As they make their way to Narza, Erik’s leg, which was injured in the battle, flares in pain, and Tait recommends contacting the local bone healer, Blister Poppy. He refuses and enters the inn on the first floor of the Tower, then meets with Narza on the upper floor. She appears as an old woman, but when Erik tells her to drop the pretense, she reverts back to her true and much younger form. He informs her that Livia has healed the land, and she berates him for starting another war with the earth fae. They argue over the mantle, also called the golden talisman, and he admits that Livia bears the mark of the House of Kings. Narza asks him why he took Livia. He denies feeling anything for her, labeling her a mere pawn. Disappointed, Narza tells him that he doesn’t understand the real nature of the mantle that she offered his father. She agrees to meet Livia. Suddenly, Erik feels a sudden fear that he identifies as Livia’s. Tait arrives and claims that trouble is afoot, so Erik bids farewell to Narza.

As Livia, Larsson, and Celine wait for Erik in the tavern, Livia wonders whether Erik truly wants her dead. A minstrel begins to play music, and Livia listens intently. When Celine realizes that Livia can hear the enchanted music, she blocks Livia’s ears, but the call is too strong. Celine directs Larsson to fetch Erik while the minstrel—who is a dangerous sea singer—entrances Livia further into lust. When Erik arrives, the sea singer demands Livia’s heart, as is his due because he has captured it. Erik agrees to set the minstrel free but then cuts his own fingers and plunges his blood into the sea singer’s ears. Because Erik refuses to sing, the sea singer shrivels away beneath the deadly power of Erik’s blood. Once the minstrel is dead, Erik brings Livia to an isolated room. Still affected by the minstrel’s song of lust, Livia tries to have sex with Erik, and he tries to keep her from succumbing to her lust. After a time, he breaks the spell and gives her a tonic that Larsson provides. Livia falls unconscious.

When she wakes, Livia is greeted by Blister Poppy, a boneweaver or healer, and remembers what transpired between her and Erik. Embarrassed, Livia listens to Poppy explain that sea singers are fatal to all but sea fae; the lust that they cause is inescapable. Livia is touched that Erik tried to maintain her dignity throughout the ordeal. She then confronts Erik over his plans for her. He tells her that he intends to claim her, thereby marking her as his own and protecting her from members of his court. Since she will be kept in his bedchambers, she threatens to kill him in his sleep, but Erik shows her the necklace that she gave him when she was a child and claims that she wouldn’t be able to go through with it. They argue over her lost freedom and their mutual attraction, and she insults him by declaring that she would never want to mingle with his “mangled” body. Stung, he tells her that she must meet Narza.

While Larsson, Tait, and Erik debate about whether to tell Livia the truth of the Ever, Livia asks Celine if the sea singer’s accusation is true and that she truly is a siren. Celine evades the question. They take longboats and row across a lagoon. Erik then takes Livia into the forest. They travel until they reach a rotting land. He explains the ravages of the “darkening,” a spreading land sickness that has eaten away at the lands and resources of his kingdom for the last few years. He tells Livia that her power was somehow able to reverse the darkening. Although Livia is instantly nervous, she recognizes that Erik’s kingdom is dying and feels sympathy for him, seeing that he is desperate to fix it. Livia tries to use her power, and in her vision, she sees the dark shape of a person and blood and hears screams. When she withdraws her magic, she finds that some of the darkening has retreated. Livia knows that with time, she could reverse the darkening entirely, but this would require her to confront the darker parts of her own fury (another word for magic); she has always been frightened of these darker aspects of herself. Livia offers to help Erik on the condition that he does not kill her father. In return, he makes her swear to tell him what has happened to his mantle, and he promises to stay his hand against her father.

As they go to meet Narza, Livia reveals the cost of her magic and the visions that she sees. She tells Erik of her belief that the darkening is a curse. They meet Narza, who demands to see Livia’s mark and draws Livia’s blood without warning. As she studies Livia’s power, she expresses confusion because Livia must value the land she heals in order for her power to take effect. This fact suggests that she loves Ever, and Livia confirms this, stating that she began to love Ever when she read stories to Erik as a child. Narza deduces that Livia’s care for Erik broke the seal on the Chasm. Upset, Livia leaves, and Narza informs Erik that Livia herself is now the mantle.

Erik leaves and finds Livia in the middle of a panic attack. He calms her and explains that the mantle was a gift from Narza to his father to amplify his power. Whenever the mantle is conquered or lost, it can only be taken back after 10 years, or “turns.” He asks to know where his mantle is, and because she is frightened for her people, Livia admits the truth. He admits that he had believed his father’s power was calling him across the Chasm, but in fact, it was Livia herself. He states that she has become his mantle, then kisses her.

Livia feels oddly complete with Erik, and he explains that this is because she is bonded to the Ever and because he won her from her father. Erik declares that their mutual attraction is therefore an unwitting bond, and his declaration infuriates Livia. She declares that she can hate him and want him simultaneously, and she kisses him. Just as they are about to have sex, Larsson knocks on their door to tell them that it is time to set sail. As Erik leaves, he asks Livia never to regret him, even if she hates him. Livia finds that she can’t.

Overwhelmed by their moment of intimacy, Erik feels emotionally exposed because the women with which he has had sex in the past were always turned away from him in bed; they never became true lovers. He believes that his bond with Livia cannot be anything beyond that of a king and his mantle. As he commands the ship, he reflects on Livia and finds that he cannot fathom the prospect of killing her family and making her feel despair.

When she finds him that night, they banter, and he finds himself chatting about the Ever ship and the weapons on it. He tells her that every spine of the ship is made to represent a previous Ever king. When she remarks upon the last broken spine, she realizes that it represents his father. He abruptly tells her to find somewhere else to sleep.

Livia realizes that Erik does have a heart beneath all the violence and gore. She thinks about appealing to his heart instead of exploiting a weakness in her efforts to return home. Just then, Sewell wakes up and mutters about glitter and gold. When she steps outside of the room, crew members flank her, but Tait dismisses them. He welcomes her to the royal city as the ship has just arrived in the sparkling, sprawling capital. As they dock, the wounded Sewell reminds her to “remember the dreary” (237) and hide the mark on her arm. He is then taken off the ship to see a boneweaver. Livia follows Larsson off the ship, and he places her in a barred wagon. However, Erik arrives and insists on having her in his royal coach because she is his.

When they arrive at the palace, Erik overrides Livia’s protests and intends to send her to his bedchambers, which are well-guarded. The idea of leaving the coach causes Livia to panic. They are greeted by the palace staff, and Erik’s butler informs him of the upcoming return feast: an event that Erik cannot avoid. As the assembled staff examine her, Livia chooses to take Erik’s outstretched hand because she thinks that he is now the only person she can turn to.