Evie continues her painful exposure training with the enchanted dagger under Tatianna's supervision. She has made significant progress—she can now nearly stand while the dagger is inches from her, compared to collapsing in agony when they started. Tatianna insists they stop for the day, and Evie agrees, mentioning she needs to get home to her sister and father. Tatianna prepares a new pain potion she found for Evie's father.

While waiting, Clare sits beside Evie and apologizes for her initial coldness, explaining she is not good with new people and was ashamed of having unknowingly helped King Benedict. Clare describes how a Valiant Guard purchased blue ink from her shop after she was distracted by a heartbroken regular customer. She explains the magical properties of blue ink: when ink from the same vial is used, a single drop can reveal any word previously written with that inkpot, no matter where those drops end up. Clare compares it to a severed finger that still moves because it was once part of the same body.

Evie listens with growing intensity as Clare explains the ink is especially useful in office settings—any writing done with the ink can be copied with just a drop from the same vial. Evie's mind races as the implications sink in. Clare also reveals she gained her magic on the day Trystan became The Villain, calling it a hard day.

Tatianna finishes the pain potion for Evie's father and hands it over. Clare asks about Evie's father's illness, and Evie confirms he has the Mystic Illness. As Evie prepares to leave, Clare offers to give her some blue ink from a batch she's making, mentioning she already has an order for East Marigold. The name "East Marigold" causes Evie to freeze, her blood chilling, though she keeps her composure. Evie leaves the room with a renewed sense of purpose, having taken not just the pain potion but also another vial from the shelves near the door, clearly formulating a plan connected to the blue ink's truth-revealing properties and the East Marigold lead.