A ship with Alina, soldiers, and her friend Mal enters the deadly fold because they have to pass through it to get where their going. The ship is then attacked by volcra and everyone is in danger. Alina is about to be taken by one, when her friend Mal tries to help and pull her away. They are both badly injured by the attack and Mal is unconscious.
Alina is afraid her friend Mal is gonna die but then another attack happens. She closes her eyes and is ready to except that she is going to die. Suddenly, a huge bright light appears, lighting up the whole ship and surrounding it. She then falls unconscious, hitting her head.
When Alina wakes up, she is still on deck, but she has a gun pointed at her. Everyone is staring at her warily and doesn't seem to want to go near her. They then end up docking at Kribirsk and the soldiers march Alina off the ship.
Alina is lead to the Grisha Pavilion to see the darkling. The darkling then tests her for her powers by using his own shadow summoner powers to amplify them. It has then been revealed she was the source of light in the fold. Her power has revealed her as a sun summoner, which a type Grisha thought has been extinct.
The darkling orders she be taken to his coach and seen by a healer. On the way to Os Alta, she is told that she could open the path in the fold or destroy it with her powers once and for all. Her powers are very important to everyone. Alina is also told the darkling is a living amplifier.
The carriage gets attacked on the way and Alina tries to run away. She is about to get harmed and her attacker threatens to kill her. As his knife strikes down, the darkling uses his darkness to kill him. Alina then gets back on the carriage to the palace and has a whole lot ahead of her.