Talasyn wakes after accidentally dozing during her watch and finds that the storm surge has drained from the cave, leaving only water at the bottom of the pit. Alaric is still asleep, and Talasyn is unexpectedly relieved that he survived. When Alaric wakes and smiles at her, Talasyn is shaken by her attraction, but Alaric quickly becomes guarded again.

Talasyn and Alaric pack up and leave the rock shelf. Talasyn demonstrates that she can form a radiant grappling hook like his Shadowgate, but Alaric only grunts instead of praising her, deepening Talasyn’s confusion over his cold behavior. They make the difficult trek out through the drained cave system, and Talasyn notices that exposure to the Light Sever has made daylight easier for her to bear.

Outside the Mouth of Night, the storm-damaged shallop is overturned and unusable. Talasyn decides to contact Lady Bairung for help, but when Talasyn climbs to reach the ship’s aetherwave transceiver, the water-damaged device sparks and shocks her. Talasyn falls, and Alaric catches her, but he quickly sets her down and tells her to leave him behind after she calls for aid.

Talasyn realizes that Alaric has been upset all morning but cannot understand why. Her attempt to flirt with him to soften his mood fails humiliatingly when Alaric asks whether something is wrong with her face. Talasyn’s frustration erupts, and she lists all the ways Alaric has confused and hurt her: kissing her and forgetting, distancing himself through formal replies, criticizing her rescue, mentioning other women, withholding praise, and pushing her away.

Talasyn storms off along the beach as another storm approaches, but Alaric runs after her. Alaric admits that he does not know how to react to Talasyn because she infuriates and unsettles him. He also reveals there have been no other women, that Talasyn is the only person in his dreams, and that the next time he kisses her he wants to remember it. As rain begins and lightning crosses the sky, Alaric pulls Talasyn close and kisses her.