Elm Rowan rides with two Destriers, Gorse and Wicker, to Hawthorn House to search for Elspeth Spindle’s missing relatives. Because Ravyn has vanished and Jespyr remains at Stone with Emory, Elm has been left to carry out the King’s orders, though Elm believes Opal Hawthorn and the children were warned and would never return. Elm expects the house to be empty, but orders the Destriers to search for Providence Cards after noting Tyrn Hawthorn likely revealed what he could from the dungeon.

The men begin in the library, where Gorse finds a Prophet Card, while Elm searches upstairs. In a room Elm believes belonged to Elspeth’s young cousins, Elm sees signs of children; in another, more feminine room, Elm finds black hair caught in a comb and reflects that Elspeth has left nothing useful behind. A voice behind Elm startles him, and Elm nearly cuts Ione Hawthorn’s throat before stopping the blade.

Ione, dressed in white and still unnervingly beautiful from use of the Maiden Card, says Hawthorn House is Ione’s home. Elm remembers that after the attack at Spindle House, Elm used the Scythe Card to compel Elspeth’s remaining family—Nerium, Nya, Dimia, and Ione—to flee. Ione’s unexpected return puts Elm in danger, because the King wants suspects after Elspeth attacked Hauth.

Gorse and Wicker see Ione and move toward arrest or violence, blaming Elspeth and the Hawthorns for Hauth’s near-death. To protect Ione from the Destriers’ immediate aggression and control the situation, Elm uses the Scythe to command Gorse and Wicker to ignore Ione and continue searching for Cards. Elm pulls Ione downstairs and tells Ione that Elspeth broke Hauth’s spine, that the King’s inquest is coming, and that Elm must bring Ione to Stone under arrest.

Ione calmly accepts going to Stone, unsettling Elm because Ione does not panic at the threat of an inquest. Ione shows that Ione still has a charm against the mist and asks about Ione’s family; Elm says Tyrn and Erik are at Stone, Opal and the boys have disappeared, Nerium and Nerium’s daughters are gone, and Elspeth is chained in the dungeon. Ione then reveals that Ione noticed Elspeth’s secretive nighttime behavior, strange conversations, and changing eyes, suggesting Ione suspects Elspeth’s deeper infection or possession.

Elm lies that Elm knows nothing about Elspeth’s eyes, though Ione’s mention of Elm, Jespyr, and Ravyn at Castle Yew reminds Elm that their mission to use Elspeth to gather Providence Cards was treason. Elm realizes Elm has left Gorse and Wicker under the Scythe’s command and releases them before departing. As a storm gathers, Elm lifts Ione onto Elm’s horse and rides away from Hawthorn House, wondering whether Ione understands that Ione may never return home.