In Lucy’s laundry room in River Down, Iris sets up her typewriter in front of the house’s only wardrobe, hoping the magic connection to Roman still works. When no letter appears, Iris fears the bond between their wardrobes has been broken. Iris begins writing to Roman, addressing him as Kitt and asking if he is safe, but Iris tears up the note because Iris cannot risk exposing him if Dacre intercepts it.

Elsewhere, Roman is traveling with Dacre’s forces and spends the night in an abandoned farmhouse. While soldiers feast on food found in the cellar, Roman studies a mysterious letter containing three questions and decides to answer it before showing it to Dacre, hoping to learn something useful first. Writing feels instinctively familiar and comforting to Roman, and after finishing, Roman slips his reply beneath the wardrobe door, unknowingly restoring the line of communication Iris thought she had lost.

That evening, Iris joins Lucy, Marisol, Attie, and Tobias for dinner. Their conversation about music and the composer G.W. Winters is interrupted by a radio announcement from Chancellor Verlice ordering all visitors to Oath to register themselves and their relatives, making clear that refugees are being targeted for surveillance. The group then discusses the worsening war: River Down has begun receiving displaced families, Dacre is still at Avalon Bluff, and Marisol shares Keegan’s warning that Enva’s forces have fallen back to Hawk Shire and may not withstand another major push.

When Tobias reveals that Helena instructed him to take Iris and Attie as far as Winthrop, Marisol reacts with alarm because the town is too close to the front and because Marisol fears for Keegan’s safety. After Lucy leaves to comfort the distraught Marisol, Tobias offers to take the women home, but both Iris and Attie insist on continuing. Tobias then lays out emergency plans: if Tobias is delayed or cannot return, Iris and Attie must stay put unless an evacuation is called, in which case they must get back to Oath immediately. The chapter ends with all three accepting the risks ahead.