Two months before the Emperor’s murder, Harrow is sent with Mercymorn to kill a lush, living planet in the path of Number Seven. The planet is rich with thalergy and animal life, making its destruction unpleasant but strategically necessary because the Resurrection Beast would be drawn to it.

In the aftermath of Cytherea’s corpse vanishing, the Emperor remains the most concerned about finding the body. Augustine suspects Mercymorn, Ianthe suspects Ortus for lurid reasons, and Harrow notes that Ortus has tried to kill Harrow twice more since then, though Harrow’s wards have held.

On the planet, Mercymorn unexpectedly leaves Harrow to handle the main world alone while Mercymorn deals with a nearby moonlet. Mercymorn gives Harrow supplies, warns Harrow about timing and local dangers, and departs, making this Harrow’s first time alone on a foreign planet.

As Harrow travels through the humid forest, Harrow remembers a recent conversation with God. God urged Harrow to hide in a protected room when the Resurrection Beast comes, hoping to give Harrow more time and a future, but Harrow refused and insisted that Augustine’s River training had prepared Harrow to fight the Beast directly.

Harrow reflects on Harrow’s devotion to God, the Tomb, and Drearburh while moving deeper into the jungle with skeletal constructs. Harrow understands that flipping the planet will doom its life to slow thanergic mutation, and Harrow also recognizes the signs of personal collapse: Harrow remains unfixed, uniquely vulnerable among the Lyctors, and likely has only weeks or months to live.

The Body walks beside Harrow as the forest journey continues. For a brief moment, Harrow imagines that even an empty, damaged life might still hold contentment, but the narration warns that Harrow is close to the destruction of that fragile peace.