Two weeks into their journey, the company camps. Greyhand spars with Gabriel and Aaron while having them recite the Five Laws of vampire hunting. These warn that intelligence matters more than courage for a silversaint, that vampires mesmerize and deceive, that vampires are more powerful than silversaints, that vampires will fight viciously to survive, and that vampires have exploitable weaknesses like running water and sanctified ground.

During the lesson, Greyhand brutally wounds both initiates to drive home his points. Over dinner, Gabriel asks about frozen rivers. Greyhand explains that during Wintersdeep, the Forever King’s armies can cross anywhere. He recounts the horrific sack of Vellene by the Forever King’s children—Danton, the twins Alba and Aléne, and Laure Voss, the “Wraith in Red” (195). He warns that Fabién Voss’s true danger lies in his seven highblood descendants, who function as a united family.

The company arrives in Skyefall, a wealthy silver-mining town. Greyhand explains that mortals instinctively react to the “predator” within palebloods and warns that some townsfolk may be “thralls”: humans who have drunk the blood of a vampire, succumbing to desire or the promise of slowed aging, and ultimately found themselves unable to resist the vampire’s commands. They ascend to the noble quarter and present Emperor Alexandre’s seal to Alderman Alane de Blanchet. The grief-stricken alderman explains that his wife, Claudette, shows signs of the same wasting sickness that killed their 10-year-old son, Claude. Parish priest Père Lafitte mentions rumors of witchery.

Greyhand insists on examining Madame de Blanchet. Aaron uses his Ilon gift to keep the alderman calm while Greyhand rules out fae or witchcraft. Gabriel notices blood on the floor, and Greyhand reveals small bite marks on her breast and between her legs. De Blanchet mentions that before his death, Claude had befriended Adrien Luncóit, whose mother, Marianne, was from out of town. Greyhand asks where Claude was buried.

Hours before sunset, Greyhand prepares to investigate Claude’s tomb. To his initiates, he notes that “Luncóit” means “raven child” in old Elidaeni and that the white raven is the sigil of House Voss; these details heighten his suspicion that Marianne Luncóit was a vampire. At the necropolis, they apply a substance called ghostbreath to mask their scent; they also take a heavy dose of sanctus. Greyhand uses his Chastain gift to speak to rats, confirming that multiple vampires lurk within. He strips to the waist, exposing his glowing aegis tattoos; the sight will partially incapacitate any vampires. He then pours hellspark, a flammable material, on both entrances and orders Aaron and Gabriel to guard them.

While on guard, Gabriel hears what sounds like Greyhand crying out. Despite Aaron’s protests, he disobeys orders, lights the hellspark, and ventures inside. He finds Greyhand battling two highblood fledglings, and the sevenstar on Gabriel’s palm begins glowing. A third vampire, a girl wretched, attacks from behind but is scorched by Greyhand’s aegis. Greyhand beheads her. Gabriel repels another with his glowing sevenstar and a silverbomb. The final vampire, a woman, injures Gabriel and escapes. Outside, they find Aaron beaten. Greyhand furiously reprimands Gabriel for his disobedience. He reveals that Claude’s tomb was empty and orders Gabriel to stand guard over Madame de Blanchet while he and Aaron search the mines. As punishment, Gabriel must also burn the vampire corpses.

That evening, Gabriel stands vigil in Madame de Blanchet’s chamber, haunted by his failure. Père Lafitte joins him and offers tea, identifying the vampire woman the silversaints encountered as Vivienne La Cour. As they converse, Gabriel grows drowsy. The priest suggests that Gabriel open the balcony doors. Outside stands Claude de Blanchet, the vampiric child. Gabriel realizes Lafitte is a thrall as the priest invites the vampire inside; he also recognizes that Lafitte has drugged him. The similarly enthralled Madame de Blanchet awakens, calling for her son.

