Cinnamon Wind passes through the Redwyne Straits on the last leg of their voyage. The route is perilous, as the ironmen have taken advantage of the absence of the Redwyne fleet to sack Ryamsport and capture Vinetown and Starfish Harbor. They are now raiding shipping heading to Oldtown. Three times, they spot longships. The first two are sighted far astern and pose no threat, while the third is sent on its way by a single volley from Kojja and her archers. As they enter Whispering Sound, Sam points out Three Towers, the seat of House Costayne, to Gilly The sight makes Sam sad, for it means their journey is almost over. The sound is full of corpses and burned ships, including two large dromonds. Xhondo says a battle must have been fought there not long ago. The next day, a war galley from Oldtown named Huntress approaches with two smaller ships. The captain comes aboard to inspect the ship and its cargo. He apologizes and explains that a fortnight ago, a group of ironmen captured a Tyroshi ship, killed the crew, and planned to sail into Oldtown in disguise to set fires and open the gates to their fellows while the garrison was fighting the fires. Luckily, they came across the Lady of the Tower, which has a oarmaster with a Tyroshi wife. He hailed them in the Tyroshi tongue, and the ironmen were unable to answer. The ironmen hold many offshore islands, including Stonecrab Cay, the Isle of Pigs, the Mermaid's Palace, Horseshoe Rock, and Bastard's Cradle. Sam asks what Lord Leyton is doing, since he commands three times the numbers of any other Tyrell bannerman. The captain says that these numbers are useless without ships. Baelor is building new galleys, Gunthor is guarding the harbor, Garth is training new recruits, and Humfrey has gone to Lys to hire sellsails. Sam worries that even Horn Hill may not be safe despite being pretty far inland and wonders if he should keep Gilly in Oldtown or have Quhuru take her to the Summer Isles, but the former would require he desert the Night's Watch, and the latter would not keep her out of harm's way since the ship has to brave the straits again. He decides he must still send her on to Horn Hill.

The ship arrives at Oldtown on a cold damp morning. The harbor is protected by a boom linking two dozen hulks backed up by a line of galleys anchored by the Honor of Oldtown. Ser Gunthor Hightower comes aboard to personally inspect the ship. He knows the language of the Summer Islands thanks to several years of study at the Citadel, so he and Quhuru go to the captain's cabin for a private conferance. While they converse, Sam explains to Gilly that he must go to the Citadel first to deliver Jon's letters and report Maester Aemon's death and that afterwards he will arrange for transportation for Gilly to Horn's Hill. After the ship docks, Sam makes his way to the Seneschal's Court in the Citadel to deliver his messages. The acolyte on duty takes hims name and tells him to wait until called for. He waits half the day as others that came after him are let in. He even dozes off for a time. Finally, a dark-skinned youth comes up to him and says he must give the acolyte, Lorcas a penny or he will be waiting for days. Lorcas has been an acolyte for fifty years and hates both novices and those of noble birth. The youth introduces himself as Alleras and says he is oft called the Sphinx. Sam blurts out what Aemon told him about the sphinx being the riddle, not the riddler and asks Alleras if he knows what it means, but the youth does not. Alleras asks what business Sam has with Theobald, the seneschal, and Sam says Aemon told him the seneschal was Norren. Alleras explains that the Archmaesters takes turns at the post, switching every year, and that Norren was seneschal two years ago. Walgrave was supposed to serve this year, but due to his failing wits, Theobold stepped in instead. Alleras is surprised to hear of Maester Aemon and asks why he was at sea at his age. Sam decides to tell him about Stannis and Melisandre, followed by Mance and dragons and wights and others and everything else, ending by explaining how Daenerys is the only hope for Westeros. Alleras says that Theobold will not believe him and that he will take Sam to a different archmaester. They climb the steps of the Ravenry, and come across Leo Tyrell at the top, staring into a candle flame. He mocks Sam before Archmaester Marwyn summons Alleras and Sam into his chambers. In the middle of the room is a candle of dragonglass with a flame that does not flicker and casts an eerie light. Marwyn explains that the Valyrians used candles such as this one to scry over great distances. A novice is also in the room. Marwyn was using the candle to eavesdrop on Sam's conversation with Alleras in the Senschal's Court, but he has Sam repeat the tale in case he missed something. When Sam finishes, Marwyn is unsure of what to think, as he does not trust prophecy. Alleras says that Aemon wanted to send her a maester, and Marwyn responds that it is good Aemon did not arrive, as the archmaesters might have killed him. Sam asks why, and Marwyn intimates that the Citadel was behind the death of the last dragons and that they have been actively trying to build a world bereft of magic. Marwyn decides he will go in Aemon's place, on the ship that brought Sam. Sam is to become a novice and forge a chain. Marwyn tells the novice to get him quarters, before heading straight for the docks. After he leaves, Alleras confesses that he did not meet Sam by chance and that Marwyn knew he was coming thanks to the glass candle. The novice secures quarters for Sam. Sam introduces himself to the novice, who gives his name as Pate.¹