As they walk, Odessa presses Ransom about his earlier revelation that Ramsey tried to kill Ransom’s mother. Ransom describes his parents’ political marriage: his mother, daughter of a wealthy Perris noble, was made queen to fund Ramsey’s crown. She never loved Ramsey, though Ramsey loved her deeply, which hardened him over time as his devotion was not returned.

Ransom explains that his mother lost her family during the last crux migration and took over her father’s shipping empire by appointing Mikhail, a young Ozarth captain and her lover, to run it. Ramsey, who had remained faithful, discovered the affair in Allesaria. Ransom recounts finding the aftermath: Mikhail beaten to death and Ramsey strangling Ransom’s mother until Ransom struck Ramsey unconscious with the hilt of a new dagger.

Ransom hid his mother while she recovered for weeks, and she never returned to Allesaria. Years later, when she became pregnant, Ransom took her to Ozarth; after Evangeline’s birth, his mother asked to return so she would not live apart from Ransom. Ransom later visited Ramsey, who begged for the queen’s return so he could “finish the task,” prompting Ransom to leave and sever ties with the court.

Odessa asks about Evangeline’s paternity. Ransom denies Mikhail is the father and implies Evangeline is Ramsey’s daughter, making her a Turan princess. He adds that Zavier loves Evangeline as his own and serves as her public guardian; for her protection, they have crafted a story that she is Zavier’s ward from Ozarth, not his daughter, so she is not targeted as royal. Ransom insists Zavier will never surrender Evangeline and that their arrangement began before Ransom’s Lyssa bite, after which Zavier continued as his double.

Ransom clarifies Zavier is his cousin, formerly next in the line of succession, but Turah’s succession passes to the king and queen’s eldest child regardless of gender, so Evangeline now has a claim. Ransom vows Evangeline will not enter Allesaria while Ramsey lives, and says if she later chooses court life, he will not stop her. He accepts that he will work from the shadows as the Guardian while Zavier serves publicly, prioritizing the realm’s safety over titles.

When Odessa challenges Ransom’s characterization of their fathers, he warns of a looming threat beyond the crux migration. Concluding the walk, Ransom states his belief that King Margot has found a way to break the Shield of Sparrows. When Odessa asks how, Ransom says it would be done by killing the Voster and ending their magic bonds, which would dissolve the peace maintained by the Shield.