On the way back from Dr. Pike's castle, Amy, Olivia, Zahnrad and Djivan are stalked by a bush, which eventually attacks the gypsy. After prying them apart, the bush (aka Gunther Kettenrad) tells of another invasion, this time by huge people with money. He runs off when a voice calls out, which belongs to a young khatta girl named Kalila.

There are few tense moments when her bodyguard Azar shows up (especially since Kalila tried to hide behind Amelia's tail) but Olivia smooths things over. As they leave to take Kalila back to the cottage rented by her mother, Lady Inaya, Olivia and Djivan split off to take care of an errand.

At the cottage, Lady Inaya shows a remarkable amount of knowledge, knowing Amelia already. She heard about the defeat of Valicross, and had come from Abu Dhabi to confirm it and offer her own rewards, since the necromancer had killed her older sister, Tasha, while she was still a child herself.