Cinder leads her growing army through Luna’s tunnels toward Artemisia. As they near the city, the army splits into groups. Cinder hears Kai’s coronation vows and realizes time is running out. At the final barricade, Iko appears on the other side, damaged but alive, and lowers the barricade.

Wolf struggles to control himself during the ceremony, his hatred for Levana consuming his thoughts. Kai places the Commonwealth crown on Levana’s head. A screech throws the room into chaos. Wolf tries to stab Levana before Levana can use her powers. Her mind manipulation causes excruciating pain, and Wolf crumples to the floor. Cinder’s voice fills the room over the speakers, taunting Levana and giving her 10 minutes to surrender. Aimery shares that the rebels have already entered the city and that the guards found Kai’s portscreen in the control center.

Cinder leads her army onto the streets of Artemisia. Some servants watch from the windows, but most hide. The gates are open, and the streets are quiet. Cinder fears a trap. Levana appears with her thaumaturges and refuses to acknowledge Cinder as Selene. Cinder recognizes Wolf and questions what is left of her friend. She offers one last chance to surrender. Levana refuses, and Cinder signals the attack.

Cinder’s army charges the palace, but Levana and her thaumaturges strike first. The wolf soldiers collapse in pain, and many civilians lose control of their minds as Levana seizes them. Cinder tries to resist, but her damaged cyborg systems leave her vulnerable. The attack collapses almost immediately. Levana mocks Cinder and sends Wolf to kill her, but Iko shoots at the queen. Levana ducks behind Wolf, and the bullet hits him instead. Then the sky lights up with Cinder’s recorded video from the throne room. Levana’s true, burn-scarred face appears before everyone, breaking her mind control. She runs back into the palace.

Kai is locked in the great hall with the Earthen leaders, servants, and Lunar aristocrats. Kai realizes Levana has locked them in to use them if she needs more bodies to control. He projects a map of Luna and the approaching Earthen fleet. Kai bluffs that the ships will destroy the domes if the Lunars do not release the Earthens. The threat shakes the Lunars. Technicians and guards find Cress in the control center. They see the Earthen fleet approaching, and Cress tries to convince them to switch sides by telling them that Selene is allied with Earth.

Iko forces herself up after Wolf’s attack and finds Cinder hiding nearby. Cinder tells her that Levana fled and that she must go after her. Meanwhile, a thaumaturge nearly forces Scarlet to kill an innocent woman, but Wolf shields her until the control breaks. Scarlet recognizes him immediately, despite the changes. He thinks he is still himself, though changed. Scarlet accepts him immediately and plans for their future. Wolf senses that Winter is close and has brought reinforcements.

Inside the palace, Iko and Cinder find 2 guards outside the great hall, including Kinney. Kinney shares that Levana may be in the throne room. Cinder orders Kinney to protect Kai and the Earthens with Iko. Iko and Kinney open the doors to the great hall and discover the Earthen hostages already gone. The remaining Lunars explain that Kai forced them to help. Iko and Kinney follow the trail and find Kai, Torin, and the crowd of aristocrats moving toward the ship ports. Kai is relieved to see Iko alive but frustrated that Cinder went after Levana alone.

Winter and Jacin arrive with more rebels. Winter breaks down, overwhelmed by the bloodshed and by Alpha Strom’s death. Aimery finds them, still obsessed with possessing Winter. Aimery threatens Jacin and takes control of Winter, forcing her to choke him. Scarlet sneaks behind Aimery while Wolf distracts. Winter seizes control of Scarlet’s body and forces her to kill Aimery.

Winter collapses, unable to separate reality from hallucination. She howls and screams while Jacin holds her and tries to keep her from hurting herself.

Cinder races through the palace and finds Levana in the throne room, using a mind-controlled Thorne as a shield. Although the exposure of her true face leaves Levana shaken, she remains dangerous. They confront each other, and Cinder questions why Levana tried to kill her by having Cinder’s nanny set fire to her nursery. Levana reveals that Channary, Cinder’s mother, scarred her.

