As the party travels south over several days, the heat intensifies, and Elias stops in Dawnspire to buy lighter clothing. Meryn keeps her engagement bracelet covered, hoping to find a way to remove it in Astreona. Siegrid’s check-ins report no word from Killian since the Phylax defection. Stark and Meryn avoid each other on the road.

At an outpost, Meryn sees Saela and Fredrich in a warm private conversation—the closest Saela has seemed to her old self. When Saela notices Meryn watching, she withdraws guiltily. Meryn confronts Fredrich, asking whether Saela’s transformation can be reversed. He sorrowfully confirms that it can’t and says he already searched for a cure. Meryn accuses him of not trying hard enough.

The next day, they reach Brightbane, a gleaming city of pink-white stone, open arches, and delicate spires unlike cold Nocturna. At the castle, Royal Chamberlain Felippe greets them in Lucien’s place and says that Meryn will be summoned to see the king. When a Siphon woman mocks the direwolves for being housed indoors, Cratos snaps and tears her neck ribbon. Stark rebukes the court for their poor courtesy, and Felippe hastily arranges a garden for the wolves. Meryn is assigned a spacious suite; when Fredrich accompanies her and Saela to the rooms, Felippe tries to send Fredrich away to the city.