveals she is second in command of the House and that Hypaxia’s former lover, Archangel Celestina, betrayed Bryce’s group—though Hypaxia ended it. Jesiba admits she has paid the Astronomer for years to search for a way to undo Prince Apollion’s grip on her soul, explaining her long history with Aidas and her plan to use dragon fire as leverage. Jesiba also claims the Asteri bred the dominant Fendyr line and likely arranged Danika’s death once she became uncontrollable, and suggests Connor’s soul is valuable to the Asteri. A call interrupts them: Hypaxia has finished her vows and is waiting in the House’s morgue with Sigrid’s corpse.