Nico steps out of the shower to find Eilif, Gideon's mermaid mother, perched on his bathroom sink. She has bypassed the Society's wards by exploiting a gap in the creature-specific protections and demands that Nico remove the wards he placed around Gideon, her son. Nico refuses, reminding her that Gideon doesn't want her interference. Eilif reveals she has been searching for Nico's location and called in favors to find him, hinting at her network of unsavory connections. She tries seduction and siren tricks on Nico, but he remains unmoved. After a heated exchange—during which Nico accuses her of abandoning Gideon as an infant in Nova Scotia and only returning to exploit him—Eilif reluctantly retreats, vanishing from the room.

Nico reflects on his failed attempts to find useful information in the Society's archives about Gideon's hybrid nature. His requests about creature offspring, partial human life spans, and related topics have been systematically denied, just as Libby's earlier request was. The archives only provide generic, encyclopedic sources. Nico realizes that gaining access to deeper resources will require completing initiation and entering the independent study year. Libby hears commotion from the hallway but doesn't investigate further.

That night, Nico enters the dream realms to meet Gideon, who appears confined within a jail cell representing the Society's subconscious wards. Nico warns Gideon that Eilif is actively searching for him and that the protective ward will eventually be broken. Gideon is frustrated to learn Nico secretly set up a ward against his mother without telling him, and the two argue about boundaries and protectiveness. Nico passionately insists that Gideon's problems are his own, revealing the depth of their bond. Gideon mentions his mother has tried to drown him before and may want him for some unknown purpose, though he downplays the danger with dark humor.

The conversation shifts to lighter territory as Gideon asks about Nico's wellbeing. Nico reports that he and Libby are getting along better, mostly arguing about academic theories, and that he's on good terms with Reina. He's content overall, though he misses freedom and personal connections outside the house. Gideon abruptly ends the dream visit, sending Nico back to waking consciousness. They exchange affectionate texts, underscoring their deep, devoted friendship and Gideon's ability to navigate the dream realms at will.