Rasheeka's lessons end early the day before Kyriaki, and she is briefly visited by Archon Mefuno, who voices misgivings about Rasheeka's choice to visit the Skimos on Kyriaki – though he emphasizes neither he nor the tyr himself can tell Rasheeka what to do on that day, and he thinks Rasheeka to be a fool to go anyway. Rasheeka harbors anger at this judgement, but does not voice her feelings.

The next day, Rasheeka travels to the Skimos, and witnesses a ceremony being performed by the Neyemen. She observes one visitor coming in and setting down some logs on a woodpile, and then leaving, unlike the other guests, and this prompts Rasheeka's curiosity, though she does not voice her concerns until the ceremony is well underway, and no one seems inclined to listen to her. When one of the yejsks throws one of the logs on the fire, there follows a terrible explosion that rips through the tent. Rasheeka survives, as she is protected from the blast by the body of the yejsk who was in front of her, but most are not so lucky. The assassin returns to the ruin to make sure Rasheeka is dead, but Archon Mefuno is there as well. He subdues the assassin – but the killer kills himself rather than allowing himself to be captured.