Jude practices sword stances in Faerie, repeating Madoc’s lessons about endurance, pain, and strength. Training reminds Jude of learning to ride a bike in the mortal world, but Faerie has replaced ordinary childhood dangers with weapons, strange mounts, and the constant reality that Madoc, her parents’ murderer, is now her foster father and teacher.

Jude prefers anger to fear because anger helps Jude survive as a mortal among faeries. Nearby, Madoc teaches Taryn, whose technique is neat but predictable and whose dislike of sparring makes Jude able to exploit patterns when they fight.

Madoc calls both twins over and lectures them on power. When Jude guesses that power comes from learning to fight well, Madoc corrects Jude: power comes from taking it. Madoc points to a hill with a thorn tree, declares it his, and tells the twins to take it and then hold it against Madoc’s attack.

Taryn does not want to play, but Jude treats the lesson as a strategy problem. Jude proposes that one twin throw stones while the other spars, and Taryn climbs the thorn tree with rocks gathered in her skirts. Jude worries that Madoc may use the growing darkness to his advantage, but Madoc instead charges directly from the woods, howling and terrifying Jude.

Jude’s fear nearly overwhelms Jude, especially when Jude remembers Madoc killing Jude’s mother. Jude chooses not to run, plants Jude’s feet, and tries to use the tree to evade Madoc’s blows while Taryn throws stones from above. Madoc’s strength and momentum overcome their plan, and Jude is knocked to the grass.

Madoc stops before striking a killing blow and explains the lesson: taking something is easier than keeping it, even with an advantage. Taryn protests that the game was unfair, but Jude silently accepts that nothing in Faerie is fair. Madoc embraces both girls, and Jude lets herself accept the comfort of being hugged, even by the monster who killed Jude’s parents.