Alex stands in a luxurious room above the Holy City, newly bathed, dressed, and unsettled by comfort she has never known. Even after the nuns clean and groom her, her instincts remain those of a thief, and she immediately weighs the value of the silver comb left behind. When someone knocks, Alex's first reaction is fear and suspicion, but she also recognizes that whatever game is being played might be worth exploiting.

Duke Michael enters and speaks to Alex gently, confirming that she is being treated well. Alex bluntly asks whether his interest in her is sexual, and his horrified denial clears the way for the real explanation: Michael says he is her uncle and that she is safe. Alex remains doubtful, especially when he claims royal blood and begins telling her about the politics of the Empire of the East.

Michael explains that his mother, Empress Theodosia the Blessed, had three children: Irene, Eudoxia, and Michael. After Theodosia's death, Irene should have inherited, but Eudoxia murdered her and seized the throne, causing civil war, famine, schism, and the decline of Troy. Michael says Irene's infant daughter, Alexia, was smuggled toward the Holy City for protection and believed lost; he now insists that Alex is that missing child.

To prove it, Michael points to Alex's birthmark and the chain she wears. When Alex reveals the half-coin she has carried for years, Michael produces the matching half from his own neck, and the two pieces fit together perfectly. He tells Alex that she resembles her mother and, after revealing that Eudoxia has recently died and left the throne empty, urges Alex to return to Troy and claim the Serpent Throne as its rightful heir.

Michael paints Troy in glorious terms and promises to guide Alex, adding that Cardinal Zizka can help them. Alex is tempted by the warmth, status, and apparent plausibility of his story, but her inner response remains practical rather than loyal. Knowing she is trapped by debts to Papa Collini, the Queen of Clubs, and Little Suze, Alex decides to play the princess for as long as it profits her and flee if necessary. After Michael leaves, she looks down at the city, smiles at her sudden change in fortunes, and slips the silver comb up her sleeve anyway.