The Tower Of The Swallow -

: Yennefer escapes the Lodge of Sorceresses and heads to Skellige to investigate the site of Ciri's parents' disappearance. Her quest leads her directly into the hands of the villainous mage Vilgefortz , where she is captured and tortured. The Hunt Across the Ice

: Ciri eventually escapes during a meeting between Bonhart, Skellen, and the mage Rience. In her flight, Skellen strikes her with an orion (a throwing star), causing the permanent scar she bears when Vysogota finds her. Parallel Journeys The Tower of the Swallow

: Ciri recounts her time with a gang of young outlaws known as the Rats. Their spree ends in tragedy when they are hunted down and slaughtered by the sadistic bounty hunter Leo Bonhart . : Yennefer escapes the Lodge of Sorceresses and

The narrative begins with a hermit and former philosopher named , who discovers a near-death girl in the Pereplut swamp. This girl is Ciri, carrying a fresh, horrific scar across her face—a parting gift from the Nilfgaardian agent Stefan Skellen. In her flight, Skellen strikes her with an

As Ciri heals under Vysogota's care, the story unfolds through her flashbacks, revealing the brutal events that led her there:

The novel culminates in one of the series' most iconic action sequences. After leaving Vysogota’s hut, Ciri is pursued by Skellen’s mercenaries and Bonhart across a frozen lake.

While Ciri recovers, her protectors continue their own desperate searches, unaware she is hidden in a swamp: