Kierse, Gen, and Graves arrive in an unseasonably hot New York City. Niamh says goodbye and warns the women against living with Graves, but they decide to stay at his brownstone. In the limo, they meet Graves’s associate Lazarus “Laz” Kates, who reveals that the auction they’re targeting will take place during a “Midnight Frolic,” a rowdy, exclusive event that complicates their plans. Kierse is surprised when Graves includes her in the strategic planning with Laz, taking it as a sign that he’s serious about earning back her trust. At the brownstone, Graves finds a vase of roses with a cryptic note from his warlock mentor, Kingston, hinting at a potential conflict, though Graves believes that Kingston wouldn’t challenge him. To protect the spear, Graves grants Kierse access to his personal vault. She locks the weapon inside, concluding their first bargain.

Feeling refreshed after two nightmare-free nights, Kierse plans her day with Gen. She intends to first visit Gen’s mother, Colette, and then Ethan. She finds Graves in his library investigating Monster Holdings, the mysterious company hosting the upcoming auction, but he has found little information on its owner. Graves reveals that Edgar showed him a memory of the scene where her parents died: Three bodies were found, including a young girl, suggesting that a body was planted or an illusion was used. He also tells Kierse that he has arranged for a Dr. Mafi to examine her, suspecting that her memory loss may stem from physical trauma, not just magic. Before Kierse leaves, Graves corners her against his desk and gives her a passionate kiss, calling it a reminder of his claim on her.

Kierse and Gen arrive back in a postwar New York City, which is divided into dangerous territories controlled by various monster and human gangs. After navigating the troll-guarded subway from the Upper West Side to the Lower East Side, they reach their old home, a brothel run by Gen’s mother, Colette. They’re soon joined by their friend Corey, who’s distraught because his boyfriend, Ethan, ended their relationship and has been uncommunicative for five months while training with the dangerous Lorcan.

The group decides that they must find Ethan, but Kierse insists on going alone. She explains that Lorcan is obsessed with her because she’s a wisp, which makes her the only one likely to survive an approach into his territory. Although Gen and Corey want to accompany her, they reluctantly agree that Kierse has the best chance of getting information and locating Ethan safely.

Kierse travels by train into Druid territory in Brooklyn to meet with Niamh. Before she reaches the rendezvous point, she’s intercepted by Declan, Lorcan’s second-in-command. He forces her inside the Druid headquarters at gunpoint, intending to present her to Lorcan as a trespasser. However, Niamh intervenes, revealing that Kierse is her guest and asserting her authority over a resentful Declan. Niamh then takes Kierse to Lorcan’s office. During a tense conversation with Lorcan, Niamh reveals that Kierse is there to see Ethan and advises Lorcan to take her himself. Once they’re alone, Lorcan agrees and leads Kierse from his office.

Lorcan leads Kierse through a subterranean tunnel to a restored building where Druid acolytes train. He explains that Ethan is an acolyte and that the initial training requires removing attachments to the outside world, which is why he has been incommunicado for five months. After passing a massive, warded vault, they arrive at the training atrium. Kierse has an emotional reunion with a physically transformed Ethan, who’s now muscular with short hair. He asks about Corey and explains that his isolation period ends in a month. The reunion sours when Kierse reveals that she’s working with Graves again. Having been taught by the Druids that Graves is a monster, Ethan questions if he can trust Kierse. Hurt and believing that he has been indoctrinated, Kierse argues with him. Ethan abruptly ends their conversation to return to his training.

Following the failed attempt at reconciliation with Ethan, Kierse speaks with Lorcan. He explains that Ethan’s behavior is a result of Druid indoctrination, and he reveals that his wife and two sons were wisps who died a century ago. He knew of Kierse’s mother, Shannon, but never met her. Lorcan expresses doubt that Kierse is only half-wisp, noting that her magical signature doesn’t act like any half-wisp he has seen. He also wonders how she could be half-wisp when she’s part of a triskele, a powerful magical bond formed between a Fae (Kierse), a Druid (Ethan), and a High Priestess (Gen). When Kierse identifies Cillian Ryan as the rogue Druid who placed the memory spell on her, Lorcan explains that Cillian destroyed a sacred tree named Sansara to gain immense power before disappearing and is now believed to be dead. Lorcan then shows Kierse the Oak Throne and offers her, Gen, and Ethan a place to live with him. He promises to train her regardless of her decision. As she leaves, he reveals that he was part of the last triskel, promising more information upon her return.

