Jacob and I arrange our mirrors, and set up the paradox equations, to determine that Morgan's son, Lance, is the same Lance that fathered Andelia. The experiment completed, Raven conjures 4 fast horses, which we mount. Morgan leads a hellride towards his son, which leads roughly towards Amber. As we travel, we spot signs of a mass movement of troops from the Diamond Axis, crossing the route of the hellride. Raven senses that we are being watched, and tells us so.
Reaching Arden just before dusk on a cold winter's day, we find that troops are massing under orders from Julian to prepare for war, because of troop movements from both the Golden Rose and the Diamond Axis.
Raven trumps Benedict as Morgan paces, watched by Laurel. Raven then teleports us to a fast time shadow, in a cave, where we find Mabon, who looks startled at our sudden appearance. His eyes fix on Raven. "Dad" he says, "Mom". He goes on to explain that Jade had helped him find the cave. Raven is tense, but appears to be calm, while Jacob just looks tense. Mabon asks Raven to accept Cerise and himself, which Raven agrees to do, but not just now.
Removing a covering from a mirror, and unlocking it, Jacob snarls "Jade, I know you're there, and listening. I need to talk to you. Take Mabon out of here." Taking a deep breath, still fearful of water, Mabon steps through the mirror into the flooded mirrorrealm.
Jacob then asks Jade to search for the elder Lance, by checking every reflective surface in Amber. After a short while, Jade reports that he is not in Amber Castle, nor in Rebma. Jacob then searches for Lance himself, and sees a figure climbing a wooden spiral staircase. Laurel suggests that this might be in a lighthouse, perhaps the one at Cabra. Raven teleports us there, arriving half an hour before sunset.
Finding the doors closed, we knock, and Jopin opens the doors. "Anyone been through here recently?" Morgan asks. "Why yes" replies Jopin, "a knight." Morgan runs into the lighthouse, followed by Laurel, Jacob and Raven. The inner door will not open, until Morgan batters it down. An elegantly dressed woman with sandy hair stands towards the bottom of the stairs, a ring bearing a green stone on one finger. "Who the hell are you" Morgan demands. "I am Dara, of Chaos" she replies.
"You may not pass" she tells us. "He must do what he has to do alone, without help."
Raven teleports us to the top of the tower. There is no one else there, and the doorway leading downwards has disappeared. Looking out to sea, Raven observes that some of the distant stars are starting to fade out of sight. Morgan kicks a hole in the floor. Far below, too far given the size of the tower, we can hear the sounds of someone climbing. Morgan and Laurel descend, opening a series of doors, which apparently return them to the previous door. Slashing his hand with Greyswandir, Morgan allows some blood to drip out, and disappears.
Raven and Jacob teleport back to the bottom of the lighthouse, to find Dara gone. They start climbing, and climbing, and soon catch up to a woman, climbing, with two further people climbing ahead of her. Turning, Dara tells them not to interfere. They see that the person beyond her is Lancelot, looking exhausted, with Morgan beyond him, backing up the stairs. When they reach Laurel, Morgan advises her not to interfere, but to allow Lancelot to continue.
Reaching the top, Dara says "Morgan, do not go up there yet, he must complete it by himself." Morgan stands aside as Lancelot opens the trapdoor and heaves himself partway through, before collapsing in exhaustion. Morgan stands below, ready to catch him if he should fall, but not interfering. After a few moments, with a supreme effort, Lance heaves himself through the trapdoor onto the roof, and collapses again, this time completely exhausted. Following him, Morgan moistens his lips from his canteen (which apparently contains water, for once), then very slowly allows him to drink.
Looking out to the horizon, we see the stars falling into the sea, as a wall of steam rises up, heading towards Amber. "What is happening?" Raven asks.
"Nightsummer is coming" Dara replies. "The Palace of Stars shall form. The Phoenix Meredith shall raise one who is dead."
"Do you know who?" Raven asks.
"It shall not be Lancelot's father" Dara replies, "but Lancelot has the
spell. Rising, Lancelot looks out onto the reflected image of Amber on
the cloud of steam.