John spies on a secret meeting between Matai Shang and Thurid and learns that they know a way to release Dejah from the Temple of the Sun before a year has passed. He follows them but is unable to prevent Shang from capturing Dejah and Thuvia and rescuing his daughter Phaidor. He catches up with them again at Shang's mountain hideout but they once again elude his grasp. John returns to Xodar's court where he is given a tracking device for Shang's airship and takes the last flier available to pursue his wife and her abductor.