Jude wakes after the previous day’s humiliation, skips lectures, and focuses on Prince Dain’s mission: infiltrate Balekin’s Hollow Hall and find evidence of treason. Hungry for the power Dain has promised, Jude dresses as a human servant, reflects on how overlooked mortals can move through Faerie, and prepares to use that invisibility as an advantage.

Before Jude leaves, Vivi confronts Jude about what happened at the tournament and afterward. Jude refuses comfort, insists the disaster was Jude’s own mistake, and says Jude will make the Folk regret crossing her. Jude recognizes that Vivi only wants to help, but Jude pushes Vivi away and steadies herself by concentrating on impressing Dain.

Jude rides a giant toad to Hollow Hall, enters through the servants’ door, and sees drugged, exhausted human servants working beside faeries. A guard questions Jude, but Jude’s awkward impersonation of an ensorcelled human succeeds because the guard assumes humans belong in servitude. Moving deeper into the manor, Jude sees revelers stupefied by nevermore and realizes Balekin’s household is as cruel and decadent as rumored.

Jude follows a human girl into a bedroom and discovers it is Cardan’s room, not Balekin’s. The revelation frightens Jude because Cardan may recognize her and because Dain’s mission suddenly seems more dangerous, but Jude decides to continue. Jude notices the exhausted servant girl as an individual, steals a familiar copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland because it reminds Jude of Jude’s mother, and searches for Balekin’s private rooms.

In a tower study, Jude finds papers, maps, weapons, vials, and an unsigned letter about the provenance of a blusher mushroom, with a warning that the sender’s name must not be connected to it. Jude decides the letter may be useful evidence but cannot steal it without alerting Balekin, so Jude begins tracing a copy. Before Jude can finish, Balekin, Cardan, and an ensorcelled human servant enter, forcing Jude to hide under a chair.

From hiding, Jude watches Balekin demand that Cardan prove himself in swordplay. Balekin easily defeats Cardan, belittles him, and orders the servant to whip him as punishment. Cardan refuses Balekin’s invitation to murder the defenseless servant, surprising Jude, but Balekin resumes the beating; seeing Cardan’s fear and old scars, Jude understands that Cardan’s cruelty has been shaped by Balekin’s abuse and becomes frightened by what Cardan might become.