Celaena feels an inexplicable terror at her encounter with the King and wonders why Elena wants her to get close to him.

Later, Chaol paces his room, ruminating on the King, the competition, and Celaena. The King returned from his journey alone—all his companions died mysteriously. Chaol worries that the King doesn’t trust him, and with good reason, since Chaol just retrained “the world’s greatest assassin” (327) to regain her former strength and speed. Chaol also worries about Celaena’s obvious fear of the King, fearing that she might lose the competition and be sent back to Endovier and certain death. Chaol smiles at the idea of four years with Celaena at Rifthold. 

When Celaena and Nox train together for the final elimination Test, Celaena is distracted by Cain, who wears a new black ring. Nox asks Celaena about the new bite scars on her hand. Though she doesn’t tell him about the creature eating the murdered competitors, Celaena tells Nox who she is, and that Nox should flee the castle while he still can: He is unlikely to win and faces no consequences for losing, but he is in danger as long as he stays in Rifthold. Nox thanks her for the warning and slips away that night.