After returning to the brownstone, Kierse finds Graves in the library and recounts her unsuccessful meeting with Ethan, who she believes has been brainwashed by the Druids. In response, Graves reveals that Oisín introduced him to Lorcan and that he trained with the Druids in Dublin, but his Druidic magic was accepted while everything else about him was rejected, leaving him always an outsider. Kierse shares Lorcan’s belief that Cillian is dead and hid by draining a sacred tree called Sansara, a revelation that shocks Graves, as it explains the power of the spell that was on Kierse. She also tells him that Lorcan was part of a triskel and that he offered for her and Gen to come live with him. Kierse realizes that Graves’s actions have been calculated to counter Lorcan. Their tense discussion leads to an intimate encounter, which is interrupted when Gen walks in on them. Graves then admits that he intentionally allowed them to be discovered.

Kierse and Graves begin their training to access her suppressed memories. The goal is for Kierse to learn to control her magical “absorption,” first by making it active and then by turning it off. During practice, Kierse successfully touches Graves’s magic, and he reveals that by doing so, she has learned the method a wisp can use to kill a warlock by draining their power. This act of vulnerability builds trust between them.

Reciprocating, Kierse deactivates her absorption and lets Graves into her mind. After being sidetracked by other traumatic memories, they successfully access the target memory from her childhood. Kierse witnesses her parents hiding her under floorboards as they’re confronted by a wisp council member named Maureen. There’s a loud bang, and afterward, Maureen is found dead. Her father retrieves Kierse and tells her that no one will come after her any longer. In the present, Kierse feels emotional but grateful for the truth. Having succeeded, Graves surprises her by suggesting that they take a road trip.

Graves takes Kierse to the Covenant, a monster hospital, to see Dr. Mafi about her jumbled memories. Mafi agrees to help, revealing that she feels indebted to Kierse for killing Louis, a prominent vampire. After running medical tests to rule out physical causes for Kierse’s memory issues, Mafi finds that Kierse’s brain is physically undamaged. She concludes that Kierse’s condition is likely a combination of the broken spell and repressed memories caused by trauma. Mafi recommends that Kierse see a psychiatrist who specializes in monster-human mental health, Dr. Carrión. Though Kierse is skeptical about therapy, Graves agrees to the plan. Afterward, he reaffirms his support for her well-being, telling her that it’s part of his ongoing effort to prove that she can trust him again.

Frustrated with the difficulty of working on her mental fortifications with Graves, Kierse seeks a physical outlet and visits her friend, werewolf pack leader Nate O’Connor, at his headquarters. They discuss her precarious situation living and working with Graves. Kierse admits that she doesn’t trust him but wants to, and Nate advises her to be cautious. They note that the city’s monster rebellion has gone suspiciously quiet, meaning they have moved further underground. Kierse also shares her concerns about Ethan’s brainwashing and finds comfort in Nate’s unwavering support of her.

Nate’s girlfriend, Maura, arrives, joyfully announces their engagement, and invites Kierse to their wedding in a few weeks. Maura reveals that she can’t have children due to an incubus curse placed on her years ago. Having exhausted all other options, Maura and Nate ask Kierse to inquire if Graves knows of a cure. Kierse agrees to ask him.

Kierse returns to the brownstone and asks Graves about Maura’s incubus curse. He reveals that there’s no known cure but speculates that the powerful cauldron they plan to steal might be able to heal such a magical ailment. The team meets with Schwartz, a mer who has infiltrated the security team for the auction. He reports that the cauldron’s security is virtually impenetrable and that the auction’s attendees will include Lorcan and Gregory Amberdash, a wraith businessman whom Kierse used to work with. Graves explains that the cauldron is an ancient artifact rumored to give magic where there is none, heal magic that has been broken, and even change a half-blood into a pure-blood, offering each team member a chance to use it upon its acquisition. Concluding that the mysterious owner, known only as the Curator, isn’t there to sell but is anticipating a theft, Graves revises the plan. They will now use the auction to gather intelligence for a later heist, with Kierse serving as a distraction while Laz collects information.

Kierse and Graves prepare for a Midsummer Night’s Dream-themed party, dressed as a Fae queen and king. In the limo, Graves tests Kierse’s mental barriers and breaks through them easily. He then reveals a new power gained since the solstice: He can project his memories into her mind. He shares his memory of seeing her descend the stairs and allows her to feel the full force of his desire for her. This revelation leads them to have sex in the car. When they arrive at the New Amsterdam Theatre, Graves declares that they’re the “terror of the night” (211).

