Ead walks with Queen Sabran in the Privy Garden, a rare privilege. Through their conversation, Ead observes that Sabran has a narrow worldview shaped entirely by her palaces and Virtudom-centric education. They discuss Ead's fabricated Ersyri upbringing, birds from the Uluma Mountains, and the burning of doomsingers in the city. Ead oversteps by pointing out hypocrisy in Sabran's acceptance of gifts from Prince Aubrecht, who trades with the East, and Sabran coldly dismisses her. Ead curses herself for provoking the queen after eight years of careful restraint.

That evening, after orisons in the Sanctuary of Virtues, Ead meets Truyde secretly at the postern by the well. Under pressure, Truyde reveals her true plan: she and Sulyard believe the Nameless One's return is imminent, and they intend to broker a military alliance with the Eastern nations, whose water-and-air dragons are distinct from fire-breathing wyrms. Truyde argues the House of Berethnet's bloodline may not actually keep the Nameless One at bay, echoing what the Prioress herself once told Ead. Ead recognizes the plan as dangerously heretical and warns that Sulyard will be executed in the East, but Truyde remains defiant. Ead presses for information about the name "Niclays" in Truyde's book, but their conversation is interrupted.

A High Western dragon—Fýredel, the legendary right wing of the Nameless One—attacks Ascalon Palace, landing on the Dearn Tower. He demands Sabran pledge fealty to the Nameless One or burn. Sabran defiantly emerges onto a balcony to confront him, trusting in her sacred bloodline's protection. Fýredel warns that draconic forces are awakening everywhere—his siblings Orsul and Valeysa, and eventually all their followers—and that the Nameless One himself stirs in the Abyss.

With no bow at hand, Ead races to the clock tower belfry and uses her hidden magical power—a wind-warding—to shield Sabran from Fýredel's fire. The queen survives unscathed inside a perfect circle of untouched stone. Fýredel detects the warding and locates Ead in the belfry; she defiantly brandishes her knife at him. He screams in rage and flies away, destroying part of the Dearn Tower's spire. Sabran, unaware of Ead's intervention, collapses and is carried inside by Combe.

Truyde, who followed Ead to the belfry, witnessed the magic and accuses Ead of witchcraft. Ead pins Truyde with a thrown knife and threatens her with deadly force if she reveals what she saw, invoking fear of sorcerous retaliation. Truyde counters with her own threat. Ead turns to leave but collapses, her siden—the magical essence in her blood—completely spent. She desperately craves the fruit of the orange tree to restore herself.