Chapter Summaries

Liu Qian visited Lynesse Hightower in the camp and spent the night with her. The next morning, he agreed to bring her to the Central Heights and remembered that he still had use for the imprisoned Jorah Mormont.

• Liu Qian found Lynesse reading in her cabin and embraced and kissed her.
• Liu Qian and Lynesse spent the night together.
• The next morning, Lynesse asked to accompany Liu Qian to the front, and he agreed to take her to the Central Heights.
• Liu Qian recalled that Jorah Mormont had been imprisoned and decided it was time to get more value from him.

Liu Qian launched jars of wildfire from three specially modified trebuchets at the Highland Fortress. The jars struck the fortress and drenched its defenders in strange green liquid, leaving the mercenaries mocking the attack as the danger remained unclear.

• Liu Qian and a group of Pyromancers returned to the Central Heights with wildfire.
• Liu Qian ordered three trebuchets to launch the jars into the Highland Fortress.
• The sentries raised the alarm, and Kewo urged the mercenaries to prepare for a familiar stone attack.
• Daario Naharis recognized the incoming projectiles as dangerous and warned the defenders to find cover.
• A jar shattered on the main keep's tower, splashing green liquid over soldiers and the stonework.
• Geluer and Mero mocked the liquid as harmless while Daario sniffed it and tried to recognize its smell.

Prince Janyi ignited the wildfire coating Highland Fortress, unleashing a spreading emerald inferno that devastated the mercenary camps and sent the defenders fleeing. As the fire consumed the fortress, Tomonbu caught fire and plunged from the wall into the flames.

• Prince Janyi fired a flaming arrow into the green liquid coating Highland Fortress, triggering explosions and a sea of emerald fire.
• The wildfire swept through the eastern mercenary camp, killing soldiers and defeating attempts to extinguish it with water or shields.
• Kewo watched the Bright Flame Company burn as Geluer ordered his troops to retreat, while Mero and Daario Naharis fled the inferno.
• The flames and explosions panicked the Myrish slave legion, whose soldiers feared they were trapped and doomed.
• Tomonbu watched the fortress defenses collapse, then caught fire when the flames reached his section of the western wall and fell into the inferno.

Liu Qian’s wildfire bombardment destroyed the Highland Fortress, and his forces entered the smoking ruins to search. In King’s Landing, Catelyn revealed that she had told Littlefinger the Starks’ suspicions and secret letters, leaving Eddard alarmed and unsure of Littlefinger’s loyalties as an unseen figure watched them leave.

• Prince Janyi and the Windblown mercenaries watched in horror as Liu Qian’s wildfire catapults burned the Highland Fortress.
• After the fire consumed the fortress for a day and night, Liu Qian led the Dragon Spirit Guardians and soldiers into the ruins, followed by the Windblown mercenaries.
• Catelyn told Eddard that she had shared their suspicions about Jon Arryn’s death and the secret letters with Littlefinger.
• Littlefinger used Catelyn’s revelations to consider how he could intensify the conflicts among Stark, Lannister, Tyrell, and Renly while continuing to direct Stark suspicion toward Tyrion.
• Eddard left Littlefinger’s brothel uneasy about Catelyn’s trust in him and uncertain whose side Littlefinger was on, while an unseen figure slipped past the windowsill.

Volantis’s triarchs argued over whether to confront Liu Qian, the Easterner who had conquered Tyrosh and Lys and was advancing on Myr. A proposal from Braavos persuaded the Elephant Party triarchs to consider a costly plan that would keep Volantis out of direct combat while eliminating the threat.

• Malaquo Maegor Ya urged Volantis to act against Liu Qian, warning that he would eventually threaten the city.
• Nysso Visama and Dofas Pennymen opposed an intervention, citing profits from trade and Volantis’s defenses.
• Malaquo presented the triarchs with a sealed proposal from Braavos.
• Dofas and Nysso read the proposal and were shocked by its plan and expense.
• Malaquo argued that Braavos’s plan would let Volantis avoid direct fighting, and Dofas and Nysso tacitly agreed to consider it.

Liu Qian secured the lands south of the Myr River and ordered preparations for an invasion of Myr. In King's Landing, Littlefinger shocked Renly by claiming that Eddard Stark believed Renly had murdered Jon Arryn.

