Waking at three in the morning on Elspeth’s boat, Alice rouses Peter and urges him to find the Dialetheia before Elspeth does. She argues Elspeth cannot return to life and that securing the artifact themselves would let them reach Lord Yama’s court, save Professor Grimes, and secure their own exits.

Alice outlines a plan: distract Elspeth while Peter inscribes a pentagram and deploys the Liar Paradox to suspend truth and lower Elspeth’s guard. Peter warns such tricks are easily warded and notes Elspeth just saved them. Alice insists Elspeth now trusts them and adds that success would mean Peter would not need to exchange her. Peter falls silent, withholding agreement.

Archimedes appears, seeming to judge, then slips away. Left wakeful, Alice reflects on a past accusation that she craves validation, and rejects it. She recalls the exhilaration of discovery, the bodily transcendence of deep work, and the communal joy of debates with classmates, including Peter’s bliss at the blackboard.

She contrasts scientific breakthroughs with magick’s stagnation, then remembers Professor Grimes’s assurances that their art pierces toward truth. Concluding, Alice affirms she loves the work itself—not prestige—and, unlike Elspeth, still finds meaning in it. She resolves to survive and press on, even as her plan to betray Elspeth takes shape.