Evie endures a hostile dinner on the deck of a ship with Trystan, her father, King Benedict, and several others. When Griffin insults Evie, Trystan threatens him, but Griffin scoffs that Trystan is now powerless without his magic. Evie escalates the tension by insulting the food and throwing a bread roll at her father’s head. Trystan defuses the situation by starting a conversation about The Cunning Corset Society. The dinner devolves into further arguments, culminating in Trystan grabbing Lord Charles. Trystan reveals that years ago, it was Charles who first officially declared him The Villain.

As the chapter opens, Kingsley is once again a frog. Benedict tries to bargain for the key and Fate’s storybook, but Trystan refuses. Griffin argues that fulfilling the curse would make Trystan the king’s heir, but Trystan states he would never want a life where he and Evie are enemies. Winnifred then deliberately pours a pitcher of water on Benedict. Trystan defends her and ends the negotiation.

In the manor kitchens, Lyssa, Gideon, and Keeley ask Edwin if he recognizes the handkerchief. They are joined by Joseph, who identifies the lace on Lyssa’s handkerchief as belonging to a “cape of enchantment” from the Erodina line of enchantresses. Joseph explains the ‘E’ stands for Erodina and that the handkerchief belongs to Winnifred. Since she arrived too recently to have sent the notes, they conclude she must have given it to someone else. Ms. Erring sends Blade for a raven to contact Roland, saying she has an idea, while Gideon suggests also sending one to Evie. Edwin advises them to wait until morning since the group is still on the boat. Suddenly, a giant guvre eye appears in the window, and the room is flooded with the creature’s venom.

On the ship’s deck, Griffin attempts to manipulate Evie by telling her that Trystan is destined to abandon her. Later, the captain sincerely apologizes to her for the situation. Inside her cabin, Evie confesses her fears of abandonment to Trystan, who angrily refutes the idea he would ever leave her and makes her acknowledge this truth. Because the cabin doors do not lock, Trystan decides to stand watch outside her door for the night. He asks her to meet him before sunrise to plan their next move. Left alone, Evie conceives of a risky new plan.

Becky and the others awaken from the guvre venom attack to find the kitchen magically transformed into a vivid, beautiful space. Fate appears and explains that the combination of Lyssa’s starlight and the venom has creative properties that restored life to the room, noting that the world’s magic has been dwindling and must be “painted again.” The magical energy also changes everyone’s clothing into colorful new outfits, though Blade’s remains the same. Joseph then reveals he had been suffering from the Mystic Illness and announces that the magical event has cured him.

Before dawn, Trystan meets Evie, Clare, and Alexander on the ship’s deck to plan their escape to shore ahead of Benedict. Alexander holds up a sign reading “PROPOSE,” revealing that Clare intends to ask for Captain Jones’s blessing to marry Tatianna. Tatianna suggests Evie and Trystan take one of the light boats, but Trystan points out there are only two and a missing one would be noticed. In response, Evie strips down to her undergarments, climbs over the ship’s railing, and jumps into the sea, intending to swim to shore.

Trystan jumps into the sea after Evie. During their swim toward shore, he suddenly vanishes beneath the waves. A panicked Evie uses her dark magic to locate his unconscious body and bring them both to the beach, where she revives him by pounding on his chest. Trystan explains that he dropped the key but managed to retrieve it. They agree to find her some clothes before heading to the Garden of Rennedawn.

At Lyssa’s request, Gideon travels with Keeley to their abandoned family cottage to retrieve stories Lyssa wrote as a child. They find Lyssa’s old writings, including a story titled “Trystan and the Lost Princess” (276). Gideon and Keeley’s connection deepens, and they share a passionate kiss, accidentally knocking over a stack of books. A cookbook falls open, revealing a hollowed-out space.

Evie and Trystan arrive at the Gardens of Rennedawn, where Evie creates a distraction so they can sneak past the guard. Inside, they find the grave of Trystan’s father, Arthur. Overcome with emotion, Trystan finally grieves his father’s death and tells Evie he loves her. Trystan takes a shovel left at his father’s tombstone and begins to dig.

Gideon and Keeley return to the manor with a dozen jars of ink they found hidden in a cookbook. Gideon demonstrates that a drop of the ink on blank paper replicates what was written with that specific pot of ink. They infer Griffin used it to spy on Evie and communicate with Benedict. Testing the vials reveals one of Evie’s doodles and two notes signed by “A man trapped,” which detail a failed bomb plot against The Villain and state that “True love was never part of the plan” (282). Keeley objects that Marv has an alibi for the bombing, and Gideon finds himself uncertain that his father wrote the notes.