Yennefer lights candles and Geralt enters, commenting that there was an aphrodisiac in the wine. They are both glad the evening is over and they kiss.

Time jump back to the beginning of the evening as they prepare to enter the conclave ball.

Their entrance attracts a lot of attention. Yennefer gives him a quick primer on the people in the room and reminds him the ball must go off without a hitch if they are going to make their move when the true conclave begins.

Sabrina comes over and attempts to seduce Geralt with telepathy. Yennefer sends him to get a drink and scolds Sabrina who teases that getting a rise out of Yen is better than actual sex.

Geralt finds Philippa by the drinks fountain. Yennefer goes to greet Vilgefortz and Tissaia.

Yennefer spots Istredd in the crowd. Tissaia reminds her she needs to build bridges with Artorius as well as Stregobor. Yennefer asks Tissaia if she’s reconnected with Philippa.

Dijkstra makes his way over to interrupt Philippa’s conversation with Geralt. He tries to bond with Geralt over them both being non-magical commoners by birth. He dismisses Philippa.

Scene returns to Geralt and Yennefer in bed together at the end of the night. They discuss how Dijkstra and Philippa are bound to be trouble.

When Dijkstra gets Geralt alone, he proposes siding with Redania is the only way to keep Ciri safe. Geralt rejects this and climbs to the upper floor for a better view.

Yennefer thanks Philippa for attending, then runs into Istredd who asks to speak with her. Geralt watches from above where Vilgefortz joins him.

The Melange dance begins. Yennefer and Geralt maneuver through the various participants.

As the dance participants disperse, Geralt and Istredd argue over Yennefer and fight. Yennefer looks disgusted and walks away. After a few back and forths, Geralt calls a truce.

In bed together, Yennefer compliments Geralt on his creativity in starting the fight.

Back at the ball, Tissaia and Vilgefortz toast the evening to close the ball. They are both optimistic that the mages of the North will achieve peace and unity.

Yennefer and Geralt have moved from the bed to the fireside. They are pleased their ruse fooled everyone. Yennefer points out that many people were plotting in the ball.

Flashback to them entering the ball. This time, Yennefer tells Geralt they must bide their time if they mean to trap Stregobor and put him on trial.

At the wine fountain, Philippa informs Geralt that the wine contains an aphrodisiac. Geralt lets her know he knows about her dealing with Jaskier. She informs him of Codringher and Fenn’s death.

When Dijkstra dismisses her, Philippa goes to greet Tissaia, Vilgefortz, and Yennefer. She asks Yennefer to walk with her, excluding Tissaia.

It’s revealed that Geralt walks away from Dijkstra because he sees Stregobor abusing a staff member. He intervenes and has a quick, cold exchange with Stregobor.

When Yennefer speaks with Istredd, he tells her about the Book of Monoliths and that Stregobor has it.

Before the Melange begins, Yennefer changes the plan from waiting until the Conclave to making a move on the Book of Monoliths during the ball.

When Geralt dips Yennefer, he agrees to create a distraction so she can slip away and find the Book of Monoliths in Stregobor’s chambers. He tells her “truce” is the warning signal. She passes that onto another mage.

As the dance disperses, Geralt whispers to Istredd to follow his lead and begins the public fight that covers Yennefer’s departure.

When Yennefer finds the safe, a moth flies away before the safe opens. It flies to Stregobor where he’s watching the fight. Stregobor leaves and Geralt calls the truce.

Yennefer finds souvenirs Stregobor’s taken off the half-elven novices he has been targeting. Stregobor finds her there. He accuses her of planning to destroy Aretuza. Geralt arrives and accuses him of trying to get to Ciri. Stregobor denies it. Yennefer threatens to kill him.

Tissaia shouts for them to stop, entering with Vilgefortz, Istredd, and Triss. When asked for an explanation, Yennefer accuses him of keeping lists of elven students and abducting them to perform experiments on, using mind control to make them believe they are Ciri.

Istredd opens a compartment at the back of the safe and brings out the Book of Monoliths. Yennefer accuses Stregobor of trying to use the book to rid the world of elves.

Tissaia proposes Stregobor be held until the end of the conclave and then be put on trial. Vilgefortz concurs. When Artorius also agrees, Stregobor is incensed. They take him away. Tissaia holds onto the book for safekeeping and congratulates Yennefer and Geralt on saving the night.

After she leaves, Yennefer notices the bracelet Vilgefortz gave Tissaia has fallen to the ground. She picks it up, noting Tissaia will be missing it.

After Tissaia and Vilgefortz’s toast to peace in the North, Yennefer pulls Geralt aside to toast them and a nearly perfect evening. Geralt declares he loves her. Yennefer is stunned as it’s the first time he’s said it.

They kiss in front of everyone.

In their room, they bathe together. Geralt wonders if they’ve truly succeeded. Yennefer comments that Philippa’s behavior nags her. His interest perked, Geralt questions why.

Yennefer recounts her conversation with Philippa after leaving Tissaia. Philippa comments with pity on Lydia van Bredevoort who is so heartsick for her lover, she’d risk death for him.

Philippa asks if Yennefer knows why she and Tissaia fell out. Philippa had tried to keep Tissaia from fighting at Sodden, allied with Vilgefortz.

Yennefer points out they won at Sodden but Philippa points out if Yennefer hadn’t tapped into fire magic, they would’ve lost.

Yennefer says Tissaia was fighting for the Brotherhood then just as they’re trying to do now by uniting the North. Philippa doesn’t believe the Brotherhood has a future on The Continent.

Yennefer assures her they’ll win at the Conclave on the morrow, just like they did at Sodden, and they’ll do it again without her if need be. She thanks Philippa for coming and goes to speak with Istredd.

In their room, Geralt and Yennefer puzzle it out. Geralt asks why Lydia doesn’t speak. Yennefer explains her lower jaw is an illusion. Lydia only communicates telepathically. Geralt realizes Lydia is the woman with the funny voice Teryn identified as being with Rience.

He asks if Yennefer still has Tissaia’s bracelet. Looking at it, he realizes Lydia’s earrings are made of the same stone.

He passed her when he went upstairs to cool off from his encounter with Stregobor. After passing her, he comes across Vilgefortz looking at a mural of the First Landing, where Jan Bekker became the first Northern mage, a founder of the Brotherhood.

As Geralt tracks Yennefer from the second floor, Vilgefortz outlines his rough childhood as an orphan. He concludes the love has changed them both and suggests Geralt take up sorcery so he and Yennefer can both stay at Aretuza.

Geralt refuses to take his offer.

In their room, Yennefer questions why Vilgefortz would speak of a battle when the goal at the conclave is to ensure peace.

Yennefer identifies the stones in Tissaia’s bracelet as scarlet ammonite. Geralt reminds her the stone is only found in the mines of Western Redania like where the Vuilpanne castle is.

Yennefer realizes the corrupted portal took her to the site of the First Landing.

They realize Vilgefortz is the rogue age controlling Rience.

While Yennefer tries to locate Tissaia, Geralt leaves the room and hears distant screams.

As he creeps towards the voices, Dijkstra appears suddenly and puts a knife to Geralt’s neck, commenting he should’ve chosen a side.