After Oro chooses Isla as his partner instead of Celeste, Isla worries that their original plan has been disrupted. She fears that working closely with the Lightlark king will expose her lack of powers, especially because Oro may expect her to help break the curses through the prophecy.

Late at night, Isla expects Celeste to come help her strategize, but Oro arrives instead. Isla reluctantly lets Oro into her room despite the risk that he might notice incriminating objects, such as her starstick or elixirs. Oro explains that he wants to make a deal because he has spent decades developing a theory about the curses and believes Isla’s knowledge of nature can help him.

Oro offers protection: because they are paired, Oro cannot harm Isla, and if Isla helps him find what he seeks, Oro will try to protect Isla from the other rulers. Isla challenges Oro’s contempt for Wildlings and uses his need for her to negotiate. Isla agrees only if she can choose one additional realm to keep safe, secretly thinking of Celeste and using the bargain as a possible path toward the Sun Isle library and the bondbreaker.

Oro accepts, and Isla feels a rare sense of independence in making the deal for herself. When Oro says they will begin immediately, Isla panics but masks it as irritation. Oro then orders Isla not to dress as Wildling royalty because ancient creatures on Lightlark hate Wildlings and may attack if they sense her presence.

Oro reveals that he cannot sense Isla’s abilities and assumes she is cloaking them, asking her to keep doing so during their excursions. Isla realizes this mistake protects her secret powerlessness, though she fears her luck will not last. Isla dresses plainly in her nightclothes, braids her hair, leaves her crown behind, and follows Oro.