Chapter Sixty-Three

Summary

• The chapter opens with a dramatic confrontation where Andarna the dragon kills a dark wielder by breathing fire and decapitating him.
• The protagonist falls into the melting snow, shocked by Andarna's abilities, including her stealth and black scales, which helped her blend into the cliffside.
• Tairn, another dragon, arrives and quickly assesses the situation, noting Andarna's fire-breathing, while Xaden, a character with steam rising from his arms, reports on the enemy's tactics.
• It's revealed that the dragons are being called to protect the Vale, but the protagonist is concerned that this will leave their own squad too vulnerable.
• The protagonist's connection with the characters is shown through physical interactions, like Xaden's arm around the protagonist's shoulders and a kiss on the temple.
• As they pass through chaotic hallways filled with injured soldiers, the stakes and scale of the battle become clear.
• Cat, another character, makes a strategic suggestion: to fight on the ground if the rain doesn’t stop or to be deployed like infantry due to their experience.
• The protagonist walks into the courtyard, which is described as mayhem, and observes the disorganized state of their forces.
• As they advance towards a critical leadership meeting, the protagonist and Xaden discuss the dire situation and encounter a scribe who has potentially valuable information in a journal.
• The scribe, Jesinia, reveals she found a discrepancy between journals about the number of elements involved in a critical wardstone, which could be a vital clue or error.
• After realizing the importance of this discrepancy, the protagonist experiences a moment of revelation but chooses to keep it secret for now.
• The discussion with leaders, including Xaden and the protagonist’s mother, reveals a tension about withdrawing forces to defend the Vale and leaving others vulnerable.
• Xaden accuses leadership of using their forces as a distraction while the enemy prepares to strike.
• The protagonist, realizing the urgency of the situation, insists they can raise protective wards to save everyone, lobbying for a chance to prove it.
• The protagonist manages to capture her mother’s attention and make her reconsider the plan of abandoning the field to defend the Vale.
• General Melgren, who is at odds with the proposed plan, is challenged by Xaden's leverage over the army.
• The chapter ends with Xaden suggesting he and the protagonist leave, causing Melgren to question where they are going and Xaden implying he's the target the enemy is waiting for before they attack.