Chapter Summaries

Redd and Ehm gained the advantage over Vhagar, putting Laena in danger, while Rhaenys and Daemon tried to intervene with Meleys and Caraxes. As the dragons converged on Redd, King Ghidorah unexpectedly stepped on his head.

• Ehm and Vhagar locked claws in midair, grappled, and lost control of their Dragonfire, with Ehm burning Vhagar's belly and flank.
• Rhaenys ordered Meleys to attack Ehm, but Aegon intercepted her until Vermithor and Silverwing blocked him.
• Rhaenys redirected Meleys toward Redd, and Daemon sent Caraxes to support her against Ehm.
• Redd ordered King Ghidorah to stop Meleys and Caraxes, but one of Ghidorah's heads taunted them before the dragon stepped on Redd's head.

King Ghidorah attacked Meleys and Caraxes, while Redd and Ehm drove Vhagar down toward the sea. Vhagar fell burning with Laena still on its back, and the chapter left her plunging toward the icy water.

• Rhaenys ordered Meleys to breathe fire at King Ghidorah, but it charged through the flames and struck Meleys before turning its attack on Rhaenys.
• Caraxes saved Rhaenys with a blast of dragonfire, but King Ghidorah struck Caraxes's neck with a gravity beam and left it paralyzed and out of control.
• King Ghidorah seized Meleys's tail and tore into it, leaving Meleys unable to shake the three-headed dragon free.
• Redd told Ehm to break away from Vhagar, then Ehm engulfed the exhausted Vhagar in black dragonfire.
• Vhagar fell toward the sea and twisted at the last moment to turn Laena face-up, leaving her clinging to the saddle as they plunged toward the icy water.

Redd and Ehm fought to keep their dragons from being overwhelmed as Rhaenys, Daemon, and the royal pair joined the chaotic aerial battle. The chapter ended with Aegon hurling Silverwing and Alysanne into Vermithor.

• Redd saw Jaehaerys and Alysanne attacking Aegon together and prepared to send Ehm to help him.
• Rhaenys charged Redd on Meleys, but King Ghidorah pulled her off course, allowing Ehm to bite her wing and drag her toward the sea.
• Daemon stabbed Caraxes to rouse him from paralysis, then sent him to rescue Rhaenys; Caraxes forced Ehm to release Meleys but was attacked in turn.
• Jaehaerys broke away from Aegon and attacked Redd with Vermithor's dragonfire, forcing Ehm to release Caraxes and dodge.
• Aegon seized the opening to bite Silverwing's tail and swing her and Alysanne into Vermithor.

After Redd’s dragons gained the advantage, King Jaehaerys called for a truce, and Redd agreed to negotiate rather than risk a costly battle. The injured riders and dragons gathered on Dragonstone’s beach, where Jaehaerys began talks by asking whether Redd wanted a place to settle.

• Jaehaerys pulled Vermithor away from the fight and shouted for the dragons to stop so they could talk.
• Redd halted Black Dragon Ehm’s Dragonfire and ordered Red Dragon Aegon to release Silverwing.
• Vhagar and Meleys emerged from the sea, with Laena unconscious and Rhaenys struggling to rescue her.
• Jaehaerys and Alysanne rescued the riders in the water and brought them to Dragonstone’s beach.
• Jaehaerys asked Redd whether he had come to Westeros seeking a place to settle, and Redd said that had been his plan but that local nobles had not welcomed him.

Redd demanded land from King Jaehaerys in exchange for avoiding conflict with House Targaryen, first seeking the North and then the Wall. Jaehaerys refused both demands but granted Redd Maidenpool as a temporary foothold.

• Redd demanded the North as a domain, but Jaehaerys refused to surrender it.
• Redd proposed taking the Wall and nearby lands instead, but Jaehaerys rejected the demand because of the Wall’s importance.
• Jaehaerys offered Redd a single town, while warning that the Targaryens could fight his three dragons if necessary.
• Redd accepted a town but insisted it be near the North and promised not to initiate an attack on House Targaryen.
• Jaehaerys granted Redd Maidenpool, including its garrison, people, and resources.

