In a ritual draw to decide fates, Selena chooses the favored long scroll for the southern lands, while Ayla is left with the north. Ayla accuses her father of rigging the draw, declaring her sister unworthy and herself the true queen. When challenged, she refuses to go north as a sacrificial shield unless her imprisoned mother's comfort is restored. Her father agrees, but warns her mother's fate depends on Ayla's survival in the frozen north. Ayla accepts the bargain, vowing to free her mother and warning of dire consequences if the promise is broken.