• Liu Qian admired Myrish lace and thought of Lynesse Hightower as Chai Yi reported that the estate and its enterprises had been taken over.
• Chai Yi wondered whether she could become one of Liu Qian's wives and help restore the Yellow Dynasty through their child.
• Liu Qian ordered his army to rest for three days before crossing the river and marching on Myr.
• Littlefinger visited Renly Baratheon in his tourney tent and told him that Eddard Stark suspected him of murdering Jon Arryn.
• Renly jolted in shock and spilled wine onto the carpet.

Littlefinger revealed that Eddard suspected Renly of plotting to replace the Queen, alarming Renly and prompting him to seek a way to stop Eddard. Littlefinger proposed working together to remove Eddard as Hand, and Renly accepted in exchange for Littlefinger’s support.

• Littlefinger told Renly that Eddard suspected him of conspiring to replace the Queen with Margaery and had linked him to Jon Arryn’s death.
• Renly learned that Eddard had not yet told Robert and blamed Stannis for passing on information about his plan.
• Renly decided Eddard had to be stopped, and Littlefinger warned that confronting him directly would put Renly at risk.
• Littlefinger proposed undermining Eddard and advancing Lord Mace to the Hand’s seat while Renly maintained the alliance between the Stormlands and the Reach.
• Littlefinger asked for land and a title, and he and Renly sealed a verbal alliance with a toast.

Eddard Stark approached Mace Tyrell to probe House Tyrell’s involvement in Renly’s plans, but Mace took his warning as an insult and angrily dismissed him. Eddard left convinced the Tyrells were conspiring with Renly and feeling increasingly isolated in King’s Landing.

• Eddard wandered near the Tyrell camp and decided to ask Mace Tyrell what House Tyrell knew about Renly’s plans.
• Eddard warned Mace to be careful about how he offered support to the king, and Mace reacted with anger, accusing Eddard of questioning House Tyrell’s loyalty.
• Eddard interpreted Mace’s outburst as evidence that the Tyrells were involved with Renly and warned him that attempts to disrupt the realm’s order would bring disaster.
• Mace complained that Eddard was jealous of the Tyrells, while Garlan worried that his father had overreacted.
• Eddard walked away from the tourney grounds, troubled by the dangers around him and the fact that he seemed to be fighting alone.

Liu Qian besieged Myr and ordered more wildfire production and intelligence gathering as the city’s governors resisted with slave soldiers. In King’s Landing, Renly persuaded Mace Tyrell to join a plan to remove Eddard Stark as Hand of the King.

• Liu Qian learned that at least thirty thousand slave soldiers were defending and repairing Myr’s walls, and he suspected the governors were waiting for reinforcements.
• Prince Janyi judged that other Free Cities and sellsword companies were unlikely to rescue Myr, so Liu Qian ordered Qyburn to produce wildfire urgently and Mezzo’s network to watch for military movements.
• Mace Tyrell recounted his confrontation with Eddard Stark to Renly Baratheon, who revealed that Eddard knew of their conspiracy to replace the queen.
• Renly warned that Eddard could expose their plot to the king and proposed that they remove him as Hand of the King.
• Mace hesitated, then agreed to Renly’s plan.

At the Small Council meeting, Eddard Stark opposed Robert's order to kill the Targaryen children and was accused by Renly and Littlefinger of protecting them. Eddard resigned as Hand of the King and left the chamber, while Robert ordered Renly escorted out.

• Robert demanded that the Small Council send assassins to kill the Targaryen siblings in Tyrosh, and Eddard objected on grounds of honor and the danger of retaliation.
• Renly accused Eddard of protecting the children, and Littlefinger claimed Eddard had blocked the assassination attempt in Tyrosh.
• Robert demanded an explanation and threatened to replace Eddard if he would not obey the order.
• Eddard removed the Hand of the King badge, resigned, and left the Council Chamber.
• Renly mocked Robert and suggested he find a more obedient Hand, so Robert ordered Ser Barristan Selmy to escort Renly out.

Liu Qian ordered a kingdom-wide campaign to reveal Jon Snow’s identity while falsely accusing Eddard Stark of plotting to restore the Targaryens. As the rumors spread through King’s Landing, Varys learned of them and feared they would ruin his plans.

