The Under-King’s killer, Hypaxia, is made the official leader of House of Flame and Shadow. When Hypaxia gives back Connor’s ability to speak, he reveals that he and the other spirits have imbued the bullet with their secondlight. He instructs Ithan to deliver it and the Gunslayer Rifle to Bryce. The bullet will act as a bomb capable of destroying the firstlight core that is the Asteri’s primary food source.

Tharion and Sathia return Midgard, where the Viper Queen has Sathia’s former lover Colin in her employ and drugged on her blood. Ithan and Hypaxia also arrive and their newfound power roles convince the Viper Queen to leave Tharion alone. As Sathia frets over Colin’s safety, Hypaxia administers the antidote to Tharion and tasks him with delivering the rest to Bryce in the Eternal City.

As Bryce, Hunt, Ruhn, and Lidia head for the Eternal City, Bryce and Hunt record themselves revealing Asteri secrets. They prepare the recording—and the recording Jesiba made of Bryce killing the Archangel Micah in a previous novel of the series—to go live tomorrow and inspire rebellion.

They shelter for the night in a safe house. When Hunt and Bryce have sex, an unprecedented merging of their magic and souls occurs.