In the painted sea cave, Kiela tells Caz and Meep she must return to the cottage to act innocent and avoid casting suspicion on Larran, Bryn, Eadie, and Ulina. She briefly considers sailing back to Alyssium, since Radane's presence suggests the empire and library may still stand, but realizes she cannot bring Meep safely under unchanged imperial laws. She promises Caz she will flee back to the cave if things go wrong, then makes her way through the forest, surprised to realize the cottage now feels more like home than the library ever did.

At the cottage, Kiela overhears Larran politely stalling Radane, refusing her entry without proper documentation since Radane's papers were lost in the storm. Kiela emerges carrying a sprig of poisonous berries she'd mistaken for huckleberries, pretending she'd been foraging for jam ingredients. She grants Radane permission to search, surprising the inspector and undercutting her aggression.

Radane ransacks the cottage, finding nothing until she discovers Kiela's parents' cookbook. Despite Kiela's protests that it contains only recipes, Radane confiscates it as suspected coded spellwork, damaging a page in the process. Larran gently suggests Radane's bullying stems from fear, comparing her to an aggressive young merhorse, and advises her to treat islanders with respect. Radane bristles, invoking imperial authority.

Before leaving, Radane warns that if Kiela is found to be aiding the rogue sorcerer, all her property will be seized. Larran comforts a shaken Kiela, who recalls how imperial investigators once burned irreplaceable library books with impunity. She concludes she cannot stay on Caltrey without endangering her friends, but leaving immediately would also cast suspicion on them, leaving her uncertain what to do next.