Jude heads to work in the mortal world, where solitary faeries hire her for dangerous off-the-books jobs because she understands their customs and can resist glamour. She meets Bryern, a phooka who once claimed friendship with the Roach, and negotiates payment to stop a faerie in Old Port from eating other Folk.

Before confronting the target, Jude gathers information. Magpie tells Jude the culprit may be a redcap, and Ladhar reveals the name: Grima Mog, the feared former general of the Court of Teeth. Jude realizes Bryern has underpaid her for an extremely dangerous task, but curiosity and wounded pride drive Jude to proceed anyway.

At dawn, Jude brings raw meat, honey sandwiches, and sour beer to Grima Mog’s warehouse apartment as formal gifts. Grima Mog sees through Jude’s purpose and threatens to eat Jude, but Jude needles Grima Mog about being cast out of the Court of Teeth and discovers that Grima Mog still wants an army and a worthy challenge. Jude spots Grima Mog’s blood-soaked redcap in a hatbox and uses it as leverage, threatening to burn the treasured trophy unless Grima Mog vows to stop killing in the mortal world.

Grima Mog recognizes Jude as Madoc’s human child and Cardan’s exiled seneschal, then offers a wager: if Jude spars and wins, Grima Mog will make the vow and reveal information about Cardan. Jude agrees despite knowing Grima Mog is a legendary fighter. On the roof, Grima Mog fights fiercely with a sword hidden in her cane, disarms Jude, and nearly drives Jude toward defeat.

Jude refuses to yield, takes up a metal pipe, and uses Grima Mog’s cap as a distraction. Jude strikes Grima Mog hard enough to make the redcap yield. Grima Mog vows to stop hunting in the mortal lands, then reveals that the Court of Teeth has allied with Madoc and other traitors to dethrone Cardan before the next full moon. As Jude leaves, Grima Mog hints that Jude still craves violence and that many secrets remain.