Alaric wakes from an intimate dream of Talasyn and realizes that, in sleep, the two have moved together in the middle of the bed. Their half-asleep closeness turns mutual and heated, but when Talasyn tells Alaric to stop, Alaric immediately pulls away. Seeing Talasyn shaken, Alaric blames himself for confusing and hurting Talasyn after days of coldness and anger, especially while the stolen sariman and Kesathese plans still loom over Nenavar.

Alaric retreats to the bathroom to collect himself and considers how to speak about what happened, but when Alaric returns, Talasyn is gone. At breakfast and through the morning, Alaric assumes Talasyn wants space, but by lunch Talasyn and Jie are still absent. Alaric demands answers and learns from Jie that Talasyn sailed shortly after sunrise to the Light-weaver shrine on Belian and will return in a sennight, in time for the next eclipse.

Alaric is angered that no one informed him of Talasyn’s departure and asserts authority over the castle as his household through Talasyn’s dowry. Jie gives Alaric a barely polite promise to keep him updated, and Sevraim finds the exchange entertaining. When Sevraim suggests Talasyn’s sudden departure may hurt because it echoes an old abandonment, Alaric denies it, but the thought reminds Alaric of the night Sancia begged him to flee Kesath with her and left when he refused.

At dusk, Commodore Lisu arrives from port under the pretext of escorting a Nenavarene trade shipment to Kesath, though Alaric recognizes that Lisu is also spying for the Regent. Lisu reveals that Khaede, the Sardovian helmsman Talasyn asked Alaric to locate, escaped an internment camp after Lasthaven with other Allfold soldiers, was separated during a chase, and was last seen by her companions before they eventually reached the resistance. Lisu uses this information to bargain for command of a future void ironclad, and Alaric reluctantly grants the request despite knowing it depends on Kesath’s planned seizure of the Void Sever and Talasyn’s destruction.

After dismissing Lisu, Alaric is unable to work or remain calm in Talasyn’s absence. Feeling haunted by being left behind and needing resolve, Alaric decides he cannot stay in Iantas while Talasyn is away. Alaric concludes that he knows where to find strength and peace: he needs a Shadow Sever.