Celaena is ambushed by skinwalkers, who cannot be killed by mortal weapons. Rowan rescues her, and she shifts again to escape the creatures before setting them on fire. Celaena and Rowan come to a tentative peace. Rowan also explains some rules of magic, such as the need to conserve energy rather than spend it all at once and risk killing oneself.

The witches finally get to pick their mounts. The beasts are paraded one by one and made to fight against a bait wyvern, which is smaller and weaker, to show off their strength. When Titus is brought out, Iskra pushes Manon into the fighting pit, hoping to kill her and get the biggest bull for herself. Titus attacks Manon, but she and the bait wyvern team up to kill him. To the other witches’ dismay, Manon claims the victorious beast and names him Abraxos.

Chaol takes Aedion down to Elena’s tomb under the castle (which Celaena explored in Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight). He shares what he knows about Celaena/Aelin, but Dorian overhears them. He feels betrayed that his friends did not tell him about Celaena’s true identity and tells Chaol and Aedion that he wants no part in their secrets.