Overview

After returning from confronting the Ardent Oarsman, Six spends three days training intensively with Rory, Maude, Benji, and the gargoyle to prepare for the agreed match. Rory pushes Six through grueling footwork, sparring, and mastery of the Artful Brigand’s coin, revealing its two rules and tactics to counter the Oarsman’s reach and pool advantage. Tensions surface over Six’s readiness, culminating in a charged moment between Six and Rory and a late-night overheard debate where Maude doubts the timeline and fears for Six’s life. On the eve of the duel, Rory invites a restless Six out to a nearby place to help her settle before the fight.

Full Summary

At dawn after returning from the Oarsman’s castle, Six wakes in the inn room she shares with Maude and the gargoyle and struggles to dress in unfamiliar boots, with Maude’s practical help and the gargoyle’s barbs. In the corridor, Rory, out of armor and carrying hot broth, tells Six there is a heavy day ahead and leads her to a steep lookout stair for training.

On the mountain stairs, Rory drills Six on speed and light footing, warning that the Ardent Oarsman is ancient and lethal, with an oar that can shatter her skull if she is slow. They move to an upland to spar in the rain; Rory tests Six’s reflexes through her shroud and repeatedly evades her using the coin’s flicker, telling her to anticipate and close distance against reach. Frustration peaks as Six rails that Divination was a lie and that finding the missing Diviners is personal; she then tackles Rory, pins him with strength, and learns to choke with forearm control at close range. Their physical tension nearly becomes a kiss before Benji, Maude, and the gargoyle interrupt.

Maude doubts that scalding ink will suffice, so Rory presents the Artful Brigand’s coin to Six and explains its rules: smooth side up transports the thrower like a ghost to where it lands without contacting obstacles; rough side up breaks through anything until it loses momentum, though the thrower must chase it. Six practices teleporting to positions near Maude and goading Rory, then plays a catching game as her allies try to tag her before she flickers, with Rory consistently anticipating her.

They escalate to destructive throws with the rough side, shattering stones and wood, and set a square of sticks to simulate the Oarsman’s pool. Rory instructs Six to draw the Omen away from water to negate the oar’s magic and fight a man, not a god. Despite improvement, Maude’s worry deepens as time runs short.

That night, Six overhears Rory, Maude, and Benji outside her door. Maude argues three days is not enough and that she or Rory should face the Oarsman; she fears Six will die without having lived. Benji urges doing things properly since the Oarsman challenged Six. Rory, in a low, firm voice, insists Six can win and declares he has no doubt. Maude returns to the room without comment, and Six lies awake wrestling with fear of dying, killing, and living.

For two more days, training continues: stair sprints, anticipating flickers from Rory’s coin and Benji’s inkwell, and precise breaking throws targeting imagined joints. Six hits her marks for the Diviners, but falters when haunted by Maude’s words. On the third night, with the storm cleared and the sky serene, Six sits sleepless at the window until Rory knocks. Finding her awake in a nightshirt, he shyly invites her to a nearby place to ease her restlessness, telling her she won’t need shoes.

Who Appears

• Six — Diviner and narrator; trains intensively, learns to use the Artful Brigand’s coin, spars with Rory, confronts doubts about Divination, and prepares to face the Ardent Oarsman.
• Rory Myndacious — knight and trainer; drills Six on footwork and tactics, reveals the coin’s two rules, expresses belief in Six, shares a charged near-intimate moment, and invites her out at night.
• Maude — knight; helps Six dress, trains with her, voices strong doubts about the timeline and fears for Six’s life, argues she or Rory should fight instead.
• Benji — king; recovering from the ceremony, participates in training using the Harried Scribe’s inkwell, advocates honoring the Oarsman’s challenge.
• The gargoyle — companion; offers commentary, helps gather training materials, watches and occasionally assists Six back to bed.
• Ardent Oarsman — Omen; does not appear directly but is the focus of preparation and strategy.