As dusk falls, Viv, Satchel, Fern, and Maylee descend from the bluff after discovering Varine's sigil. Viv carries Potroast and assures the group she'll inform Iridia tomorrow. Gallina splits off at The Perch, and Viv walks Fern to Thistleburr, where Fern finds a note announcing her book shipment will arrive the next day. Viv keeps Satchel another night as a precaution.

Walking Maylee home alone, Viv finally raises the subject of Maylee's earlier comment about being seen. She admits she's afraid of being careless and hurting Maylee, since she will eventually leave. Maylee gently acknowledges they see different futures—as if standing at different heights on the same hill—but insists the time they have together still matters. She kisses Viv at the corner of her mouth, says she won't break when Viv leaves, and refuses to discuss it further before slipping into Sea-Song.

Viv sleeps poorly, plagued by dreams of Varine and a sense that the necromancer can see her. She finds comfort sleeping with Blackblood across her chest. The next morning, exhausted, she leaves Blackblood behind and brings Satchel to Thistleburr, where Fern waits anxiously for her shipment. Viv coaxes Potroast into accepting bacon from her, earning the gryphet's tentative trust.

Pitts arrives with three heavy crates of books. He cryptically remarks, "Small stones tossed in the river. A thousand tiny prayers. The course is turned," puzzling Viv and Fern. After Pitts leaves, Viv pries the crates open, and Fern marvels at the smell of new books. Fern mentions she ordered some specifically for Viv, providing a welcome distraction from Viv's lingering dread of Varine.