While Rhaenyra and Daemon weigh how best to deal with Ormund, tensions among their neglected allies begin to erupt. In the Riverlands, Criston's dwindling army marches into an abandoned Tully camp strewn with fresh corpses; half the bodies spring up, soldiers playing dead, and the skirmish is a distraction while Oscar Tully's rivermen and Roderick Dustin's Winter Wolves encircle the survivors. Criston offers to surrender if his remaining men are spared, but Oscar refuses, having promised to build a sept from traitors' bones. Wrapping Alicent's handkerchief around his sword hilt, Criston asks Oscar and Roderick to fight him two against one; instead the archer Alysanne "Black Aly" Blackwood shoots him dead, and the Blacks wipe out his men to the last. Aegon, Larys and Tyland plan to flee to Essos. Jeyne Arryn tells Rhaena to leave the Vale after she is caught trying to see Baela, while Alyn comforts a troubled Baela and they kiss.
At Harrenhal, Alys shows Aemond a hidden clutch of five dragon eggs and says they can rule Harrenhal together, and the two kiss. Daemon disguises himself as a City Watchman and kills an assailant after interrogating him; with watchmen deserting and the smallfolk reporting rampant crime, Rhaenyra promises that Velaryon soldiers will help keep order. She sends assassins to Tumbleton posing as envoys from House Baratheon, but Gwayne deduces the ruse and kills them, saving Ormund and Daeron. Hugh sneaks into Tumbleton to see Kat, who refuses to leave her family. Rhaenyra confines Alicent and Helaena more strictly, and Helaena's mind deteriorates; after Alicent reveals that Helaena dreamed of Aemond at Harrenhal, Rhaenyra agrees to free them both if Alicent goes to Harrenhal and kills Aemond. At Alyn's request, Corlys sends men to King's Landing, but he is captured by Jon Roxton, Ormund's lieutenant.