Harrow wakes in the middle of an apparent murder attempt: someone is pressing a pillow over Harrow’s face and crushing Harrow’s throat. Harrow survives by reinforcing the throat cartilage, tearing off a thumbnail, and turning it into splintering keratin projectiles that strike the attacker and the room. Harrow then wakes again on the cot, apparently unharmed, with an intact thumbnail and no visible damage, leaving the attack uncertain.

Ianthe Tridentarius is sitting beside Harrow’s bed, now with two arms and a strange, hungry familiarity. Ianthe gives Harrow a blood-written letter in Harrow’s own cipher, labeled to be delivered when Harrow becomes coherent. The letter is from a previous Harrowhark, who says that the writer is now “dead,” that the secret work must remain unknown, and that Harrow must follow strict rules to preserve whatever plan was made.

The letter orders Harrow to stay alive, never return to the Ninth House, keep the sword close and ritually treat it with blood and ash, accept that Harrow’s Lyctoral abilities are compromised, honor a binding debt to Ianthe, and open the remaining sealed letters only under their stated conditions. The final instruction tells Harrow to examine Ianthe’s jaw and tongue without Ianthe knowing; if either has been replaced, Harrow must kill Ianthe instead of swearing the oath.

To obey, Harrow removes the sheet from Harrow’s face, cups Ianthe’s jaw, and unexpectedly kisses Ianthe while using physical contact to inspect the bone and tongue. Finding no replacement, Harrow renews the oath to Ianthe and learns that Ianthe submitted to some prior sealing or restraint as part of their arrangement. Ianthe gives Harrow a robe and most of the remaining letters, while keeping two, and warns that Harrow is also pledged not to harm Coronabeth.

The exchange turns hostile when Harrow suggests Coronabeth may be dead and comments on Ianthe’s cavalier, Naberius Tern. Ianthe demonstrates the difference between their Lyctoral states by stabbing her own palm, which heals instantly, and then stabbing Harrow’s hand, forcing Harrow to repair the wound painfully and manually. After Ianthe leaves, Harrow turns to the Body for comfort, then finds the hidden evidence of the first attack: bloody nail fragments embedded behind stacked crates, proving the murder attempt was real before Harrow passes out with the sword and letters.