Claude attacks and commands Gabriel to kneel. Gabriel resists, instead smashing a silver teapot into the vampire’s face. Alderman de Blanchet bursts in as Lafitte stabs Gabriel repeatedly. Gabriel kills the priest while the alderman attacks his son with a burning log. Madame de Blanchet fatally stabs her husband. As Claude overpowers the weakened Gabriel, Gabriel grabs the vampire’s wrist. A strange power awakens within him, causing Claude’s blood to boil beneath his skin, severely burning him. Greyhand and Aaron arrive; Greyhand captures Claude. Despite Gabriel’s disobedience, Greyhand acknowledges his fine work. However, when Gabriel questions how he burned Claude, Greyhand says he has “no idea.”

Two weeks later, the company returns to San Michon. In the stables, Gabriel glimpses Sister Aoife in a secretive meeting with a stableboy named Kaveh. They deliver Claude and Vivienne to the Armory, and Seraph Talon and Sister Aoife lead them to a hidden chamber called the Scarlet Foundry, where captive vampires are forcibly drained of blood to produce sanctus. Talon and Greyhand exchange glances as the former notices the unhealed burn on Claude’s hand.

For his disobedience, Greyhand punishes Gabriel with daily stable-mucking duty. Outside, Aaron uses his Ilon gift to immobilize Gabriel, punches him, and threatens his life. Once alone, Gabriel eavesdrops on Greyhand and Talon. He overhears them discussing the wound he inflicted, which Greyhand says was caused by “sanguimancy.” Talon reacts with shock, insisting that the bloodline with that power is extinct. Greyhand argues that Gabriel could be a powerful asset, but Talon insists that even if Greyhand’s claims were true, the proper response would be to execute Gabriel immediately. The two ultimately agree to speak to Abbot Khalid about the matter. Recognizing that his life hangs in the balance, Gabriel resolves to discover the truth himself.

That night, Gabriel sneaks out to research sanguimancy in the forbidden section of the Great Library. He finds both the main doors and forbidden gates mysteriously unlocked. Following the scent of blood, he discovers Astrid slumped over a table. He startles her awake; she explains that her face is covered in blood from a nosebleed.

Though prickly in response to Gabriel’s questions, Astrid ultimately reveals that she is researching daysdeath, complaining that everyone else is merely “reacting” to the crisis it has caused. She produces a golden pipe and smokes rêvre, also known as dreamweed, a narcotic. Gabriel notices the emperor’s seal on her golden case. She denies stealing it, and when Gabriel, stunned, questions whether she is a princess, she replies, “I’m no princess. I’m a fucking queen” (242).

Astrid reveals that she is the daughter of Emperor Alexandre III. Her mother, Antoinette Rennier, was the emperor’s mistress before his marriage to Empress Isabella, who had them separated; her mother is imprisoned in a different priory. Gabriel realizes that the horse he claimed, Justice, was originally Astrid’s. Astrid thanks Gabriel for standing up for her against the prioress. He decides to trust her and explains his need to learn about sanguimancy. Astrid agrees to help him search in exchange for future favors. Gabriel formally requests her aid, kneeling and calling her “Majesty.” She declares that they will “get along famously” (247).

They settle in to research together. Gabriel is struck by how pleasant it is to simply read in companionable silence. He notices Astrid’s quick intelligence, command of multiple languages, and contradictory nature—refined breeding mixed with crude profanity. Hours pass. As dawn approaches, they part ways. Gabriel asks if she will return the next night, and she confirms that she sneaks out regularly to smoke. Astrid wishes him farewell, and Gabriel goes to the stables for his punishment.

Over the next two weeks, Gabriel establishes a routine: mucking stables at dawn, training by day, and researching with Astrid by night. During one training session, a master proposes a tournament. Gabriel easily defeats Fincher and then bests the much stronger de Séverin.

