The trilogy ends in a new land, where the slaves have been brought to new depths of punishment and isolation. Beauty is horrified to discover that the sultan's wives have all been sexually mutilated. She sets about helping one of them learn what pleasure is. Laurent becomes the secret master to the sultan's steward in charge of the slaves. Laurent and Tristan find themselves tested in competition to please the sultan, who is no longer just a master, but a true sovereign. The characters are rescued and returned to their homeland, and Beauty returns to her parents. Beauty is unable and unwilling to adjust to no longer being a slave. She rejects all suitors and yearns for one of the slaves who will understand. She is rescued from misery by Laurent, who has become the master of his family castle and who commands Beauty to become his wife and secret slave. They live happily ever after.