Talasyn is swept through the flooded Mouth, unable to swim or steady her magic against panic and the storm surge. As she sinks in a dark underground lake, Alaric hauls her onto a rock shelf inside a grotto. Once Talasyn coughs the seawater from her lungs, Alaric angrily scolds her for risking her life to rescue him, while Talasyn snaps back that Alaric endangered himself by ignoring Jie’s weather warning.

Cold and soaked, Talasyn begins shivering, and Alaric pulls Talasyn against him to warm her. The closeness revives memories of their recent intimacy and unsettles them both. Alaric gives Talasyn a dry black tunic from his pack and turns away while she changes, creating another charged but awkward moment between them.

As the water continues to rise, Alaric explains that he had been communing with the Shadow Sever when the cave flooded and expected the tide to recede. Talasyn warns that the flooding is a storm surge and could last for days. They consider blasting through the ceiling if necessary, then take stock of Alaric’s supplies after Talasyn admits she lost her pack. Alaric shares food and water, and Talasyn sees he had prepared to remain there for some time.

The enforced confinement pushes them into another argument about Talasyn leaving after their intimate encounter. Alaric accuses Talasyn of always running from difficult conversations, while Talasyn insists there is nothing to discuss and tries to dismiss what happened as meaningless. Talasyn’s careless jab about hurting Alaric’s feelings appears to wound him, but Alaric deflects by calling it male pride.

Later, from Alaric’s perspective, the cramped shelf and Talasyn wearing his tunic sharpen his attraction and his guilt, especially because Alaric knows his father expects him to betray Talasyn after the Moonless Dark. To restore distance between them, Alaric tells Talasyn the news about Khaede that Lisu brought him. Talasyn first reacts with anger, then breaks down in tears when Talasyn realizes Khaede may be alive with her baby after escaping in a coracle.

Alaric tries to comfort Talasyn, but Talasyn pushes him away when Talasyn senses his political conflict over Khaede’s possible survival as an enemy of Kesath. Alaric admits he traded command of a future warship for the information, proving some part of Alaric cares. Talasyn insists Khaede and the child must remain in Nenavar under Talasyn’s protection if they appear. After crying through her guilt, fear, and hope, Talasyn accepts water from Alaric and silently clings to a small, tentative gesture of comfort from him.