Levana insists everything she has done was for Luna and argues that Cinder is more like her than she admits. Levana offers to spare Thorne if Cinder gives up her claim to the throne, then demands that Cinder sacrifice herself instead. Thorne tries to call her bluff, but Levana uses her control to throw him off the balcony. Cinder saves him, and Levana turns him into a weapon against her. Cress appears and shoots Thorne’s hand, but in the chaos, he stabs Cress in the stomach. Cinder tries to pursue Levana, but Levana forces Thorne to stab Cinder. Cinder fights him off while Levana hides behind the throne. Scarlet and Wolf arrive, and Levana takes control of Scarlet, too.

Scarlet attacks Cinder, but Wolf ignores Levana’s command and rushes to Scarlet. Realizing that Wolf is still himself, Cinder begs him to help Cress and Thorne while she faces Levana. Cinder corners Levana behind the throne, and both raise guns at each other. Levana tries to force Cinder to shoot herself, while Cinder fights back by taking control of Levana’s hand. They struggle until Levana gives up, claiming she surrenders and asking only to be left with her beauty. Cinder accepts and takes Levana’s gun. Levana grabs a knife and drives it into Cinder’s chest. Cinder fires, the blast throwing Levana off her. She collapses as Kai rushes to her.

Scarlet contacts her friend Émilie on Earth to confirm she is alive. Émilie confirms she is still tending the farm. Scarlet tells her that her grandmother is confirmed dead. Wolf arrives with wildflowers and agrees to return to the farm with her. They kiss, but Iko interrupts, sharing that Cinder is awake.

Cinder wakes in a hospital bed to find Kai and a cybernetic surgeon beside her. She learns that the rebellion succeeded, but at a cost. Many people died, Thorne lost 2 fingers, Cress remains in suspension, though doctors are hopeful, and Winter is so badly shaken that she is restrained. Cinder was unconscious for 3 days. Kai also tells her that she is now formally recognized as Queen Selene of Luna. Despite her injuries, Cinder asks Kai to gather the Earthen leaders immediately, determined to sign the Treaty of Bremen and make peace between Earth and Luna.

A doctor confirms that Winter is still struggling with the effects of trauma. She remains bound for her own safety. Jacin stays by her side and tells her he loves her. Winter opens her eyes but speaks in a confused, dreamy tone, calling herself a “girl of ice and snow” (541).

Cinder addresses the Earthen leaders and announces her plans as queen: withdrawing Lunar military forces, distributing the letumosis antidote, and finding a way to produce it without exploiting the shells. Cinder asks that the Earthens reconsider their cyborg laws and remove the ban on Lunar emigration. When the leaders express concerns, Cinder informs them of Garan’s anti-manipulation device hidden in Iko’s personality chip. Cinder makes one more request concerning Thorne.

Cress, awake and recovering, though not fully healed, moves from the clinic to a palace guest room. Cress visits Thorne, staying across the hall, and learns he was pardoned and allowed to lease-to-own the Rampion. He asks her to stay with the crew as they distribute the letumosis antidote and travel. Cress agrees, and they confess their love for each other.

Winter reflects on her fragile recovery in the menagerie. Jacin shares that Cinder wants her to become Luna’s first ambassador to Earth. Winter agrees but reveals that she volunteered to test the anti-manipulation device. She worries she may lose her visions if it works, and she is not sure how that will change her. Jacin insists she is already perfect to him and that the device will not change who she is.

During her coronation, Kai and Winter present Cinder with her crown and scepter. Afterward, Kai finds her alone in the throne room. He must leave in 2 days, and he presents Cinder with the cyborg foot she lost at the ball early in their relationship. Cinder reveals that she plans to end the monarchy and turn Luna into a republic once it stabilizes. Kai supports her and asks if she might consider becoming an empress someday. Cinder says she will think about it. They look out over Artemisia as she drops the metal foot—which once symbolized everything that she hated about herself—into the lake.