A royal messenger stops at a tavern where Yennefer and Ciri are also stopped. There’s been a hanging and people are celebrating the death of a spy. He bids Ciri a safe journey as he leaves and she has a sudden vision of his grisly death.

Ciri begins to describe the death to him but Yennefer speeds her away, warning her to keep a low profile.

Yennefer notes Ciri’s visions are becoming more frequent. She decides they need to get to Aretuza more quickly.

Geralt and Jaskier bring a monster’s beating heart and a bagful of gold to Codringher for information.

In Cintra, Emhyr picks up a new sword. He tells the blacksmith about the battle in 1260 when he took down the Usurper.

He swears that he’ll end all wars one day and unite the Continent in peace. He tells the blacksmith that she’ll make him another sword then, one befitting the Emperor of the Continent.

In the dungeon, Fringilla is forced to drink to test for poison.

Geralt asks Codringher and Fenn about his difficulties, specifically Rience. Geralt realizes they know the sorcerer controlling Rience. When Fenn requires more than the coin they have for the information, Geralt gives a throwing star to Codringher and wagers he can’t hit the back of Geralt’s head with it.

When Codrigher misses on purpose, Fenn offers up the information they have. They don’t know the sorcerer but they know where he does his illegal business, a castle called Vuilpanne.

Geralt recognizes the castle as where he and Rience last fought.

As they prepare to depart, Fenn asks after Ciri and Geralt wants to know who has been looking for her. Codringher tells him it was Istredd, the mage.

They warn him many people seek the girl traveling with him and suggest finding another girl to draw the danger away from Ciri. Geralt refuses.

Jaskier tries to propose they head for Redania. Geralt tells him that he’ll go to Vuilpanne and come find Jaskier once Rience is dead.

Yennefer takes Ciri to a market, shopping for a miracle, as she puts it. Ciri asks her about the letter she sent to Aretuza and points out she wrote three drafts to Tissaia.

In the private market, Yennefer finds Keira who can open portals and asks her to send them to Aretuza.

A man enters Keira’s shop with a child on a leash. Ciri looks at the child and sees his future. Impulsively, she cuts the leash and tells him to run. The man pulls his sword but Yennefer kills him with her magic.

Keira’s spooked as the man works for Houveneghel and now they’re all in danger. Keira portals out. Ciri and Yennefer are left to flee on foot.

At Aretuza, Triss leads a group of novices. She asks after a missing girl, Nissa.

Tissaia is bringing up the rear of the group and sends one of the girls to fetch Nissa.

Tissaia hears voices, including Vilgefortz’s, and finds a group of mages arguing over how to handle the kings.

Stregobor wants to find Ciri and kill her. Triss is against this and Tissaia insists they take the issue to the full council.

Triss doesn’t want to be assigned to the Temerian court, preferring to stay at Aretuza and train the girls. Tissaia asks if this is about Ciri. Triss leaves to check on Nissa.

Nissa is not in her room. Triss notices blood on the wall.

In his chambers, Dijkstra confesses to his first kill, tied to the ceiling while Philippa whips his back.

After their session, Philippa reports that Radovid has good instincts and suggests they use him to keep the king in line.

Jaskier arrives at Radovid’s home and is welcomed.

Radovid wants Jaskier to sing for his guests. Jaskier instead tells him he should go to Codringher and Fenn and buy the name of Rience’s boss from them. Radovid is insistent on a song.

Jaskier acquiesces.

Geralt approaches Vuilpanne, knowing it’s probably a trap. He enters, gets a sense of the place and takes a potion, knowing it’s definitely a trap.

Yennefer tries to teach Ciri why what she did was unwise. Ciri insists she must intervene to save lives when she can.

Yennefer informs her that because she saved the one boy, Houvenaghel will send his enforcer and hundreds will suffer and die.

Ciri mutters that Yennefer doesn’t know what it’s like to fight for control of her life since her magic works for her.

Yennefer changes direction and tells Ciri to follow her if she wants to see who she really is.

Cahir fights several soldiers and is about to be killed when he has a vision of Ciri. Gallatin arrives and kills the last soldier.

As they dig a grave for the soldiers, Gallatin fills Cahir in on his disillusionment with Francesca’s vision. He reveals Francesca’s savior is a girl from Cintra. Cahir perks up at this information.

Gallatin wants Cahir’s help to take control of the elven forces. Cahir swears Emhyr will recognize Gallatin’s value.

In the wine cellar dungeon, Fringilla tells another prisoner about her life before now. She plans to escape. Her friend passes out and she realizes he’s dead. The guard gives her a bodybag.

At Radovid’s, Jaskier is coaxed to sing another song which he seems to address to Radovid. Radovid vows to look into Rience.

Geralt hears voices in the caverns below the castle. Faces emerge from the walls. A girl’s voice screams for help.

Geralt digs an ashen-haired girl out of a squelchy sack. She warns him the man will return. She and the faces plead with Geralt to stop him.

A monster made of all the limbs of the faces attacks Geralt. He fights it, killing the faces. The girl lies unconscious on the ground.

The wine cellar guards dump the body bag. Fringilla climbs out and escapes.

Vizimir holds a dinner with Dijkstra and Philippa in attendance. Radovid arrives and tells them about Jaskier’s visit. Philippa is intrigued and decides to visit Codringher and Fenn.

Left alone, Radovid tells Dijkstra that his brother had a meeting with Nilfgaard the night before.

Rience bursts in on Codringher and Fenn. They assure him they didn’t mention his employer’s name to the witcher. Codringher lets slip that they know the employer’s plans for Ciri.

Rience burns Codringher and Fenn and their shop, saving only the cat. He leaves via a portal but Philippa in bird form follows through before it closes.

At Aretuza, Vilgefortz and Tissaia discuss Yennefer’s return as they prepare for bed.

He gives her a bracelet of red stones, saying they have protective qualities.

Yennefer brings Ciri to the field where her house once stood. Taking her hands, she shows her what her life was like before Tissaia came and got her.

She tells Ciri she might not be welcomed back to Aretuza since she, too, set a prisoner free and it caused the war among the Northern kings.

Geralt cares for the girl, having brought her out of the caverns of the castle. He talks with her when she wakes up. She insists they are tied by destiny. When he asks her her name, she claims to be Ciri.