Kingfisher questions Iseabail in the drawing room while Cahlish is being evacuated through his shadow gate. Iseabail has searched for Ren for hours but cannot find him, explaining that warded places, sprite colonies, quicksilver pools, and black markets can hide blood from scrying. Fisher pressures Iseabail to try again, unwilling to abandon Ren while the estate empties around them.

Fisher then tests a suspicion about Iseabail’s actions at Ammontraíeth. By threatening to visit Nevercross with Tal and thank the witches for authorizing dark magic, Fisher confirms that Iseabail’s clan leaders do not know she used forbidden spellwork and orchestrated the Blood Court massacre. When Iseabail begs Fisher not to tell them, Lorreth loses control, uses his rarely wielded magic to slam and bind Iseabail, and Fisher warns that Saeris makes him kinder than he otherwise would be.

Saeris enters, dripping wet from outside, and stops the scene before it goes further. Saeris condemns torture, asks whether Ren has been found, and hears that Iseabail’s scrying has failed. Saeris then reports Danya’s warning: the rot has reached Cahlish.

Outside, the rot advances across the snow, destroying grass preserved by Cahlish’s old wards. Fisher sends the last warriors through the shadow gate to Inishtar and warns them not to alarm the satyrs. Saeris joins Fisher, rebukes him again about torture, and argues that Iseabail should be sent back to Nevercross so the witches may still become allies. Saeris also asks to return to Ammontraíeth to check on the restored Fae and the feeder horde; Fisher initially resists but, remembering his guilt over Gillethrye, agrees and decides Tal should not be forced to return there.

The final evacuees arrive: Te Léna and Maynir carry the feverish Everlayne, Iseabail prepares to leave, Lorreth supports the weakened Tal, and Carrion, Foley, and Hayden carry stacks of precious books. Fisher is relieved that the books are being saved because Belikon had tried to control history by destroying knowledge. Te Léna and Maynir take Everlayne through the gate, Iseabail departs, the fire sprites remain below with the pyre because they need its heat and trust their brimstone, and Tal asks eventually to be sent home to Bayland’s End despite the rot’s advance.

Saeris takes Hayden through the gate while Fisher keeps hold of Onyx. Foley stays behind long enough to tease Fisher about his obvious love for Saeris and to ask whether Fisher is all right leaving Cahlish behind. Fisher admits he must let his ancestral home go, believes they have to find a way through the crisis, and steps into the shadow gate after Foley. In the darkness between worlds, a voice calls to him: Hello, Dog.