After a fragile reconciliation with Jaehaerys, Redd stayed on Dragonstone under watch while secretly considering how to gain access to more dragons. Jaehaerys and his family feared Redd could undermine their control of dragons, and Jaehaerys decided to call a Great Council to choose the next king.

• Jaehaerys kept Redd on Dragonstone until the arrangements at Maidenpool were complete, and Redd welcomed the chance to observe the dragons.
• Redd relaxed after dinner and slept while King Ghidorah guarded him.
• Jaehaerys ordered Daemon to keep Redd away from the Targaryen dragons and to test whether he could hatch a Dragon Egg.
• Queen Helaena proposed binding Redd to House Targaryen through marriage, but Rhaenys and Daemon objected.
• Jaehaerys decided to convene a Great Council in King's Landing to choose the future king.

After Jaehaerys decided to summon a Great Council, Viserys and Corlys campaigned for the succession, while Redd focused on exploring Dragonstone and its dragons. Daemon blocked Redd from approaching the dragons on the ground, so Redd took his three dragons into the skies above the island.

• Jaehaerys sent Daemon and Rhaenys away after explaining his decision to convene a Great Council, and both left understanding that a succession struggle was approaching.
• Daemon sent an urgent, veiled letter to Viserys, while Rhaenys told Corlys that Laena had tamed Vhagar.
• Viserys secretly courted the lords and gained support by appealing to the rule that sons came before daughters and brothers.
• Corlys campaigned for Laenor by promoting his family's dragons and Laena's achievement, but many lords remained indifferent and favored Viserys's claim.
• Redd tried to approach the dragons on Dragonstone, but Daemon stopped him and warned that they belonged to House Targaryen.
• Redd argued that unclaimed dragons were wild, then took King Ghidorah and his other two dragons into the sky above Dragonstone.

Redd found a wary subadult green dragon on Dragonstone and nearly won its trust, but roars from Caraxes and another dragon frightened it into fleeing. As Redd prepared to pursue, a much larger coal-black dragon attacked the green dragon from the sky.

• Redd explored Dragonstone with King Ghidorah, Ehm, and Aegon and discovered a young green dragon in a secluded valley.
• Redd recalled the dragons’ growth stages from ancient texts and recognized the green dragon as a subadult over ten meters long.
• Redd cautiously approached the green dragon, but Caraxes and another dragon roared and startled it into flight.
• Redd blamed Daemon for ruining his chance to befriend the green dragon and prepared to chase it.
• A coal-black dragon swooped down and repeatedly snapped at the fleeing green dragon.

Redd and Daemon pursued Cannibal as it hunted a subadult green dragon across Dragonstone. Cannibal killed and roasted the green dragon, while Redd watched in astonishment.

• Redd chased Cannibal on Ehm, while Daemon followed at a distance on Caraxes to stop Redd from taming another dragon.
• Cannibal caught the subadult green dragon and dragged it from a canyon fissure when it became stuck.
• The green dragon's fire failed to harm Cannibal, which slammed it onto the beach and crushed its neck, killing it.
• Cannibal roasted the green dragon's corpse with dragonfire and began eating it as Redd watched in astonishment.

Redd approached Cannibal while it ate a roasted green dragon, hoping to sample the meat and possibly tame the fearsome beast. After stopping a dragonfire standoff, he cautiously tested Cannibal’s limits and ended less than a meter away from it.

• Redd approached Cannibal with Ehm, Aegon, and King Ghidorah while Cannibal ate the roasted green dragon.
• Cannibal roared at Redd, then prepared to attack with dragonfire as Ehm and Aegon answered in kind.
• Redd shouted “Stop!” in High Valyrian, extinguishing the dragons’ gathered flames and preventing a fight.
• Cannibal threatened Redd when he tried to touch it, and Redd stopped at a distance of about three meters.
• Redd slowly tested Cannibal’s limits and closed the distance to less than a meter.

