Ruhn dreams himself onto the mental bridge where he meets Agent Daybright again. He realizes he must have fallen asleep on Bryce's couch after spending the night with Ithan and Declan reviewing footage for signs of Emile and the Reapers. Daybright explains that the crystal was likely only needed to establish their connection; now that their minds know how to find each other, Ruhn can reach her while sleeping or unconscious.

Daybright says she has urgent intelligence for Ophion: in three days, an imperial train will leave the Eternal City for Forvos carrying a prototype mech-suit, brimstone missiles, guns, and ammunition. She advises that the shipment should be destroyed rather than stolen, because trying to unload it will get the attackers caught. Ruhn asks about Pippa Spetsos and the guards on the train, learning that wolves and armed angel scouts will protect it, but Daybright refuses to answer questions about identities or assignments and warns him that he is asking too much.

The conversation turns sharper when Daybright criticizes Ruhn for being careless with information. She tells him that if he knows the identity of a highly placed rebel ally, he is a danger to that person if he is ever captured and tortured. When Ruhn mentions Sofie, Daybright orders him to use Sofie's code name, Agent Cypress, and implies she assumed Sofie was dead. Ruhn presses her for where Sofie might go if she survived, and Daybright immediately ends the meeting.

The next morning, Ruhn tells the others about the train. Hunt is deeply unsettled by the idea that the Asteri are building their own mech-suit, because he knows from war experience how dangerous such weapons are, and he suspects the intelligence could be a trap or the result of compromised rebel channels. Cormac insists on reporting the information and acting on it, while Bryce pushes back, saying the hit is Ophion's business and that their group needs to stay focused on finding Emile and questioning the Under-King in the Bone Quarter.

The argument exposes more tension between Bryce, Hunt, and Cormac. Cormac warns that Bryce and Hunt's obvious sexual scent will undermine the fake betrothal, and Bryce deliberately embarrasses him by bluntly naming what happened between her and Hunt. Even with the conflict unresolved, Cormac asks to be told if Bryce finds Emile, then leaves with Ruhn to pursue the train lead. Ruhn invites Ithan to come as well, and Ithan agrees despite the risk of being caught helping rebels.

With the group split, Bryce and Hunt return to their own mission. They prepare to visit the Bone Quarter and confront the Under-King about the Reaper trail near the Black Dock. In private, their banter over Bryce's outfit shows their new intimacy, but the playful moment sits beside the chapter's larger danger: while Ruhn moves closer to open rebel involvement, Bryce and Hunt head toward another confrontation in a deadly part of the city.