The train delivers Iris Winnow and Thea Attwood to Avalon Bluff late at night, leaving them the only passengers. The town appears ancient, silent, and unlit, with houses of stone and thatch and an unsettling absence of life and sound. Following Helena Hammond’s directions, they locate Marisol’s B and B with its castle-like green door, noticing boarded interior windows and an air of caution.

When Iris knocks, Marisol Torres, cautious and surprised to see two young women, ushers them inside. The foyer and kitchen are warmly kept by candlelight, with interior boards over windows and doors, suggesting defensive measures. Marisol offers food and her grandmother’s hot cocoa while confirming Iris and Attie’s ages and gently questioning their youth for war reporting.

Over cooking and conversation, Attie shares she is the eldest of six; Iris admits her brother Forest fights for Enva. Marisol reveals she has two chosen younger sisters and wears a wedding band, though she appears to live alone. The comfortable meal calms Iris, though she remains uneasy about the town’s darkness and curfew.

After dinner, Marisol explains Avalon Bluff’s strict siren system. A continuous night siren signals the imminent arrival of hounds; all lights must be extinguished, windows covered, and everyone locked indoors within three minutes before gathering in Marisol’s room. A continuous daytime siren warns of eithrals—wyverns used by Dacre to drop bombs—requiring occupants to cover windows and keep still; anyone caught outside must lie down and not move.

Marisol details a third, intermittent siren—unheard yet in Avalon Bluff—that would signal the western lines’ retreat and an approaching enemy; immediate evacuation east is required. She plans to prepare pantry dash-packs with essentials. She adds that Clover Hill, a nearby town with a weather siren and good vantage, provides the alerts. The railway travels at night to outrun hounds and avoid daytime eithral targeting.

Marisol enforces a local practice of using candles instead of electric lights at night to reduce detection. She gives Iris and Attie adjacent rooms upstairs, encourages rest, and sets plans for breakfast at eight followed by preparing food for and interviewing soldiers at the infirmary. Iris chooses a green-themed room with a writing desk and opts for candlelight, while Attie selects a red room across the hall. The night ends without a siren, with Iris mindful of Dacre’s hounds and the looming dangers.