Odessa and Ransom wake after two weeks of seclusion during which Ransom protected and cared for her following her near-strangulation; they make love and share quiet intimacy, but Ransom still fixates on the fading bruises at Odessa’s throat. Zavier visits to maintain the facade of marriage before the court, while Ransom’s mother Luella remains absent after having left Ellder with only a note to Evangeline. Odessa decides it is time to stop hiding and seek answers.

Left alone briefly, Odessa examines a handwritten plant journal Cathlin provided. An entry on cave ginger from Ozarth notes a rancid outer peel possibly absorbing alligask material, extensive testing, medicinal ingestion, and use as pigment; the peel’s dark-green-black color evokes Lyssa. Odessa recalls Cathlin’s covert book deliveries despite Luella’s earlier warnings, and she begins weaving connections among Allesaria, Ozarth, Laine, alligasks, cave ginger, Korakin, Fenek, and magic.

Odessa insists on discussing the Treow man she killed. After Ransom hesitates, Zavier confirms the man had Lyssa but exhibited unusual heat in death, which they believe might manifest differently in humans. Crucially, the man had no bite scar but did have fresh injection marks, indicating deliberate infection. Ransom reveals the man was from Allesaria.

Odessa deduces that someone is infecting humans to recreate the Guardian’s resilience and power, likely linked to the Voster and Allesaria. She realizes answers were being funneled to her indirectly and rushes to confront Cathlin in Evangeline’s classroom, sending Zavier off with his daughter to give privacy.

Odessa accuses Cathlin of knowing that the king is giving soldiers Lyssa to form a militia, and that the attempt is failing and killing them. Ransom is shaken, torn between suspicion and loyalty. When Cathlin remains silent, Odessa concludes Cathlin is bound by a blood oath and has been guiding Odessa through books and journals so Odessa could present the truth to Ransom.

Before Cathlin names anyone, Luella arrives hurriedly with a jar of dark green-black berries—identified by Odessa as cave ginger. The sight, combined with the journal’s feminine handwriting and Luella’s emphasis on Evangeline’s science lessons, tightens the threads of Odessa’s theory. Odessa declares that Luella is central to the origin story of Lyssa, implying Luella understands how it began.

Ransom, stunned, asks if Luella is working with King Ramsey. Odessa does not affirm that link but asserts that the person with the crucial story to tell is Luella, setting up a confrontation.