during the night zarema steals out of the harem and past the guards to visit maria in her chamber. she tries to tell maria how desperately she loves the khan, finally drawing a concealed dagger to stab her unwilling rival. at first afraid, maria stands before zarema and opens her arms wide, showing zarema that she would welcome death. zarema is stunned and falls to the ground. maria tries to comfort her, but zarema has seen the khan's hat on the floor. fearing the worst, she is again inflamed with jealousy. as the khan and his guards rush in to try and stop her, zarema breaks free and stabs maria to death. the khan draws his own dagger to kill zarema, but she kneels down in front of him and offers her chest to the knife, just as maria did. the khan cannot kill her, but commands the guards to take her away to be flung to her death from the palace walls.