Several days earlier, during a potion-induced dream attempt, Carl realizes something has gone wrong: instead of entering Shi Maria’s dream, Carl has been pulled into Katia’s. Carl understands that touching Katia while both were altered created a second, nonphysical connection that Imani could not break by separating their hands.

Through that connection, Carl briefly senses the private emotional burdens of nearby people, including Mordecai’s sadness, Rosetta’s rage, Edgar’s resurfacing memories, Bucket Boy’s shame, and Imani’s guilt, unwanted responsibility, and hidden love for Chris. Carl feels disturbed by the intimacy of this unwanted insight and recognizes that the dungeon’s mind-reading may be broad but not necessarily human enough to understand what it sees.

Carl and Katia find themselves in Katia’s memory of an Icelandic children’s hospital, where Katia once tried to adopt a sick baby named Annie. They watch memory-Katia encounter Fannar, Katia’s ex, who has come to tell hospital officials information that ruins Katia’s adoption application. Katia pleads with the woman in charge, but the application is denied, leaving memory-Katia devastated.

Instead of leaving, memory-Katia visits baby Annie one last time. Katia explains to Carl that Annie had aggressive brain cancer, that Katia herself was ill and had tried to hide it, and that Annie later died without Katia being told until weeks afterward. Katia admits this final visit was both the worst moment of Katia’s life and Katia’s favorite memory, because Annie knew Katia loved her in that moment.

Carl reassures Katia that Katia was trapped in an impossible situation and that Carl, Donut, and Katia are family. Katia shares worry that Daniel may do something reckless if the Huanxin Jinx situation fails, and Katia tells Carl that although Katia loves Daniel, Katia loves Carl and Donut even more deeply. Before Katia can finish reflecting on Mordecai’s plan, Shi Maria bursts into the dream, screaming that she did not kill someone, and another voice accuses Shi Maria of swallowing them whole.