Gideon sits shaken in the Sixth House quarters after finding Protesilaus’s severed head in Harrow’s room. Palamedes examines the head while Gideon insists that Harrow is “hers” to deal with if Harrow proves to be the murderer. Palamedes compares Gideon’s suspicion of Harrow with his own absolute trust in Camilla, prompting Gideon to explain why Harrow has hated Gideon for years.

Gideon recounts their childhood on the Ninth: Harrow was the adored necromantic heir, Gideon the unwanted orphan, and the two grew up as enemies and constant companions. When ten-year-old Harrow became obsessed with opening the forbidden Locked Door, Gideon reported Harrow to Harrow’s parents in hopes of getting Harrow punished and proving Gideon’s own loyalty. Instead, Gideon later found Harrow’s parents and their cavalier, Mortus, hanging dead, with Harrow standing nearby; Gideon has blamed herself ever since.

Palamedes argues that Gideon caused events but is not responsible for three adults’ suicides, using a deliberately absurd comparison about “killing” Magnus and Abigail by failing to stop the trials before they began. Gideon then gives Palamedes the ancient flimsy that bears her name. Palamedes confirms it is nearly ten thousand years old, agrees that its implications are alarming, and swears to keep it secret.

Camilla arrives with Harrow cuffed to her, and Palamedes confronts Harrow for not telling him what she knew. Harrow explains she originally suspected Palamedes and Dulcinea, but now believes Palamedes because Protesilaus’s head came off too easily when Harrow touched it. Palamedes gathers the surviving Houses in Dulcinea’s sickroom and publicly accuses Dulcinea of having arrived at Canaan House with Protesilaus already dead, animated by deep flesh magic.

Dulcinea admits the truth: the Seventh House sent her despite her fatal illness because there was no other necromantic heir, and after Protesilaus died in an accident, the House used the illicit “beguiling corpse” technique so their candidacy would not be lost. Harrow questions whether Dulcinea could have sustained such magic, and Dulcinea says the leaders of the Seventh worked together. Silas condemns the act, but Judith Deuteros refuses to prioritize punishment while the group is already in crisis.

Colum raises the issue of what remains are in the furnace if Protesilaus’s head is present. Judith orders the head placed in the morgue instead of letting Harrow claim it, and Silas takes custody to guard against defilement. Teacher then reveals that Canaan House’s single communications channel cannot be used to contact the Seventh, Fifth, or Fourth because of the sacred silence, so Dulcinea must remain. As Harrow notices Ianthe’s unnervingly precise comments about the magic, Harrow follows the departing Third House; Gideon goes after Harrow after Palamedes quietly reminds Gideon that if Harrow truly were capable of anything for Lyctorhood, she might already have become one.