Rory experiences two more flashbacks, this time focusing on Corwin's past … and his shameful secret. In the fight against the Unseelies, Corwin commissioned a human weaponsmith to construct a huge iron trap. When the Unseelies attacked Autumnshaven, he led the Unseelie forces under the ruse of a retreat, goading them into pursuing in anticipation of a rout … and then he had the trap unleashed upon the unsuspecting monsters. However, the trap was not as Corwin had planned it – instead of merely being a cage, it was riddled with spikes of cold iron that impaled and burned the creatures captured inside. Corwin was commended as a hero for his successful plan, but he was horrified at what he had done.

In another flashback, a Shadow Dragon had captured Corwin, and in vengeance for his creation of this trap, did something to Corwin to strip away from him a great deal of his personality.

Rory and Silhouette, overwhelmed by all this, decide that it is time to go back to Koshiro to see if they can get more answers from him, as the pieces of the puzzle just don't seem to be fitting together by themselves – and maybe the Shadow Dragon can help them out.