Violet, Mira, and Brennan are led from the ward chamber as wyvern bodies thud outside. Brennan covers General Lilith Sorrengail’s body with his flight jacket, while Violet reels and Tairn steadies her through the bond. Violet cannot reach Xaden—his shields are up—but Tairn confirms he lives.

They emerge into a jubilant courtyard. Dain approaches, but Rhiannon reaches Violet first, reporting that their friends survived with minor to moderate injuries. Violet breaks down in Rhiannon’s arms, then regains enough composure to look for Tairn and Xaden while Brennan issues exhausted orders and Mira disappears from sight.

Crossing the courtyard, Violet overhears Melgren and Devera negotiating the riders’ return—an inevitable fallout now that the horde attack and collapsing venin have exposed the truth. Outside, a field of wyvern corpses stretches to the ravine. Violet finds Tairn and Sgaeyl; Andarna lands with a trembling wing, and Violet urges Tairn to speak with her.

Sgaeyl allows Violet through to Xaden, who stands on the ravine’s edge, bleeding from a back laceration and watching the river. He states he killed the Sage, breaking the tether and casting the body into the gorge. Violet tells him that Lilith died powering the wardstone by channeling Aimsir through Sloane; Xaden offers grief-struck condolences, insisting he never wanted anyone Violet loves dead.

Discussing next steps, Xaden argues they should return because Aretia’s wards are weakening while Basgiath’s now hold. Then he reveals what truly frightens him: the danger he poses to Violet. A faint red ring rims his dark, gold-flecked eyes as he warns, “Me. You should be scared of me.”