As the sun rises, Peril assures Clay that no one will be looking for her or notice her if Clay stands in the way. The trial begins at dawn. Queen Scarlet’s son argues for the queen and prosecution and an old dragon named Osprey argues for the defense. Peril explains that Osprey usually argues lazily, because if he argues too well against the queen, she’ll kill him.

The queen charges Kestrel with treason for disobeying her orders. Osprey’s defense reveals the truth that Clay suspected and much more. He argues that the Queen “reverse[d] the order” (178) that Kestrel supposedly disobeyed. Kestrel was one of Queen Scarlet’s “most loyal soldiers” and was ordered to go through the “breeding program” (178-179). She had one egg, which contained Peril and her twin brother. When the Queen ordered Kestrel to kill the “defective” dragonets (179), Kestrel tried to run away with them. When she was caught, the queen ordered her to choose one dragonet to kill and one to keep. Queen Scarlet promised she’d be forgiven for her disobedience. Kestrel killed her son, then Queen Scarlet ordered her guards to kill Peril and bring Kestrel to trial.