Kehn brings Hilo the jade buttons from the latest seized cargo ship. Hilo is pleased with the cooperation between Kehn and Shae. Kehn confirms Nau Suen and the Mountain have been keeping their end of the bargain and also working to end smuggling.

Hilo meets with Mr. and Mrs. Eyun, whose sixteen-year-old daughter was beaten and raped by two Espenian soldiers stationed in Janloon. Mr. Eyun demands vengeance, but Hilo explains that the soldiers are in Espenian custody and cannot be reached, implying future retribution. He tells them the clan doesn’t forget offenses and advises them to accept monetary compensation.

Hami, Councilman Kowi, and two senior Lantern Men arrive to request that Shae be removed as Weather Man. They cite the scandal of the recent article and argue that she’s damaging No Peak’s reputation. Hilo dismisses their concerns, stating that Ayt orchestrated the smear campaign. He refuses to oust Shae, pointing out their hypocrisy by reminding them they never complained about his grandfather keeping Yun Doru in power, despite his affairs. When Hami defends their position, Hilo ends the meeting by declaring that he appointed Shae and won’t remove her. After they leave, Hilo calls Shae’s office and demands a meeting.

Bero’s smuggling career has stalled since the Mountain raided their operation. Although Soradiyo has promised to call with future jobs, he hasn’t been in touch. Mudt urges Bero to give up on the barukan manager and focus on revenge against the Maiks.

Soradiyo finally contacts them and offers a new job: a whispered name (assassination) that requires them to remove their jade so that they can go unnoticed. Bero immediately refuses. He reflects that his encounters with Green Bones have been near-fatal, and there are easier ways to get jade. Bero tells Soradiyo he’ll do other jobs but won’t take off his jade or do whisper work against Green Bones, saying he’s not that stupid. The scornful Soradiyo leaves.

Six weeks after Shae’s scandal, Lantern Man Enke requests a clan loan to invest in Port Massy property. Shae counters by offering to finance a controlling interest, revealing that she has assurances that Espenian property regulations will soon be relaxed for Kekon. She proposes that Enke rent apartments to Kekonese students from No Peak families at a subsidized rate. When Enke questions if the agreement will be binding—implicitly referencing her possible removal—Shae confirms it will be. Woon notes her plan to use housing to recruit clan talent, and Shae acknowledges the risks but sees it as opening doors.

Maro calls after another negative article is published. He tells her he loves her, and she says she loves him too.

The doctor’s clinic calls to tell Shae that she is pregnant. In shock, she walks to the Temple of Divine Return. She prays, reflecting on the disastrous timing. She knows a pregnancy would destroy her career. She also fears the scandal would ruin Maro’s life if his Shotarian heritage were discovered and would weaken Hilo’s position. Shae realizes she doesn’t just serve as Weather Man out of duty—she wants the position for herself. Feeling no divine guidance, only resignation and purpose, she leaves with her decision made.

Three days later, Wen accompanies Shae to a clinic for an abortion. Shae has forged Hilo’s signature on the consent form, which requires the approval of a male relative. Wen holds her hand through the procedure and afterward tells Shae her choice was responsible, not selfish. She says she could never forgive Shae if she’d abandoned her duties to clan and family. Shae feels relieved but damaged. She avoids Maro’s calls, afraid that if she speaks to him, she will reveal what she’s done.

The narrative flashes back to years ago, when Lan visited Shae the night before she left for Espenia. He urged her to define herself before others did and not forget who she was.

On Heroes Day, Hilo attends public ceremonies expecting the holiday to amplify the scandal. Ayt Mada gives a speech criticizing Shae as unfit for leadership and implicitly attacking Hilo for supporting his sister over the good of the country.

Hilo struggles to contain his fury as Ayt continues goading him. Suddenly, Shae appears, walks past a surprised Hilo, and interrupts Ayt’s speech. She lists Ayt’s insults against her, then publicly challenges Ayt to a clean blade duel. Ayt accepts.

Following the Three Crowns era, the northern kingdom of Jan and southern kingdom of Tiedo exchanged royal children as hostages to maintain peace. The Jan princess sent to Tiedo married the Tiedo prince. After her younger brother in Jan died suspiciously, she pressured her husband to attack her homeland.