• Liu Qian learned that Catelyn had told Littlefinger her suspicions about Jon Arryn’s death and that Eddard had resigned after clashing with Robert.
• Liu Qian wrote to Mezzo, ordering agents to spread the truth about Jon Snow’s parentage alongside a fabricated tale that Eddard planned to put Jon on the Iron Throne.
• Liu Qian sent the sealed letter to Mezzo by his fastest raven.
• A Little Bird brought Varys a note reporting that the rumors had spread throughout King’s Landing.
• Varys feared the news would disrupt his plans and ordered the boy to trace its source and verify whether it was true.

Eddard Stark learned that Jon Snow’s parentage had been exposed, but Jaime Lannister arrested him before he could flee with his daughters. In the Throne Room, Robert demanded to know whether Jon was Rhaegar Targaryen’s son, and Eddard was unable to answer.

• Vayon Poole told Eddard that a paper revealing Jon Snow’s parentage had spread through King’s Landing, so Eddard ordered him to find Sansa and Arya and prepare to leave.
• Jaime Lannister and the Gold Cloaks confronted Eddard, and Jaime ordered them to seize him for treason and harboring the fallen dynasty’s remnants.
• Jory, Tommard, and Desmond fought the Gold Cloaks but were killed, and Eddard surrendered after demanding that his family be spared.
• Jaime accused Catelyn of abducting Tyrion and had Eddard taken to the Throne Room, where Eddard told Vayon to protect Sansa and Arya.
• Robert demanded that Eddard confirm whether Jon Snow was Rhaegar Targaryen’s son, but Eddard could not speak.

Robert confronted Eddard over a letter claiming Jon was Rhaegar and Lyanna’s lawful son, and ordered Jon brought to King’s Landing while imprisoning Eddard. Eddard then accused Renly of plotting to replace Cersei with Margaery and poisoning Jon Arryn.

• Renly taunted Eddard, while Littlefinger and Varys each mistakenly believed the other had revealed the secret about Jon.
• Cersei and Pycelle challenged Eddard to summon Howland Reed, and Robert ordered the Kingsguard to send a hundred Gold Cloaks to Castle Black for Jon.
• Cersei argued that Jon was legitimate and called for his death, while Robert declared that Rhaegar’s son had to die regardless of legitimacy.
• Cersei accused Eddard of treason and blurted out that his father and brother had died in the throne room, prompting Robert to slap her.
• Robert ordered Eddard held in the Red Keep’s dungeons until Jon was brought to King’s Landing, and Renly demanded that Eddard stand trial.
• Eddard accused Renly of trying to make Margaery queen and poisoning Jon Arryn to remove an obstacle to his plan.

Eddard exposed Renly and Mace Tyrell’s plot before Robert, but Robert imprisoned him and then learned that Jon was Rhaegar and Lyanna’s son. Robert rejected Eddard’s plea to spare Jon and left the dungeon determined to punish him.

• Eddard accused Renly and Mace Tyrell of plotting, and Mace collapsed unconscious under the court’s scrutiny.
• Robert stripped Renly of his office and ordered him back to Storm’s End, then had Eddard imprisoned and sent letters to Winterfell, the Citadel, and Casterly Rock.
• Robert visited Eddard in the dungeon and confronted him about the accusation that Jon was a Targaryen.
• Eddard confessed that Jon was Rhaegar and Lyanna’s son and begged Robert to spare him.
• Eddard told Robert that Lyanna and Rhaegar had loved each other, but Robert rejected the truth and vowed that Jon must die.
• Robert left the dungeon calling Eddard Lord Stark, while Eddard collapsed in despair.

Stannis decided to wait for Robert to weaken while Varys and Illyrio plotted to use Dorne against the newly revealed Jon Snow. The chapter ended with Illyrio revealing that Braavos and Volantis were preparing a gift for the Easterner besieging Myr.

• Stannis blamed Eddard Stark for manipulating the Baratheons and decided to stay on Dragonstone rather than return to King's Landing.
• Stannis chose not to reveal the princes' and princess's parentage, hoping Robert would die in a Lannister poisoning plot and leave him next in line for the throne.
• Varys told Illyrio that rumors of Rhaegar's legitimate son Jon Snow had disrupted their plans, while the Citadel investigated Septon Maynard's diary.
• Varys proposed that Dorne use its rebellious daughter to bring Jon Snow south and force Dorne into conflict with the Iron Throne.
• Illyrio revealed that he had persuaded the Sealord and Volantis to prepare a gift for the Easterner besieging Myr.

Liu Qian’s army used wildfire to devastate Myr’s walls, but a vast Dothraki force suddenly charged toward its flank and rear. Liu Qian ordered his troops into a defensive formation as the horsemen reached them.

