After the confrontation in the bookshop, Narelle—a ninety-three-year-old woman who has been guarding Asher Sorrengail's books—dismisses her injured grandchildren and settles in to test Violet. She initially mistakes Dain for Xaden, having been told by Asher that Violet would end up with a brown-haired, brown-eyed young man. Xaden bristles at being confused with Dain, and Mira can barely contain her laughter. Violet firmly introduces Xaden as hers, and Narelle notes that Asher never predicted Fen Riorson's son.

Narelle explains that Asher risked everything to hide his life's work and left explicit instructions that Violet—and only Violet—be given the books, provided she could prove she had the intelligence to comprehend them. Violet realizes the "rarest item" her father wanted her to bring was not a trade good but her own mind. Narelle then poses three questions. The first is easy: the title of Asher's manuscript, Subjugated: The Second Uprising of the Krovlan People. The second requires Violet to explain why the Krovlan uprising collapsed. Drawing on a linguistic insight from Colonel Hashbeigh's interrogation records—where "tailfeathers" in common tongue was actually "feathertails" (dragons) in Krovlish—Violet argues that Deverelli brokered a deal in which Krovla was to supply dragons to an unnamed isle's army. When Krovla failed to deliver, the deal collapsed, leading to the Midnight Massacre. Dain corroborates her reasoning, and Violet pointedly notes that Dain's father, who knew about Asher's manuscript, must have been someone Asher stopped trusting.

The third question catches Violet off guard: Narelle asks why Violet left "the prince." Embarrassed but honest, Violet reveals she caught Prince Halden in a sexual encounter with one of his professors and walked away, recognizing she deserved to be loved properly. Narelle approves, declaring Asher would be proud, and instructs her daughter Leona to retrieve the books. Mira offers to carry them and is stung when Narelle implies Asher deliberately excluded Mira—each daughter was raised for a different purpose, Violet by their father and Mira by their mother.

The group leaves the bookshop with six passcode-locked tomes written by Asher. Later that afternoon, Violet soaks in a wooden bathtub at their lodgings, reflecting on the day and missing her mental bond with Xaden, which doesn't function in Deverelli. Xaden returns from borrowing Ridoc's bath wearing only a towel, and after confirming Violet is rested and recovered, he kisses her passionately.