Continuing from "Clouds on the Horizon", King has a dream where he overhears Emperor Belos and the Collector arguing, the latter of whom has grown impatient over still being trapped within a mirror.

Meanwhile, Belos gives a speech to the general public, who remain unaware of his plan to eradicate witches and demons with a draining spell powered by an eclipse.

Before starting the ceremony, Belos confesses that he had changed the arrangement, having Darius Deamonne switch positions so that Eda would be between Adrian Vernworth and Terra Snapdragon.

He casts the draining spell and teleports to his lair in the Skull, where the Collector resides, just as Kikimora arrives with who she thinks is Hunter, but is actually a disguised Luz.

With only enough Titan's Blood for a one-way trip to the Human Realm, Belos betrays both Kikimora and the Collector, refusing to free the latter or make the former his right-hand man.

Eda, Lilith, and Hooty are captured and the rebel coven heads are forced to continue the ceremony, allowing the draining spell to take effect and slowly kill the assembled witches and demons.

Noticing a sigil glove, Luz manipulates Belos into lowering his guard, telling him society in the Human Realm has moved on from witch-hunting and offering to be his guide if he spares her friends.

Along with this, Arvoy praised the cliffhanger brought upon the remaining inhabitants of the Boiling Isles, the exploration of Hunter and Luz's trauma sustained from the Day of Unity, and an overall feeling of nervousness and anxiousness about the future of the series' characters.