Kierse and Graves arrive at a lavish rooftop party, making a grand entrance as the new faerie king and queen. While watching a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, they have a tense, unspoken confrontation with Lorcan. Later, they’re approached by Amberdash, who previously betrayed Kierse. Amberdash gives Kierse a veiled threat, but during the tense conversation, she manages to steal a gold pin from his robes. Kierse and Graves later identify it as a Men of Valor pin, revealing the wraith’s allegiance to the anti-human monster group. Despite this dangerous revelation, Graves insists that they stick to their plan for the evening. As the play concludes and the stage is reset for the auction, he signals to Kierse that their true mission is about to begin.

Kierse infiltrates the backstage area of the auction to create a distraction for Laz to hack the security system protecting the cauldron. On her way, she encounters the actress Lyra Anderson and is stunned to realize that Lyra is a vampire from a powerful clan. Following a signal from Schwartz, Kierse enters the high-security collection room. She plays the part of an entitled guest, arguing with the guards to keep them occupied. To extend the diversion, she fakes being thrown to the ground and causes a scene. An auctioneer eventually intervenes and has her escorted out. Over their earpieces, Laz reports that the system was closed circuit and that he will need to analyze the limited data he could acquire. Just as Kierse leaves the area, Graves announces a new complication: Imani Cato, Graves’s vengeful ex-apprentice, has arrived at the event.

Kierse suddenly realizes that the floral scent in the air is Imani’s signature lily-scented wish powder, meaning that all the guests have been dosed. As Imani throws red powder at Graves, Kierse is intercepted by Lorcan, who is clearly under the powder’s influence. The powder targets sexual desires, and with his inhibitions lowered, Lorcan professes his feelings for Kierse and attempts to kiss her. Kierse determines that it’s too risky to absorb the magic since he has far too much in his system. Before Lorcan can kiss her, Graves intervenes, pulling him away and threatening him. The two men argue, and Lorcan calls Kierse his chuisle mo chroí. Remembering that Graves once translated the phrase as “pulse of my heart” (224), Kierse understands that Lorcan believes she’s his soulmate.

Kierse dismisses Lorcan’s claim that they’re soulmates as a result of Imani’s magic. While Lorcan and Graves argue over her, Kierse realizes that Imani is using the distraction to steal the cauldron. Kierse pursues Imani to the roof, but Imani has already escaped down the building. She sees two armored cars, one with the real cauldron and one with a decoy. Laz and George pick up Kierse, and they chase Imani’s vehicle. Unsure which armored car holds the prize, Kierse decides to prioritize stopping Imani. During the ensuing car chase and gunfight, Kierse shoots out the tires on Imani’s car, causing it to crash and neutralizing her. Kierse then directs George to pursue the armored car. Only afterward does Laz report that the intel he gathered was mostly corrupted, making the chase their best remaining option.

Kierse leaps from her team’s limo onto the armored car. She breaks into the cargo bay, where she’s shot in the arm by a goblin mercenary before killing him in self-defense. Upon finding the container, Kierse senses that it has magical wards but no powerful artifact inside, concluding that it’s a decoy. As this happens, Laz kicks Schwartz out of the moving vehicle and brings the car to a stop.

Graves reveals via comms that he placed trackers on both the real cauldron and the decoy. He directs their driver, George, to the real cauldron’s last known location in Greenwich Village. The signal stops outside the entrance to the Nying Market. Refusing to wait for Graves to arrive, Kierse takes an entry coin from George and steps into the goblin market alone to retrieve the real cauldron.

George watches Kierse enter Nying Market. On the phone, a furious Graves learns that they only have one coin for entry. George recalls his past as a thrill-seeker who escaped his family by taking a job with Graves after impressing him with his getaway driving during a chase. Now, Graves is so frantic about Kierse’s safety that he plans to eat goblin fruit to enter the market without a coin. Laz warns that it’s a death sentence, though Graves counters that magic users can fend the addiction off better than humans. Nevertheless, George, Laz, and Edgar unite against the idea, arguing that his judgment is clouded by his feelings and that he must trust Kierse. Relenting, Graves agrees to wait. He sends Edgar to fetch another coin from their brownstone and calls Vale for backup while they wait for Kierse’s return.