Aralaq races Ead and Loth northward through Lasia toward Córvugar. Though Ead instructed them not to stop, Aralaq detours to the Godsblades mountains near Nzene, the Lasian capital, because the Prioress's blade was coated with ice leech secretion (called "the glean") that prevents blood from clotting. Aralaq obtains a remedy from High Ruler Kagudo's supply and treats Ead's wound with a poultice of sabra flowers while she is unconscious.

When Ead wakes, she is furious they stopped, fearing the Red Damsels will catch them, but concedes the treatment saved her life. Left alone with Loth, the two have an honest reckoning. Loth confronts Ead about her lies—her name, her faith, her sorcery. Ead demonstrates her magical abilities, producing natural fire, silver magefire, and red wyrmfire. She then updates Loth on events at court: Sabran's marriage to Aubrecht Lievelyn, his murder, the White Wyrm's attack on Ascalon Palace, and Sabran's miscarriage, ending the Berethnet bloodline. Ead declares the Nameless One will rise regardless of whether a Berethnet queen sits on the throne, and reveals her suspicion that Igrain Crest is the "Cupbearer" who has been manipulating Sabran through fear. She proposes they return to protect Sabran from internal enemies and then seek Ascalon, the ancient sword, to use against the Nameless One. When Loth asks why she risks everything for Sabran, Ead reveals her deep admiration and love for the queen, describing the steel core beneath Sabran's constrained upbringing.

Aralaq returns with a warning that Parspa, the great bird, is overhead and Red Damsels are approaching. They flee across the scorchlands of northern Lasia. Six Red Damsels on ichneumons pursue them, led by Nairuj on a white ichneumon. Ead repositions herself behind Loth to shoot backward, wounding one ichneumon and dropping its rider, but she takes an arrow in the leg. Before Nairuj can lame Aralaq, wyverlings—small draconic creatures from the Little Mountains—descend on the scorchlands, breathing fire and throwing the pursuit into chaos. Three Red Damsels peel off to fight the wyverlings. Ead uses her warding to shield Aralaq and Loth from fire, and with her last arrow she saves Nairuj from a wyvern despite being hunted by her. The confusion allows Aralaq to escape into darkness.

Ead loses consciousness and wakes to find they have reached Córvugar, a desolate coastal town where a ship awaits in the harbor at dawn, ready to carry them west toward Inys.