With Ariadne’s help, Emily Wilde and Wendell Bambleby clear the train compartment of the ivy Wendell accidentally conjured, shooing out sparrows and uncovering a surly vole for Wendell to deal with. The rest of the rail journey passes without further mysteries, and in Leoburg the group must hire a wagon to reach the high mountain village of St. Liesl.

The steep ascent through the Alps leaves Emily awed by the landscape and newly convinced how easily faerie doors could hide among the mountains’ folds and mists. Their elderly driver, Peter, brings them to the only guesthouse in town, run by Julia Haas. Inside, Rose immediately claims the farthest back bedroom and falls asleep quickly, leaving Emily to realize (too late) that three rooms for four travelers will be awkward.

Julia arrives with her daughters, Astrid and Elsa, bringing a hearty meal. Emily steers the conversation toward their research, and Julia mentions past scholars who came seeking answers about the vanished Danielle de Grey and also Eichorn, who disappeared searching for her. Julia adds that the village believes they found one of de Grey’s ribbons tied to a root near the route she took, and that Julia’s husband’s father can show the spot.

Julia explains that locals carry ribbons to mark their way because the mountains are full of faerie doors, especially in lingering mist and cloud; ribbons are soaked in saltwater during the full moon so the Folk will not touch them. When Julia abruptly insists on leaving before dark, she warns them to lock up, leave food on the doorstep for the nighttime Folk, and avoid a faerie den by the lakeshore.

After Julia and her daughters depart, Wendell and Emily go down to the lake with Shadow to investigate. They note the odd connection between Emily’s earlier ribbon-festooned visitor and St. Liesl’s ribbon custom, and Emily hints she has nearly identified the mystery man. At the lakeshore Wendell points out a faerie door at a spring hidden by mist, cautioning Emily not to step into it; Emily spots fox kits near the rocks and records observations despite Wendell’s disdain for the common fae.

Back at the cottage, they set out leftovers (including cheese and tomatoes) as an offering, then retire. Emily secures the mummified faerie foot under her bed with a salt circle, reviews her notes and ambitions for her mapbook of faerie doors, and finally notices a crucial detail about the guesthouse: there are four bedrooms, not three.