Mal's unit moves forward with new missions. Their general hands out mail, but Mal receives nothing. Then, the general describes a new assignment that involves tracking Morozova's Stag. Mal becomes interested when he learns those assigned to this mission will visit the Little Palace. Mal volunteers for the mission. A voiceover of his letter to Alina plays.

Genya walks into Alina's room with new keftas. Alina asks if she received mail. Genya tells Alina that she will go horseback riding with General Kirigan and that Kirigan has reassigned Zoya away from the Little Palace. Then, Genya gives Alina a black kefta, but she refuses to wear it since it is Kirigan's color.

Alina meets up with Kirigan, and they mount their horses. Kirigan gives Alina his real name — Aleksander.

In Kribirsk, East Ravka, Inej, Jesper, and Arken are eating and discussing how to enter the palace. Kaz arrives and explains that he found a way to get into the Little Palace, and to do so, they must pull off a heist. Kaz tells Arken to make friends so they can find transportation to the Little Palace.

Alina and Kirigan stop by a well. He flips a coin into the water. Then, Alina and Kirigan talk, getting to know each other and talking about the Fold. Before they leave, Alina flips her own coin into the well.

Mal writes one last letter to Alina. He prepares to leave for the tracking mission and learns that Mikhael and Dubrov are joining him.

Alina is back at Baghra's home for another lesson. Alina keeps trying to summon light, and Baghra keeps hitting her to do so. She finally manages to summon light, but Baghra is not impressed.

Alina meets up with Nadia and Marie. She tells them about Mal.

Back in Kribirsk, Kaz, Inej, and Jesper prepare for the heist. Kaz goes over their plan before they begin. Their plan kicks off by Kaz pretending to be an artist and asking the receptionist for the blueprints to the Little Palace. After sunset, Jesper turns off the valve, and Inej sneaks in. She finds the blueprint and makes a copy of it. Just as she is about to leave, guards turn the valve back on, so Inej hides. Once they leave, Jesper shoots the lock so Inej can escape. Kaz, Inej, and Jesper successfully leave with the blueprints to the Little Palace.

Back at the Little Palace, Kirigan orders Fedyor to find Nina, who has not reported back when she should have.

Kaz, Inej, Jesper, and Arken review the blueprints.

Mal, Mikhael, and Dubrov track Morozova's Stag.

The same guard, Matthias, who brought Nina to the ship's cabins, comes back and offers her food. They argue because he offered her food in exchange for information about The Darkling. Eventually, Matthias relents and offers Nina the food without any conditions. She takes a bite before spitting in his face. Then, he leaves.

Kaz, Inej, and Jesper talk about what to do since they do not have any way into the Little Palace. Then, Arken introduces them to a man named Marko. Arken subtly reveals he sabotaged Marko's group so they would need an extra performer at the winter fete, an event at the Little Palace. Inej pretends to be the acrobat, and she goes on stage to perform. Marko agrees to take Inej. Jesper attempts to secure a spot by showcasing his talent, but Kaz does not.

At Baghra's, Alina continues to practice summoning light. Alina suggests using an amplifier, but Baghra disagrees. Baghra provokes Alina into using more of her power.

The tea Alina drank takes effect, and she mentally transports herself to the orphanage in Keramzin the day the Grisha testers arrived. Ana Kuya finds Alina and Mal, and she drags them to take the test. The Grisha refuse to test Mal because he is injured. They test Alina, but she cheated, so the test does not work properly.

Alina returns to the present. She realizes she denied her power to stay with Mal.

Later that evening, Alina is in her bed, but she cannot sleep. She gets up and wanders down the hall into the war room, where Kirigan is, studying a map. He offers a drink, and she accepts. Then, they talk about the war. As they talk, Kirigan becomes more vulnerable and releases shadows into the room. Alina tries to comfort him, but as soon as her hand presses against his, she summons enough light that almost blinds the room.

Once the light dies down, Alina reassures Kirigan, and he emotionally touches her face. They are about to kiss, but Alina says she should go. She leaves the war room, and he almost goes after her.

The ship heading toward Fjerdan suffers a terrible storm. The captain tells Matthias to kill the Grisha if too much water seeps into the boat.

Mal, Dubrov, and Mikhael encounter a powerful blizzard while tracking Morozova's Stag. They think they might be encroaching Fjerdan territory, but they continue forward.

The next day, the mail carrier arrives on horseback. Alina checks to see if she received a letter, but she did not.

Alina storms back to her room as memories of Mal flash through her mind. She runs to Baghra's and summons a strong sphere of light. Baghra is finally impressed.

Mal continues writing a letter while Dubrov relieves himself outside. Mal hears a familiar noise and goes outside to investigate. He hears the Stag.

Mikhael goes outside to see what Mal found. A Fjerdan sneaks up on Mikhael and starts strangling him. Mal tries to shoot, but his gun has no bullets. He runs to help Mikhael. More Fjerdans arrive, and Mal, Mikhael, and Dubrov fight them off. Once they think they killed all the Fjerdans, Mal double-checks to make sure there are no others. However, a Fjerdan begins shooting from a machine gun, knocking them out.

There is a flashback of Mal's first day in the First Army. After the Sergeant's speech, Mal looks for Alina, but he finds out she is in the brig after punching the quartermaster for calling her a slur. Mal goes to the pub to meet the quartermaster and smashes glass over his head. Then, guards bring him to the brig. Alina is in her own cell, sleeping. She is surprised to see Mal, and they talk.

In the present, Genya comes to Alina's room because Alina requested her. When Genya arrives, Alina asks her to erase the scar on her hand. As Genya erases Alina's scar, Alina looks at the black kefta that Kirigan gifted her.

Mal wakes up and shoots the remaining Fjerdans. He crawls toward Mikhael and finds him dead. Mal sobs, but he manages to stand. He hears a noise and turns to find the Stag.

The episode ends with a voiceover of Mal's last letter, echoing Alina's feelings of being each other's true north.