Gabriel sees two dozen wretcheds approaching, led by a child. He grabs his saddlebags and runs as he realizes his flintbox is missing—he cannot light his sanctus pipe. The wretcheds will stop for Justice’s corpse, but Gabriel’s only hope is reaching the river, and Ashdrinker urges him onward.

He eventually spots a carriage stuck in mud, surrounded by soldiers and two pale “inquisitors.” The soldiers panic at the approaching wretcheds. The inquisitors cut their horse free to flee. Gabriel shoots one inquisitor in the back, leaps onto the freed horse, and escapes, leaving the others to be slaughtered.

Gabriel fords the Keff River on the stolen horse, which he has nicknamed Jezebel. He sees Dhahaeth’s bonfires ahead. The town is heavily fortified with palisades and spiked trenches. A gatekeeper challenges him. Gabriel insults the man, who tells him to leave. However, when Gabriel reveals his sevenstar tattoo, the guards whisper in awe and open the gate.

In the bailey, nervous militia await. To prove he is not a vampire, Gabriel mockingly dips his fingers in holy water. He then asks for the pub.

Gabriel approaches the tavern, observing the town’s decay and superstitious wards as he does. Inside the crowded tavern, Gabriel intimidates three young militiamen into surrendering their table and then orders food, a room, and vodka. Gabriel also smokes sanctus, which sharpens his senses but amplifies his grief over Justice. He drinks heavily to numb his feelings.

A voice calls his name. Gabriel looks up to see Chloe Sauvage from San Michon.

Chloe, now dressed as a warrior, emotionally embraces Gabriel. She wears a sevenstar and carries a silversteel longblade. Gabriel sees her four companions: an elderly Südhaemi priest, a warrior woman from the region of Ossway with “slayerbraids,” a young “soothsinger,” and a white-haired boy named Dior. A massive mountain lion named Phoebe enters, causing a panic before the Ossian woman explains that it is tame and sends it to the stables.

Chloe asks about Gabriel’s plans; he says he is hunting a vampire. She asks if Astrid is with him; he says she is at home. Chloe reveals that her party is traveling north and suggests joining forces. She tells Gabriel she has found the weapon to end the endless night: the Holy Grail. Drunk, Gabriel falls off his chair laughing.

The Grail, according to legend, is the silver cup that the hunter Michon used to catch the Redeemer’s blood during his execution. It became “the first relic of the One Faith” (134). Nevertheless, Gabriel continues laughing at the idea that Chloe has discovered it.

The local bishop, Alfonse du Lac, enters with militiamen, annoyed that he was not summoned to welcome the silversaint. The drunken Gabriel insults the bishop’s robes. Du Lac is shocked to learn that this man is the silversaint. Chloe informs the bishop that Gabriel is traveling with them, but Dior insists otherwise. When militiamen trying to clear the room touch Dior, the Ossian warrior violently intervenes, and a brawl nearly erupts. Gabriel draws his broken sword, silencing everyone. He tells the bishop to let Chloe’s party leave but refuses to join them. Dior calls Gabriel a “drunk.” Gabriel ignores everyone and staggers upstairs.

Gabriel wakes in the night to a pale, naked woman outside his window. He invites her in. They kiss; she tastes of “fallen leaves and the ruin of empires” (144). She leads him to bed, and at the moment of his climax, he feels the sharp pain of fangs as she bites him, drinking his blood.

Gabriel wakes with a severe hangover. The tavern’s serving girl enters, telling him that vampires are at the gates. Gabriel heads to the southern gate, where Bishop du Lac and the militia await. Outside stands a black coach drawn by 12 wretched teenage girls. A vampire sits in the driver’s seat. Based on her affect and behavior, Gabriel identifies her as a “fledgling” vampire—one less than a century old—and her bloodline as Voss.

The fledgling declares that everyone will die. While arrows fail to harm her, she hesitates at burning pitch. The carriage door opens, revealing a male vampire. Gabriel recognizes Danton Voss, the “Beast of Vellene” (150), an ancien vampire and son of the Forever King. Danton demands that the bishop bring out “him.”