Daemon interrupted Redd’s attempt to approach Cannibal by having Caraxes burn him, provoking Cannibal into chasing them into the Dragonpit. Redd followed and found a brutal dragon battle underway inside.

• Redd cautiously approached Cannibal, but Daemon ordered Caraxes to attack him with dragonfire.
• Cannibal abandoned Redd and pursued Caraxes, ruining Redd’s chance to become familiar to the wild dragon.
• Redd mounted Ehm and followed with King Ghidorah and Aegon while Daemon led Caraxes toward the Dragonpit.
• Cannibal rampaged through the Dragonpit entrance, crushing dragonkeepers as he pursued Caraxes inside.
• Redd reached the entrance and saw green and red dragonfire lighting a fierce battle among the dragons within.

Redd let Cannibal escape rather than risk a fight, then attacked the injured Vhagar and Vermithor when they emerged from the Dragonpit. He stopped once they could no longer fight and cautiously withdrew with his dragons.

• Redd watched Cannibal battle Caraxes, Vhagar, and Vermithor inside the Dragonpit as the mountain shook from the fighting.
• Cannibal emerged badly wounded and charged at Redd, but Redd moved aside and let it fly away.
• Redd noticed more dragons approaching and ordered Ehm, Aegon, and King Ghidorah to attack the Dragonpit.
• King Ghidorah's Gravity Beam struck Vermithor, while the dragons' fire burned Vermithor and Vhagar, leaving them unable to fight.
• Redd ordered his dragons to stop and slowly led them away from the wounded dragons.

After Cannibal escaped the collapsing Dragonpit, Daemon confronted Redd and threatened to keep him from taking any dragons from Dragonstone. Their standoff nearly became a fight until King Jaehaerys arrived and ordered Daemon to stop.

• Caraxes shielded Daemon from falling rubble, and the injured pair struggled out of the Dragonpit behind Vhagar and Vermithor.
• Daemon saw that Cannibal had escaped, then found Redd watching from Ehm’s back and blamed him for the chaos.
• Redd mocked Daemon and challenged his claim over Dragonstone, while Daemon warned him not to take any dragons.
• Daemon and Redd nearly fought, but Daemon held back after noticing Redd’s three hostile dragons and Caraxes’s injuries.
• King Jaehaerys arrived, recognized Redd, and ordered Daemon to stop.

Jaehaerys told Redd to leave Dragonstone for King's Landing, and Redd agreed to avoid an immediate conflict with House Targaryen. After discovering that the Dragon Egg offered as a conciliatory gift was weak, Redd refused it, leaving Jaehaerys angry as he arranged for Rhaenys and Laena to escort him.

• Jaehaerys invited Redd to King's Landing while making clear that he was unwelcome on Dragonstone.
• Redd suppressed his anger and agreed to leave rather than risk an open conflict with House Targaryen.
• Rhaenys offered Redd a red Dragon Egg, and Redd used his system ability to discover its vitality was too weak for hatching.
• Redd left the Dragon Egg behind, and Jaehaerys concealed his anger before ordering Rhaenys and Laena to escort Redd safely to King's Landing.

Redd left the Dragonpit with Rhaenys and began considering how he might alter her future and the Targaryen succession. Jaehaerys grew alarmed by Redd’s ambitions, while Daemon sought a quiet way to eliminate him.

• Redd left the Dragonpit with Rhaenys and Laena, privately resolving to influence Rhaenys’s fate and change Targaryen history.
• Jaehaerys feared Redd’s growing power after Daemon claimed he had tried to tame Cannibal.
• Daemon urged Jaehaerys to use covert schemes against Redd, but Jaehaerys warned him not to bring bloodshed and conspiracy to King's Landing.
• After Jaehaerys departed, Daemon went to consult the maesters for information about Redd’s weaknesses and a way to kill him discreetly.
• Redd asked Rhaenys about the dispute over succession, and she said the matter would be decided by fate and blood.

