After Krystjan Egilson leaves, Emily bars the cottage door and unsuccessfully tries to make a fire. A second knock brings relief: Finn Krystjanson arrives, helps her inside, quickly lights the fire, and explains how she must manage in the isolated cottage, including where to fetch water, use the privy, buy supplies, and take meals. Finn also brings food and shows easy competence in practical matters that Emily lacks.

As Finn works, he asks about Emily’s book, and Emily explains that she is completing a comprehensive encyclopaedia of all known faerie species, with the Hidden Ones as her final fieldwork subject. Their conversation turns to local stories. Finn doubts that village tales can be fully trusted because stories vary and are embellished, but Emily insists that even altered faerie stories contain truths because stories shape the Folk’s behavior and reveal patterns in their world.

The conversation becomes awkward when Emily asks after Finn’s mother and learns that she died more than a year earlier, a fact Emily had forgotten from Krystjan’s letters. Emily then missteps again by suggesting Krystjan must be proud of Finn’s baking, which seems to touch another sore point. Finn recovers his politeness, gives Emily the bread, cheese, and fish he brought, arranges breakfast for the next morning, and hands her a letter that arrived for her from Cambridge before leaving.

Once alone, Emily tends to Shadow, reflects on the dark forest claimed by the Hidden Ones, and finally opens the letter. It is from Dr. Wendell Bambleby, whose teasing tone, flattering caricature, and amusing gossip annoy and entertain her in equal measure. More importantly, Wendell says he worries about her safety and hints that he has set plans in motion that might make her sending reports unnecessary, which makes Emily fear he may try to join her in Hrafnsvik. After considering his habits and reliance on students, Emily persuades herself he is unlikely to come, though the thought unsettles her.

Wendell also promises to write the foreword to her encyclopaedia, reminding Emily both of his professional importance and of her dependence on support she resents needing. Emily throws the letter into the fire, then calms herself by caring for Shadow and unpacking her manuscript. Looking over the five hundred pages of her life’s work and arranging her materials on the table, Emily reorients herself toward the purpose of the journey and goes to bed ready to begin her research in earnest.