The chapter opens with Violet's terror as Ridoc appears to have been stabbed by the cook's thrown knife. However, the blade only sliced through his flight jacket without piercing his body. Relieved and furious, Ridoc beats the cook unconscious with his fists, reclaiming Violet's dagger and lamenting the damage to his jacket. He and Violet share a brief emotional moment before returning to the dining room, where Garrick remains in critical condition.

Using her father's field guide, Violet identifies the poison as fermented zakia berries and finds the treatment: fig or lime administered to the back of the throat within one hour. She dispatches Dain to retrieve figs from the veranda and Aaric to fetch fresh water. Dain prepares a fig slurry, and the team manages to get Garrick to swallow it. After tense minutes, Garrick regains consciousness, declaring this his "least favorite isle." Xaden, overcome with rage, attacks Faris—slamming him against the wall and holding a blade to his throat—but Violet intervenes, urging Xaden to regain control. He withdraws and retreats to the far wall.

Violet then confronts Faris with the full scope of her leverage. She explains how arinmint combined with tarsilla bark becomes deadly, reveals that she knows Faris sent his sons away for safety, and discloses that Andarna—an invisible irid dragon—is stationed at his parents' house where his children sleep. Cornered by the threat to his sons, his own poisoning, and the prospect of public humiliation if it became known he was outsmarted, Faris capitulates. He drinks the antidote, tacitly agreeing to let them leave under the cover story of a family-based alliance through Talia's bloodline connection to Xaden, the Duke of Tyrrendor. Faris recognizes Violet's eyes and identifies her as Asher Daxton's daughter. Xaden does not acknowledge his mother Talia as they depart.

The group flies northwest through the night along trading routes, searching for irids on the remaining major isles. Violet struggles with pain from her ribs and anxiety about being so far from home, where a court-martial awaits if they return empty-handed. By the next day, they reach the archipelago leading to Zehyllna. During the approach, Violet observes that the gryphon Kiralair has fallen back to match pace with Silaraine, and Tairn notes that Catriona seems to have found someone worth protecting.

Upon reaching Zehyllna's coast, the group is stunned to find the locals waving at them rather than attacking. They follow a river inland through lush hills and waterfalls to the capital city of Xortrys, a breathtaking settlement built at the base of an enormous waterfall. At the south bridge, they discover a massive amphitheater-like clearing with stands half-filled with cheering spectators who clearly expected their arrival. As the dragons and gryphons land to thunderous applause, Tairn senses something in the ground, and Violet feels a prickling rush of energy up her body—magic. The chapter ends with the startling realization that magic exists on Zehyllna.