68 East

Dumai, summoned by Empress Sipwo, visits her younger sister Suzumai. The child shows a detailed dollhouse and dolls gifted by the River Lord, revealing his close influence. As they stargaze, Pajati the White passes overhead and speaks within Dumai’s mind, deepening her sense of looming change.

Empress Sipwo privately affirms faith in Dumai’s divine calling and reveals the River Lord is away in the northern wetlands. Afterward, Dumai suffers a claustrophobic panic, feeling trapped by courtly expectations. Falling into a heightened dream, she meets her mirror sister, who reveals that the star-stone is in two halves and urges Dumai to come unite them. The vision bleeds into waking, leaving a real light on Dumai’s palm.

Dumai rushes to Emperor Jorodu, recounts the chain of dreams, and argues that joining the stones could help against the wyrms. Jorodu believes her, devises a cover of visiting the Grand Empress, and entrusts her with the boxed blue stone. He offers Queen Nirai’s sword, Nightborn, but Dumai declines, choosing her ice sickles and accepting armor.

Preparing in secret, Dumai calls Furtia. In the Floating Gardens, Nikeya intercepts her, warns of court suspicion, and demands to join. Weighing time and trust, Dumai agrees. Furtia descends, and Dumai and Nikeya depart under cover of night, racing toward the unknown source of the other stone.

At dawn, far from court, a lone fisherman leaves a desolate beach for Cape Ufeba to seek a physician, hinting at trouble beyond the palace.