Grand Maester Orwyle tells Rhaenyra that Aegon and Sunfyre are alive and reunited, and the smallfolk take the king's survival as a sign of divine will. Rhaenyra turns to fear to hold the city: she orders Daemon to take Tumbleton, detains Baela, and dismisses Mysaria without warning, arranging for her to leave Westeros at once. With graffiti naming her the Queen of Bastards appearing across King's Landing, she walks into the Great Sept with Ser Alyn and a company of soldiers and demands to be anointed; when the High Septon refuses her a second time, she declares that Targaryens answer to higher gods and has Alyn kill him. Outside, she tells the crowd of Aegon the Conqueror's dream and the danger in the far north, claiming the prophecy names her as the ruler to come, while Mysaria, still in the city, listens in horror. Helaena, who has stopped eating, insults Rhaenyra and is force-fed on her order, then leaps from her window in the Red Keep; Rhaenyra finds her unfinished embroidery, which shows Rhaenyra bleeding on the Iron Throne.
At Harrenhal, Alys tells Aemond that she was cursed with immortality after her magic failed to save her dying son. Aegon lands on Sunfyre to confront his brother and finds him remorseful and willing to die for what he did at Rook's Rest; still furious, Aegon offers the chance of forgiveness if Aemond and Vhagar help him retake the throne, though where Vhagar has gone is still unknown. At Tumbleton, Ormund lines the ramparts with children so that Daemon cannot use Caraxes, and Daeron has Gwayne free Corlys to propose dividing the realm, which Daemon refuses. Both sides hunt for Ulf, whom Ormund finds hungover and beats. Roderick's Winter Wolves scale the walls as Caraxes destroys the main gate, and Ulf mounts Silverwing, attacks the Tully forces and then burns Tumbleton, killing Ormund and Roderick as they fight. Jon Roxton's duel with Daemon is broken off by the attack, Corlys convinces Daemon to retreat, Gwayne cannot find Daeron, and Hugh finds Kat dead.