Hunt hangs half-conscious in Pollux’s torture chamber, watching shadows gather near the instruments used on him. Exhausted and numb, he fixates on his renewed halo and on the possibility that Bryce never reached safety, while Ruhn and Baxian drift in and out of awareness nearby.

The shadows coalesce into Apollion, who taunts Hunt’s pain and notes Rigelus personally re-inked the halo, which now burns “like acid.” Hunt demands news of Bryce, panicking at the idea she failed to reach Hel; Apollion briefly vanishes, then returns with Aidas, and the two Hel princes speak privately as Hunt presses them for answers.

Aidas confirms Bryce is not with them, implying he suspects where she went but cannot say without risking Rigelus extracting it from Hunt’s mind. Before leaving, Apollion states they are watching to ensure they can “rely” on Hunt later and hints Hunt was created for a specific purpose tied to his father. Aidas adds that Hunt has been asking the wrong questions and warns him only to stay alive before both princes vanish.

Elsewhere, Tharion wakes in the Viper Queen’s apartment with Flynn, Declan, Marc, Holstrom, Ithan, and Ariadne present, plus Sigrid. They confront Tharion for binding himself to the Viper Queen rather than seeking their help, and Tharion argues he feared the River Queen would retaliate against them. He also reveals Cormac is dead and recounts what happened in the lab, deepening the group’s sense that their allies are falling one by one.

Flynn pushes a plan to reach the Depth Charger and then Pangera’s Eternal City, but Ariadne warns the Viper Queen will only tighten her grip if they ask to release Tharion. They agree any freedom would require a “trade,” then learn a blond imperial-uniformed visitor is with the Viper Queen; fear spikes through the group. The Viper Queen saunters out, taunts them, and leaves to fetch drugs for her client—then the Hind’s voice halts them cold with a threat: if they open the door, Prince Ruhn dies.