Elijah, Bhuz, Watches-Quietly, Inri and their new companion Srinala come to the riverside town of Wyrmwood, at the edge of the Forbidden Zone of Shabar. There, a number of riverboats and barges are docked for the night, including a sinister dark barge, and one that bears Babelite markings – both of which Elijah decides to steer clear of. Elijah thanks Bhuz for his service, and gives him another copper piece to help him on his way back. At an inn called the Wyrmwood Wayside, Elijah gets rooms for the night, and Inri uses Shadow Magic to provide a bit of privacy from prying Eeee ears, while Elijah converses with Srinala, trying to figure out why she's acting so strangely.

Elijah goes down to the main room to order dinner, and observes three black-furred Katthas (digitigrade felines) near the fireplace, and goes over to introduce himself, learning that one of their number is named Kagesa, and that they are accompanying "the Lady" on a journey to the Hekoye Nations. A fourth one arrives, and speaks in what Elijah presumes to be Olympian, despite the somewhat Himaatian appearance of the ladies' garb.

The Vartan brings dinner to the others, speaks with Inri and Watches-Quietly, and then gets an idea to use the Amber Mask to examine Srinala. He discovers that while she is asleep, there is a magical "thread" that reaches from her off in the general direction of Babel … but while Srinala is awake, the connection vanishes.