Kiela makes raspberry jam while Larran builds the bookshelf-wall that will partition her shop from her living quarters, with Caz acting as assistant. As Larran sings a herder lullaby, he reveals he had watched Kiela as a child when she cared for his orphaned merhorse foal in her family's cove. He had hidden the foal there because his grocer parents, harsh and unkind, would have rather let it die than allow him to become a herder. Kiela realizes her own parents' kindness contrasted sharply with Larran's upbringing.

Larran returns with wood and an 'apology fish' from Sian and offers to cook lunch. When he begins searching her cabinets uninvited, Kiela tenses, worried about the hidden spellbooks, and asks him politely to ask first. He apologizes sincerely. Kiela suspects his kindness is merely repayment for her childhood care of the foal, but he hints his motives go deeper.

Outside, Caz urges Kiela to trust people and accept that Larran genuinely likes her. Kiela worries that friendships endanger their secret but agrees to try. She and Larran share a warmer meal, during which he reveals his herder mentor died in a magical storm three years ago, the first severe one after the sorcerers abandoned their circuits.

While assembling the shelf wall, Larran describes the lost magical services sorcerers provided—calming seas, strengthening soil, healing orchards, aiding merhorse births. Kiela quietly resolves to find disguised spell-based solutions. Larran then reveals he plans to sail to Alyssium on the next trade ship to petition the emperor directly. Horrified, knowing the capital is in violent upheaval, Kiela and Caz urge him not to go. Unable to reveal her fugitive status, Kiela makes him promise to speak with her before leaving, though Larran insists he is going regardless.