At the port of Abu Dhabi, Arkold, Tulani and Raneah find a fishing vessel flying the flag of Northern Shore, a Sylvanian County. Raneah takes to the water while nobody (except Arkold) is looking, and Tulani works out a deal with the captain of the vessel (a Korv) for passage. To cover their way, Tulani offers to work as an aerial scout, while Arkold offers to pull his own weight. The vessel also has a few Savanites and a Rhian for crew.

The next day, they are on the ocean, pursuing a school of rapierfish. Tulani spies them by air, and Raneah surreptitiously herds the fish toward the waiting nets. Arkold helps to pull in the nets, though he seems to be suffering from a heat that no one else feels – which he chalks up to being some sort of bug he must have caught in Abu Dhabi … or perhaps having to do with him not partaking of "spice" as much as he's used to.

Tulani discovers that the captain has a talent with "Ice Magic," though he's not a College-accredited mage. The Korv, for his part, has figured out that there's a "mermaid" following the vessel, and offers that if she wants to sleep on the deck at night, that's fine by him. Everyone, after all, has their secrets.