Ead departs the Priory with the ichneumon Aralaq, armed and wearing a postulant's white cloak, to seek out the exiled witch Kalyba in the Bower of Eternity deep in the southern forest. Chassar sees her off, reminding her that Kalyba's siden has faded after twenty years without the orange tree's fruit. After a day and night of travel through the jungle, crossing the Minara River, Ead enters the enchanted Bower alone, burning through Kalyba's illusions with magefire. She encounters spectral voices singing in ancient Inysh, a phantom child, and finally Kalyba herself emerging from a spring-fed pool.

Ead poses as a disaffected sister seeking to become Kalyba's student, flattering the witch and claiming she wants to learn the "whole truth of magic." In exchange for a kiss, Kalyba reveals that there are two branches of magic: siden (terrene, from the earth's core, channeled through trees like the orange, hawthorn, and mulberry) and sterren (sidereal, from stars, channeled through "star rot" left by the Long-Haired Star/comet). The two forms keep each other in balance—when one waxes, the other wanes. The Nameless One and his followers are "children of the imbalance," born when sterren grew too strong and siden responded by forging abominations. Eastern dragons are natural channels of sterren, able to dream-weave and shapeshift. Kalyba herself forged Ascalon, the legendary sword, from star rot using her siden—a perfect union of both magics—and gave it to Galian Berethnet, who hid it from her.

When Ead asks about the jewels, Kalyba says she never forged anything else from sterren, but hints other sterren objects may exist. Ead wisely does not mention the jewel she found in Cleolind's tomb. Kalyba demands a promise: bring her fruit from the orange tree in exchange for all her knowledge. Ead swears the oath, though she has no intention of fulfilling it.

Back at the Priory, Ead reports to the Prioress and Chassar. The Prioress is skeptical of Kalyba's claims but acknowledges the jewels must be sterren. They conclude that defeating the Nameless One requires both Ascalon and the jewels—and they have only one of three instruments. The Prioress mentions "Neporo," an Easterner referenced in the scrolls, and dismisses Ead's suggestion that Cleolind was interested in the wider world.

That evening, Ead's childhood rival Nairuj prepares her for initiation into the Red Damsels. They exchange stories—Nairuj describes the growing wyrm threat in the South, while Ead shares tales of the Inysh court. The ceremony takes place in Cleolind's burial chamber, lit by 120 candles. Chassar places the red cloak on Ead's shoulders, and the Prioress gives her the sunstone ring. As Ead turns to face the assembly, she spots an impossibility among the Sons of Siyāti: Loth, alive and present at the Priory.