Just before dying, Sarros tells Murtagh he was protected by the witch-woman Bachel and the Dreamers, as they have enchanted the bird-skull amulets that prevent them from magical harm.

Murtagh leaves the Fulsome Feast, giving his fork to Essie, and contacts the dragon he is bonded with, Thorn.

If Murtagh can free Silna, a werecat child held captive by soldiers of Captain Wren's guard, she will tell him.

To join Captain Wren's guard and find the child, Murtagh must first kill Muckmaw, a huge fish infesting the nearby waters.

While leaving Gil'ead, a man named Lyreth recognizes Murtagh and brings him to a secret house where enemies of the new government are hiding.

However, as he grabs Murtagh, his wings are trapped inside, and his intense claustrophobia, remnants from the trauma he faced from the former king Galbatorix, leads him to lay waste to Gil'ead with fire.

Worried that they cannot face Nasuada after burning Gil'ead the pair fly to the far north directly, landing in a small valley called Nal Gorgoth.

It is filled with ancient buildings, and when Murtagh and Thorn enter they are greeted by Grieve, who brings them to Bachel, who is already aware of them.

Murtagh is not able to get answers, so once they are given a room in a tower, they sneak out at night and discover that a Forsworn rider named Saerlith went to Nal Gorgoth in the past.

He also befriends a woman named Alín, who loves dragons and is fascinated by Murtagh's talk of the outside world.

Finally, as Murtagh is about to sacrifice a woman in a demented festival, the drug wears off and he uses magic to kill some worshippers.

However, Murtagh and Alín seem to be doomed by the collapsing room, until Uvek and Thorn, overpowering his claustrophobia, burrow down and save them both.