While on their way, urged by Agia's bet to a passing fiacre, their driver crashes into and destroys the altar of a religious order, where Agia is accused of stealing a precious artifact. Severian, who believes this is an indirect means for the Autarch to execute him for his crime, is forced to accept, and he departs with the sister, Agia, to secure an avern, a deadly plant used for dueling. Shortly after, a masked and armoured hipparch enters the shop and challenges Severian to a duel. The shop is owned by a twin brother and sister, and the brother immediately takes interest in Terminus Est, but Severian refuses to sell the sword. Not intending to participate, Severian parts with the group and stops at a rag shop to purchase a mantle to hide his fuligin cloak (the uniform of his guild, which inspires terror in common folk). Talos manages to recruit the waitress, Jolenta, for his play and they set out into the streets. Talos, travelling as mountebanks, who invite Severian to join them in a play to be performed the same day. His roommates are the giant Baldanders and Dr. He finally comes upon an inn, where he forces the innkeeper to take him in despite being full and is asked to share a room with other boarders. He departs the guild headquarters, traveling through the decaying city of Nessus. Master Palaemon gives Severian a letter of introduction to the archon of the city and Terminus Est, a magnificent executioner's sword. Though Severian expects to be tortured and executed, instead the head of the guild dispatches Severian to Thrax, a distant city which has need of an executioner. When finally Thecla is put to torture, Severian takes pity on her and helps her commit suicide by smuggling a knife into her cell, thus breaking his oath to the guild. The Autarch (ruler of the Commonwealth) wishes to use Thecla to capture Vodalus. Thecla's crime is never made clear, though it is implied that she is imprisoned for political reasons since Thecla's half-sister is Thea, Vodalus's lover.

Shortly before Severian is elevated to journeyman he encounters and falls in love with Thecla, a beautiful aristocratic prisoner. Severian saves Vodalus's life, earning his trust and the reward of a single coin. Vodalus and his companions are confronted by volunteer guards. Vodalus, along with two others, including a woman named Thea, are robbing a grave. On his way back to the Citadel, Severian and several other apprentices sneak into a necropolis where Severian encounters Vodalus, a legendary revolutionary.

Severian, an apprentice in the Torturers' Guild, barely survives a swim in the River Gyoll.

Shadow of the torturer by gene wolfe