Greyhand attempts to halt the matches before Gabriel must face Aaron, but the two initiates exchange insults that spark a brawl. They fight until Greyhand forcefully separates them, reminding them that they are “[b]rothers in blood and silver” (254). He forces them to make a reluctant peace, though their mutual hatred is transparent, and drills them particularly relentlessly afterward. Following his training, Gabriel collapses into bed, falling into such a deep sleep that he wakes hours later and panics when he remembers that he is supposed to meet with Astrid.

Gabriel rushes to the Library and finds Astrid waiting with Chloe. Astrid calls in her favor: Gabriel must teach Chloe swordwork in exchange for Chloe’s help researching, as she reads languages that Astrid does not. Gabriel reluctantly agrees and begins instructing Chloe with practice blades. While they train, Astrid sketches them. When she experiences another nosebleed, the scent triggers Gabriel’s thirst.

Afterward, the three read together. Annoyed that they cannot do so openly, Chloe laments the patriarchal nature of the Church, and Astrid expresses cynical views about women’s powerlessness, slipping into “blasphemy” as she discusses the Mothermaid. Noticing Gabriel’s naïve shock, Astrid questions how old he is, and he realizes that his 16th “saintsday” is in five days.

Suddenly, a falling star appears in the sky. They watch in wonder. Chloe, a true “believer,” interprets the event as divine confirmation that their meeting was “ordained” by God and declares that he has plans for them.

Leaving the Library, Gabriel spots Aaron de Coste sneaking from the Armory. He hides in the Cathedral, where he discovers Sister Aoife weeping before a statue, praying about whether she has been given a curse or a blessing. After she leaves, Gabriel proceeds to the stables for his duty.

While Gabriel is mucking the stalls, Vivienne La Cour attacks from behind. Justice saves him with a savage kick. Vivienne taunts Gabriel, hinting that someone freed her, and then breaks the chains holding the two wretched kept in the stables. Gabriel fights all three bare-handed. He strikes one wretched with a broken shovel handle and crushes the second’s skull with his silver-heeled boots. When Vivienne attacks again, Gabriel throws his lantern at her, setting her ablaze. He stomps the remaining wretched to death and then extinguishes the stable fire. Gabriel connects Vivienne’s escape with seeing Aaron leave the Armory and concludes that Aaron freed her to murder him.

Gabriel recovers in the Priory Infirmary. Greyhand visits, praising his victory but informing him that Vivienne murdered Sister Aoife during her escape. The official explanation is that she slipped her bonds. Gabriel suspects Aaron but says nothing, lacking proof. When Greyhand asks if Gabriel burned the vampires as he did Claude, Gabriel says that he did not. Greyhand then announces that when Gabriel is recovered, they will be leaving to hunt the ancien Voss responsible for creating Claude, and Seraph Talon will accompany them.

Before leaving, Greyhand gives Gabriel a letter from Celene. She writes about life in Lorson and urges him to write their mother. Reading it, Gabriel feels guilty. Astrid visits, confirming their arrangement continues, and gives him an early saintsday gift: a sketch of him. Gabriel asks another favor—to secretly deliver a letter to his mother asking about his vampire father. Astrid agrees, though she notes that she may one day ask for a favor in return: help escaping San Michon.

Gabriel writes to his mother, begging for information about his vampire father. The next morning, he prepares to depart on the Hunt. In the stables, a grief-stricken Talon thanks him for avenging Aoife as Aaron and Gabriel exchange veiled threats. Gabriel rides out with Greyhand, Aaron, and Talon.

The narrative jumps to Château Chastain. The sanctus is wearing off, and when Gabriel notices that Jean-François has sketched Astrid, his discomfort increases. Sensing Jean-François’s eagerness to know more about the Grail, and reluctant to speak more about Astrid, Gabriel offers to skip ahead 17 years to when he joined Chloe’s company. Gabriel explains that he did not believe Dior’s claims about the Grail but decided to use Chloe’s group as bait to draw out Danton Voss, with whom he had unfinished business. Jean-François notes the contrast between the idealistic boy and the cynical man. Gabriel replies simply that the boy grew up.