Jesper enters the chapter in his element: gunfire focuses his restless mind better than gambling ever can. After the Ferolind explodes, the crew is pinned down by attackers, apparently outnumbered and without transport to Fjerda. Jesper finds Wylan curled helplessly on the dock, pulls him into cover, and gives him a rifle despite Wylan's obvious panic.

Kaz appears and reveals that the destroyed ship was only a decoy; the real Ferolind is hidden at berth twenty-two. Kaz admits he did not know the decoy would be attacked but had taken precautions. Jesper resents being kept uninformed, but Kaz orders him to get Wylan safely to the real ship.

Jesper and Wylan move through the maze of docks under fire. Jesper spots Nina fighting from cover as a Heartrender, then sees Nina cut Matthias's bonds and hand Matthias a pistol. Though Jesper expects Matthias might turn on Nina, Matthias instead joins Nina in defending the group, and Jesper signals their new destination to Nina.

Jesper and Wylan are spotted and sprint to berth twenty-two, where Rotty and another sailor wait aboard the real Ferolind. Jesper orders the sailors and Wylan to hold off the attackers because losing this ship would end the mission. Jesper then climbs the mast to gain high ground, but a bullet hits his thigh and nearly makes him fall before Jesper drags himself into position.

From the rigging, Jesper begins shooting enemies through the mist, driven by both survival and the promise of four million kruge to clear his debts. Below, Nina and Matthias struggle toward the pier, Kaz moves elsewhere, and Inej remains unseen. Wylan calls for Jesper to close his eyes, sets off a flash bomb that blinds the attackers, and gives Jesper a clear advantage to keep firing.