Gabriel borrows the militia captain’s flintbox, smokes sanctus, and exits the gate. The fledgling tells him that they seek someone else. Recalling Chloe and her companions’ protectiveness of Dior, Gabriel realizes they are hunting him. When Gabriel refuses to give up the boy, Danton attempts to compel him but fails. Gabriel draws Ashdrinker as Danton releases 12 wretcheds. Empowered by sanctus, Gabriel slaughters them. He asks what they want with the boy and mentions the Grail. When the fledgling demands his identity, he reveals his face. Danton recognizes him.

The fledgling attacks; Gabriel shoots her with his silver-loaded wheellock. Danton then attacks with terrifying speed, wounding Gabriel. However, Gabriel throws a “silverbomb,” momentarily blinding Danton, and then severs the ancien’s sword arm. He splashes holy water on Danton’s face, and Danton retreats.

Gabriel pins the wounded fledgling, who begs Danton to save her. Instead, Gabriel cuts out her heart, squeezing its blood into a phial before she turns to ash. He taunts Danton, who is known to favor killing and turning adolescent girls, about “promis[ing] her forever” (158). Danton vows “legendary” suffering and vanishes.

Ashdrinker concludes that they must find Dior. Gabriel buys provisions and rides north on Jezebel, reasoning that if Danton hunts Dior, the boy matters. He rides through fungus-covered farmland. At the Ümdir River, he finds the bridge destroyed. Heavy snow begins falling. Seeking another crossing, he hears a wheellock shot and recognizes Chloe’s silver horn.

Gabriel charges toward the source of the sound: a ruined watchtower. Through the snow, he sees Chloe, Bellamy, and Dior fighting wretcheds. Gabriel joins the battle. A wretched bites Chloe, but Dior burns it off her with a torch. Suddenly, a highblood woman in a porcelain mask appears, kills the remaining wretcheds, and demands Dior. Gabriel stands between them. The Ossian woman and Phoebe then arrive, as well as the Südhaemi priest, who wields a circle, a holy symbol, emitting burning light. The highblood, repelled by the light, dissipates into blood-red moths. Gabriel demands Dior’s story.

The company shelters in the ruined tower. Gabriel treats Chloe’s bite wound. Bellamy, the soothsinger, introduces everyone: The priest is Père Rafa Sa-Araki, the Ossian warrior is Saoirse á Rígan, and the boy is Dior Lachance.

Gabriel reveals that Danton came to Dhahaeth hunting Dior. Saoirse confirms that vampires have been tracking them and reveals that Dior knows where the Holy Grail is. Père Rafa recites a prophecy about the Grail ending the endless night. Gabriel dismisses it, but Chloe argues that if the Grail were meaningless, the Forever King would not send his son after them.

Speaking aside, Gabriel tells Chloe her quest is foolish. She reveals their destination is San Michon, which lies in a region that has long been controlled by the Dead. Chloe mentions Astrid, and Gabriel reveals that they are married and have a daughter. Seeing Chloe’s burden, Gabriel agrees to ride with them as far as the Volta River. Overjoyed, Chloe asks his daughter’s name. Gabriel replies that it is Patience (a word previously revealed to be tattooed on Gabriel’s knuckles).

In the present, Jean-François expresses frustration that Gabriel’s story jumped from Astrid being a novice to his wife. He insists that Gabriel return to his time at San Michon. Gabriel agrees but demands a drink.

A thrall woman brings wine and two glasses. Jean-François summons her, drinks from her wrist, and drains her blood into the second goblet. He offers the bleeding woman to Gabriel, who is tempted but refuses. After dismissing the woman, Jean-François toasts Gabriel’s health; Gabriel toasts the vampire’s death. Jean-François asks how the Silver Order transformed Gabriel into a legend. Gabriel looks at the name tattooed across his knuckles and agrees to tell the story.