Jerrod walks through the Maze and notices a shadowy figure tracking him from the rooftops. His unease recalls the danger of Castellane’s streets, and as he moves into a narrow alley near the Key, he remembers the night Kel nearly died in a similar place after Prosper Beck’s people captured the wrong target.

Jerrod identifies the follower as Ji-An and calls her down. Ji-An confronts him about the weapons Prosper Beck has stored in a warehouse and confirms that Jerrod is still working for Beck despite having been accepted into the Black Mansion group.

Ji-An questions how long Jerrod had been in contact with Beck and whether Beck’s knowledge explains why Jerrod seemed unsurprised by the Malgasi woman at Tyndaris. Jerrod refuses to reveal everything, but says Beck saved his life and that his debt to Beck resembles Ji-An’s obligation to Morettus.

Jerrod insists that Beck is not the enemy, that the weapons are not meant for the Ragpicker King’s people, and that they will definitely not be sold to Malgasi. He admits that he left the mansion because he could not keep lying to people he cared about.

Ji-An softens enough to tell Jerrod that Merren misses him and is miserable without him. She then demands a promise on Merren’s life that Beck is not preparing to attack the Ragpicker King or the Black Mansion group; Jerrod gives that promise, and Ji-An accepts it before vanishing into the rain.