• Liu Qian received wildfire from Crown Town and suspected the Free Cities would use hired forces against him.
• Liu Qian ordered catapults to bombard Myr with wildfire, setting the walls and defenders ablaze and breaking sections of the battlements.
• Prince Janyi offered to lead the Windblown in an assault after the fires subsided, while Liu Qian watched the eastern plain.
• Tens of thousands of Dothraki horsemen appeared on the horizon and charged toward Liu Qian’s army.
• Liu Qian ordered Jelena and Chai Yi to form the army into a shield-and-spear defense as the Dothraki reached them.

Liu Qian’s forces struggled to hold off the Dothraki until Blooddance, Silverfall, and Duskwraith arrived with their riders. Liu Qian and Jelena mounted their dragons and led the counterattack against the terrified enemy.

• Liu Qian’s trench traps disrupted the Dothraki charge, but the riders broke through the Dragon Spirit Guardians’ shield wall and plunged the battlefield into a brutal melee.
• Prince Janyi urged Liu Qian to find and kill the Khal, but the Khal remained hidden in the chaos.
• Blooddance appeared from the clouds, followed by Silverfall and Duskwraith, and the dragons’ arrival spread terror among the Dothraki.
• Janice arrived on Duskwraith, and Liu Qian invited Jelena to ride with him and break the enemy.
• Blooddance burned approaching Dothraki riders with dragonfire, and Liu Qian and Jelena mounted Blooddance and Silverfall as the three dragons charged into battle.

Liu Qian, Jelena, and Janice used their Great Dragons to burn through the Dothraki forces, sending the riders into a rout. Khal Drogo tried to kill Liu Qian with a powerful dragonbone arrow, but it bounced harmlessly off Blooddance's scales.

• Liu Qian ordered Blooddance to breathe blood-red Dragonfire on Dothraki cavalry regrouping near the trenches, killing dozens of riders and horses.
• Jelena and Silverfall burned Dothraki horse-archers with silver-white Dragonfire, while Janice and Duskwraith attacked flankers with purple flames.
• The three dragons' attacks spread terror through the Dothraki ranks, and many riders fled in panic.
• Khal Drogo stayed on the battlefield, called for his Dragonbone Bow, and took aim at Liu Qian riding Blooddance.
• Khal Drogo's arrow struck a thick scale beneath Blooddance's neck and broke apart, leaving only a faint white mark.

Liu Qian killed Khal Drogo with a flaming arrow from his Blood Magic Dragonbone Bow, then used the dragons and his army to crush Drogo’s Bloodriders and break the Dothraki resistance. The surviving warriors fled or surrendered as Liu Qian’s forces pursued them near Myr.

• Khal Drogo’s Dragonbone Bow failed to pierce Blooddance’s scales, and Liu Qian mocked him before drawing his own rune-covered Dragonbone Bow.
• Liu Qian fired a flaming arrow through Khal Drogo’s heart, killing him as Kohoro, Haggo, and Qotho watched.
• Drogo’s Bloodriders charged Liu Qian to avenge their Khal, but Blooddance, Silverfall, and Duskwraith incinerated them with Dragonfire.
• The defeated Dothraki lost their will to fight and fled or begged for mercy as Liu Qian ordered his army to pursue and capture them.
• Prince Janyi sent the Windblown after the fleeing warriors, while Liu Qian and the other dragonriders used Dragonfire to block their escape and force them to surrender.

After defeating the Dothraki, Liu Qian and the dragonriders flew to Myr, where Wildfire was engulfing the city walls. They attacked the Governor’s Residence, while the First Governor and the council panicked inside Pearl Hall.

• The Dothraki Screamers surrendered after Dragonfire trapped them, and Liu Qian’s troops bound the captives and handed them to the Slave Soldiers.
• Liu Qian told Jelena and Janice to follow him to Myr, and the three dragonriders flew toward the city.
• Liu Qian saw emerald Wildfire consuming Myr’s walls and ordered an attack on the Governor’s Residence.
• Blooddance blasted the residence’s fountain square and entrance with red fire, while Silverfall destroyed a defensive tower with silver flames.
• Janice and Duskwraith swept purple flames through the residence’s eastern gardens and servants’ quarters.
• The First Governor and the other members of the Governor’s Council panicked inside Pearl Hall as Dragonfire shook the residence.