Kaz and Wylan are trapped in Van Eck’s house by Pekka Rollins, whose presence forces Kaz to confront the man who once ruined Kaz and Jordie under the name Jakob Hertzoon. Rollins reveals that he has allied with Jan Van Eck, predicted Kaz’s attempt to humiliate Van Eck, and sent his men to Black Veil to capture Kaz’s crew and Kuwei.

Rollins also says he has arranged a special threat for Inej, unsettling Kaz because Inej and Nina are away at Sweet Reef. Rollins explains that Van Eck hired him after Kaz’s move against Van Eck’s wife, and that Rollins understood Kaz’s tactics better than Van Eck because Rollins thinks like a criminal rather than a merchant.

Kaz stalls Rollins by holding up Van Eck’s stolen seal while secretly opening the remaining auric acid in Wylan’s satchel. Kaz throws the seal to Rollins, splashes the acid onto the floor, and smashes the weakened boards with his cane, dropping himself and Wylan through the floor into a dinner gathering below.

Van Eck orders the household to seize them, but Kaz and Wylan sprint through the house, disable guards at the garden doors, and reach the waiting gondel with Rotty. As gunfire follows them, Wylan dumps explosives and flash bombs from the boat, creating enough chaos for the escape into the busy Geldcanal.

Once on the canal, Wylan urges Kaz to return to Black Veil, but Kaz reasons that Jesper and Matthias have the best chance of escaping with Kuwei and that Pekka will avoid harming Kuwei. Haunted by Rollins’ warning about Inej, Kaz abandons the larger plan and orders the boat toward Sweet Reef, furious at his own blind spot where Rollins is concerned.