Kingfisher and Carrion Swift emerge from the quicksilver into Madra’s Hall of Mirrors and are immediately met by a full unit of archers. Kingfisher blankets the hall in shadows, blinding the human guardians and turning their own arrows against them while dragging Carrion through the chaos toward the palace door.

After sealing the door with shadow magic, Kingfisher leads Carrion at a sprint through the palace. Carrion realizes too late that Kingfisher’s plan is to escape through a window. Kingfisher throws Carrion out first, follows him, and uses a smoke-and-sand rope and a conjured net to break their fall, though the landing destroys a bread cart in the city below.

Kingfisher glamors himself and Carrion as humans before more guardians can reach them, but Carrion warns that Kingfisher’s unnatural paleness still draws attention in Zilvaren. Kingfisher explains that his magic is not native to this realm and must replenish slowly because he cannot draw on it freely. When Kingfisher chooses silver as their first objective, Carrion leads him away from the palace rather than toward Madra’s treasury.

Carrion explains that Madra’s treasury is impossible to find and likely impossible to breach, so he takes Kingfisher to another source: the Brigand’s Bank, which Carrion owns. Carrion opens a hidden hatch with a small act of magic, and the two travel through foul underground water tunnels beneath Zilvaren’s wards, using secret passages through the city walls.

After emerging, Carrion persuades Kingfisher to stop at an old haunt before retrieving the silver. Kingfisher initially resists, but Carrion insists he wants to keep his promise to Saeris and be useful. Kingfisher recognizes Carrion’s resemblance to his father, Rurik Daianthus, reassesses his jealousy over Carrion’s friendship with Saeris, and agrees to go.

At Kala’s tavern, Carrion is recognized by old acquaintances while Kingfisher grows increasingly impatient. Carrion finally admits the real reason for the stop: the Brigand’s Bank vault requires two keys, and Carrion’s partner Eric likely hired a vault breaker and disappeared with their goods. Carrion is waiting for the vault breaker, Vorath Shah, who soon appears, sees Kingfisher, and immediately flees, prompting Carrion and Kingfisher to chase him.