Chapter 87

Violet's squad arrives at Zehyllna and meets Calixta, the festival mistress, who explains that the queen will grant them an alliance only if they pass a test: drawing cards from Zihnal (the god of luck) and accepting their gifts without complaint. As squad members receive increasingly strange or painful gifts, Trager draws the arrow card and is instantly killed by an arrow to the heart.

Violet's group arrives at Zehyllna's festival grounds where dragons and gryphons are reunited with their riders after weeks of separation. Calixta, the festival mistress, greets them and explains that the queen will meet with them, but first they must participate in a luck-based gift ceremony where they draw cards and accept whatever gifts Zihnal presents without complaint. The squad agrees to participate. As each member draws a card, they receive increasingly troubling gifts: Mira receives wine, Maren receives orange tunics, Dain is slapped by a woman, Garrick receives a rusted bucket, Aaric receives a fractured mirror that cuts him, Xaden receives an empty glass box, and Violet receives a broken compass. Ridoc receives a kiss on both cheeks, Cat receives a gold necklace with a ruby, and Drake receives a live kitten. Throughout the ceremony, Violet experiences waves of dizziness and exhaustion. Trager draws the final card—the arrow—and is instantly struck by an arrow through the heart and killed before anyone can catch him.