The leader of House Diana, who betrays her pact with Darrow, is besieged in Minerva's fortress, and dies trampled when her saddle is cut.
Given the Minerva fortress under her pact with Darrow, Tamara does exactly as he foresaw — she turns greedy, shuts the gates, and enslaves the Minervans, believing she holds a strategic bastion. But Darrow left Sevro inside: he burns the food stores, fouls the wells, and hides with his Howlers while Mars simply waits her out from the plains. Thirsty and trapped, too ashamed of her betrayal to face Darrow, Tamara offers slaves for safe passage and is refused.
When Diana tries to break out on the fifth night, every last one is captured — except Tamara, who falls from her horse and is trampled to death in the mud, her saddle cut cleanly through from beneath. Sevro suspects Tactus, the mad, high-born boy, but nothing can be proven.
A thin, hawkish young Gold girl with cropped hair and the hunting moon painted on her face; woodland fatigues, now mud-fouled in defeat.
Leader of House Diana, undone by her own betrayal and killed by a cut saddle.