With Rhaenyra absent and no word from Daemon at Harrenhal, Rhaenys tries to keep the peace on the Black Council as Criston mounts a campaign into the Crownlands, beheading Lord Gunthor Darklyn of Duskendale for refusing allegiance. Daemon dreams that he decapitates a young Rhaenyra who accuses him of treason; Alys Rivers tells him Harrenhal is haunted, and her potion makes him hallucinate his deceased wife, Laena. Grand Maester Orwyle prepares Alicent an abortifacient tea and professes ignorance about whom Viserys named as heir. Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone and agrees to wage war with dragons, and Rhaenys volunteers herself and Meleys. In King's Landing, Aemond keeps undermining Aegon's fragile hold on authority: when Aegon complains that Aemond and Criston plan battles without him, Alicent dismisses the complaint, telling him his lack of wisdom and knowledge makes him an inferior king who can best serve the realm by doing nothing and deferring to his advisors.
Frustrated and drunk, Aegon flies his dragon Sunfyre to Rook's Rest, where Rhaenys on Meleys is burning Criston's troops and Aemond waits in ambush with Vhagar. Aemond delays attacking as Meleys mauls Sunfyre, then commands Vhagar to burn both dragons, and Sunfyre falls with Aegon. Rhaenys and Meleys attack Vhagar, who also falls but suddenly rises and fatally throttles Meleys, plunging Rhaenys to her death. Criston regains consciousness and finds Aemond, sword drawn, near Aegon, who lies motionless beside the heavily wounded Sunfyre.