Jude falls asleep in Oak’s bed and has a disturbing dream that pulls together her fears, guilt, and unresolved feelings. In the dream, dead Valerian curses her, Locke taunts Cardan about Jude, and Cardan alternates between desire and cruelty, telling Jude that her mortal body will decay and that she is nothing. The dream shifts to Jude lying immobilized as if at her own funeral, where Madoc, Oriana, Taryn, Vivi, Oak, Nicasia, Cardan, and Locke appear with accusations, regrets, or mockery, ending with Locke stabbing Jude repeatedly.

Jude wakes at night shaken and crying, then finds Taryn and Oak in the living room. Jude privately asks Taryn whether Taryn’s request is a trap set by Cardan to lure Jude into violating the terms of exile. Taryn denies it but admits she withheld something important: Taryn is pregnant with Locke’s child. The revelation reframes Taryn’s desperation, and Jude recognizes Taryn has come because she has nowhere else to go.

Jude and Taryn reconcile enough for the plan to continue. Taryn teaches Jude details about Locke’s estate and daily life, gives Jude gloves to conceal Jude’s missing finger, and changes clothes with Jude so Jude can pass as Taryn. Jude leaves Cardan’s ruby ring with Oak for safekeeping, says goodbye to Oak, and receives no explanation from Vivi about Heather, only a warning to stay alive. Vivi enchants ragwort into a flying yellow pony to carry Jude back to Faerie.

Jude arrives at Locke’s estate, now transformed from the empty, austere place Jude remembers into a richly decorated and decadent household shaped by Taryn’s taste and social life. The servants Nera and Neve greet Jude as their lady, forcing Jude to suppress mortal habits and act familiar with a home Jude barely understands. As Jude studies the rooms, Jude realizes how much of Taryn’s married life was hidden from her and worries that impersonating Taryn will be harder than expected.

In Taryn’s room, Jude practices how to greet Cardan without betraying rage, fear, or longing. Dinner arrives, and Jude notices faerie-fruit marmalade, implying Taryn may have eaten faerie fruit regularly, whether knowingly or because Locke gave it to her. Jude avoids the fruit, chooses clothing suitable for a supposed widow, selects Taryn’s enchanted moon-and-star earrings, and resists the urge to seek out the Court of Shadows. Alone at the window, Jude feels both restored by Elfhame and painfully aware of the danger of being home.