Redd probed Rhaenys about claiming the Iron Throne, stirring her long-suppressed ambition while she remained troubled by the prospect of betraying her family. He turned his attention to Laena’s rare courage as a dragonrider, then followed her and Rhaenys to King's Landing.

• Redd asked Rhaenys whether she had ever considered sitting on the Iron Throne and reminded her that House Targaryen need not obey old rules.
• Rhaenys struggled with her desire for the throne and her loyalty to her family, while Redd recognized that his words had tempted her.
• Redd reflected on Laena’s courage and natural talent after she tamed Vhagar, comparing it with his own nervousness when approaching a dragon.
• Redd rode his dragon behind Rhaenys and Laena as they traveled to King's Landing.

Redd arrived in King's Landing with three dragons, drawing attention as lords and spies watched the city for signs of change. He entered the Red Keep with King Ghidorah while Ehm and Aegon stayed outside, and visitors soon began seeking audiences with him.

• Redd descended into King's Landing on his dragon, astonishing the people and stirring rumors across the Seven Kingdoms.
• Redd entered the Red Keep with Rhaenys and King Ghidorah, leaving Ehm and Aegon in a designated area outside.
• Redd kept King Ghidorah close for protection and companionship, while avoiding putting his dragons into the pet space unless necessary.
• Redd explored the Red Keep over the next few days and quickly grew bored with its palaces and stone corridors.
• Redd noticed that a steady stream of people had come to visit him and request an audience.

Redd dismissed Corlys Velaryon’s vague offer, though the promise of a prince’s title briefly caught his interest. While exploring King's Landing, he was confronted by Ehlad Stark, who questioned his earlier request to become a lord in the North and was unsettled by the dragons behind him.

• Redd reflected on Corlys Velaryon’s offer and decided that practical power mattered more to him than the promised title of prince.
• Redd left the Red Keep to explore King's Landing with King Ghidorah, Ehm, and Aegon.
• Ehlad Stark stopped Redd on the road and asked whether he had requested a lordship in the North.
• Redd admitted that he had made the request and challenged Ehlad to explain whether he objected.
• Ehlad’s displeasure faded when he saw the three dragons behind Redd, and he felt intimidated by their power.

Ellard approached Redd to secure his support for Laenor at the Great Council, offering a share of the New Gift’s tax revenue. Redd ignored the offer and asked what House Stark knew about the Lands of Always Winter, leaving Ellard to reveal that his family kept old records and maps of the region.

• Ehm’s sulfurous breath and the dragons’ threatening stance frightened Ellard, and Redd ordered them to stand down.
• Redd asked Ellard whether he had come to call him to account or provoke him.
• Ellard confessed that Corlys had promised him the recovery of the New Gift if he persuaded Redd to support Laenor at the Great Council.
• Ellard offered Redd half the New Gift’s tax revenue, but Redd showed no interest in the bargain.
• Redd asked what House Stark knew about the Lands of Always Winter, and Ellard said his family’s ancient vault held old records and maps, though their truth was uncertain.

Redd secured Ellard’s support for Laenor in exchange for records about the Lands of Always Winter and trade information between Maidenpool and the North. After Ellard showed him around King’s Landing, Redd returned to the Red Keep musing about whether King Ghidorah could mate with an ordinary dragon.

• Redd demanded information about the Lands of Always Winter and Northern trade routes, along with a promise that Ellard would honor their agreement regardless of Laenor’s success.
• Ellard weighed the risks and his desire to reclaim the New Gift, then agreed to support Laenor and provide Redd with the information.
• Ellard took Redd around King’s Landing, introducing him to taverns, gambling houses, and brothels while King Ghidorah drew attention in the streets.
• Redd enjoyed King’s Landing’s food and entertainments and watched King Ghidorah relax as women groomed his three heads.
• Redd returned to the Red Keep and wondered whether King Ghidorah might mate with an ordinary dragon and produce unusual offspring.