Jacks brings Evangeline to a glittering purple storybook castle belonging to House Fortuna. Evangeline suspects Jacks intends to ruin someone else’s happiness, but Jacks warns her that the Fortuna matriarch is dangerous and tells Evangeline to kiss the woman’s cheek or hand as quickly as possible.

As they approach the castle, Jacks refuses to explain what he wants and reminds Evangeline that fulfilling her debt is not optional. Evangeline pushes back, but Jacks makes clear he will let harm come to her if that serves his purpose. He also tries to unsettle Evangeline by warning her about Marisol’s jealousy, but Evangeline refuses to let Jacks make her doubt her stepsister again.

Inside, Evangeline studies the wealthy Fortuna home for clues about Jacks’s goal. The Fortuna matriarch, Tabitha, arrives with two enormous gray dogs, Jupiter and Hadez, and threatens to kill Evangeline because Apollo chose Evangeline instead of Tabitha’s granddaughter Thessaly. With the dogs seconds from attacking, Evangeline pretends to admire them, grabs Tabitha, and kisses her cheek.

The kiss immediately transforms Tabitha’s behavior. The dogs become affectionate, and Tabitha changes from murderous hostility to warm, grandmotherly devotion toward Evangeline. Evangeline realizes Jacks’s magic is at work and feels uneasy because Tabitha’s unnatural need to please Evangeline resembles Apollo’s enchanted devotion.

Jacks uses Tabitha’s new affection to ask for access to the Fortuna vault. Tabitha resists, suggesting that something in the vault is protected by a force stronger than Jacks’s magic, but Evangeline asks directly to see it so the enchantment will end sooner and so she can learn what Jacks truly wants. Shaken and unwilling, Tabitha obeys and leads them toward the vaults.