Eve and Jynx arrive in Half Valley, dropped off by the Aelfin Captain Mountainglade. They try to find a place to stay the night, as the sun is going down, and the valley fills with a thick fog. They encounter a night watchman, who overhears Eve's fuff'nar ("Pookums") from her handbag. A struggle follows over the fuff'nar, during which Eve's handbag rips in two, setting the creature free. Eve runs after it, and Jynx gives pursuit … only to stumble upon some thugs in the alleyway, who have waylaid a Jupani – and who capture Eve when she blunders in on their foul deed.

Jynx comes to the rescue, though he is wounded in the melee. The night watch arrives, and the criminals flee. Jynx, Eve and the Jupani – Sir Oxmun of Xanashire – are taken to "Levitha's Blanket", an inn named after the fog that regularly enshrouds the valley. There, Eve enjoys Harvest Tide treats and tells stories of Jynx's exploits, while Jynx learns about the Society of Cinders from the wounded Jupani – an organization that seeks to bring about a great disaster on Sinai, by using an artifact of unknown powers once possessed by Lord Calderas.

Jynx seeks the Jupani's help in finding his grandmother, Lady Martinette, and the wolf indicates that the Society of Cinders has an interest in finding her as well – and that Jynx might be able to find her by infiltrating the organization. Oxmun also reveals to Jynx a startling fact about his grandmother – After the destruction of the Compass Rose, she became Lady Calderas! This is why she is believed to possess Calderas' artifact. Jynx is shocked by this news, but agrees to take part in a scheme that involves disguising himself as a lion-Khatta prince from the Khattan Emirate of the Himaat, in order to become an initiate of the Society of Cinders.