As Ophelia and Genevieve walk home from the morgue, Ophelia notices that New Orleans feels wrong. The Garden District is unusually empty and shadowed, and the silence unsettles her because it does not match the busy tourist season. Genevieve assumes people are avoiding possible rain, but Ophelia senses something more dangerous in the air.

When Genevieve spots friends in a cafe and runs inside to greet them, Ophelia is left outside alone. Watching Genevieve laugh easily with people she has never mentioned makes Ophelia feel isolated, and the Shadow Voice uses that moment to encourage jealousy and violence. Ophelia stops the voice by tapping her knuckle against the glass, then overhears two young men gossiping about Farrow Henry entering a place so dangerous they doubt he will last even two nights.

Alone outside the cafe, Ophelia sees another Apparition in Grimm Blue and realizes the dead now recognize her as Tessie Grimm's heir. Ophelia rejects that identity and tells the spirit to leave, but it vanishes only when a passerby walks through it. A second overheard conversation mentions that some threatening presence has been seen near the old cathedral where a cemetery used to be, confirming for Ophelia that the city's strange mood is tied to real rumors of danger.

Ophelia interrupts Genevieve's quiet conversation and insists they leave before dark. Once outside, Genevieve notices Ophelia's distress and realizes that Ophelia can now see the dead. To distract Ophelia, Genevieve explains the gossip about Farrow Henry, an infamous bachelor who once invited her to a ball, stood her up, and lost any chance with her. The exchange briefly lightens the mood and shows Genevieve's bold, less sheltered social life.

As night falls, both sisters quicken their pace because Tessie taught them never to look back if the dark looks at them and never to bargain with a Devil. Ophelia reflects on how her Grimm Blue eyes now unsettle others the way Tessie's did, while Genevieve admits it is harder to look at her. Genevieve is also disturbed by something one of her friends said but refuses to explain, and Ophelia ends the chapter determined to get them home quickly by carriage.