Her own younger sister, a rare female Green Bone, became a key military figure for Jan, fighting against her. The conflict, known as the Warring Sisters period, lasted 200 years and ended with Jan’s victory, unifying Kekon. The prolonged war is viewed negatively for weakening the nation and allowing foreign invaders to gain a foothold. The most famous play about the era opens with the idea that “small resentments” can grow into great wars.

It is the night before Shae’s duel with Ayt. Shae is praying. She knows she cannot back out without irreparably shaming No Peak. She recognizes the irony that she’s now willing to die to defend her position in the clan she once fled.

Hilo enters and prays alongside her. He makes her promise to kill Ayt. In the morning, Shae chooses to wear only her anklets and two-tier choker, removing her earrings and bracelets. If she loses, Ayt will be able to claim the jade she is wearing, and she doesn’t want to lose it on the family’s behalf. She thinks of Maro with regret, realizing too late that she loves him.

The next morning, at Juro Wood, a large crowd has gathered. As they prepare, Hilo whispers to Shae that No Peak Fists are moving into position to block roads and attack Mountain properties if she dies—he intends to break the law of the clean blade and kill Ayt and the Mountain clan members present, plunging the clans back into war. Shae is horrified, but the duel begins.

Shae attacks first. Although they are initially evenly matched, Shae lands the first significant blow, slicing off half of Ayt’s ear. Both women realize Shae stands a chance of winning. The fight intensifies. In a swift sequence, Ayt disarms Shae and delivers a deep slice across her abdomen.

Badly wounded, Shae drops to her knees and concedes, offering her life and jade to Ayt. Ayt hesitates. Shae sees that Hilo’s Fists have arrived, creating a tense standoff. She realizes that killing a surrendered opponent now would ruin Ayt’s public image and give Hilo justification to start a war. Shae removes her jade choker and holds it out.

Ayt accepts the jade, lowers her blade, and spares Shae, declaring her blade clean. The combination of blood loss and jade withdrawal overwhelms Shae, and she collapses.

Twelve days later, Shae is discharged from the hospital. Woon visits; she learns he confronted Hami about his disloyalty while she was hospitalized. Shae refuses Woon’s offer of clan jade to replace her choker, choosing to wear its absence like a scar.

When Shae returns to her office, her staff greets her with salutes of respect. Although she lost, she defended herself honorably. She meets with Kowi and the Lantern Men who’d called for her removal; they are now contrite and pledge allegiance. Shae forgives them but delivers a veiled warning about future loyalty.

Shae summons Hami and offers him a high-ranking position: establishing and running a branch of the Weather Man’s office in Port Massy. The catch is that, due to Espenian law, he’d have to temporarily give up his jade. Hami is intrigued but asks for time to discuss with his family.

Shae meets Maro at his campus. The ease between them is gone. Maro is hurt that she shut him out before the duel. Shae explains that she couldn’t talk to him because she feared he’d change her mind. Maro thoughtfully agrees, saying he’d have urged her to be true to her better self.

Maro asks if she can promise to be honest about important things in the future. Thinking of the abortion, Shae cannot make that promise. Maro sadly concludes that he doesn’t know where that leaves their relationship. Shae suggests they can be friends for now. Maro agrees with a bitter, sarcastic remark and leaves.

During his second year in Port Massy, Anden gets a part-time job at a hardware store. The Hians disapprove of his frequenting the grudge hall. Anden continues going and maintains his secret romantic relationship with Cory. He finds himself falling for Cory, intoxicated by their connection and Cory’s jade aura.

Summer arrives, and Cory prepares for a six-week trip before starting law school. On Cory’s last night, they have a farewell party at the grudge hall. Their friend Tod announces he’s enlisted in the Espenian military, seeing it as the only legal way to wear jade. Anden is bewildered by Tod’s un-Kekonese reasoning and loses respect for him.

Gunfire erupts from the street. Rohn Toro and the other Green Bones rush upstairs. Anden follows, worried about Cory. Cory tries to protect Anden, who isn’t wearing any jade. They find the doorman shot and dying. A second drive-by shooting occurs. The attackers throw Molotov cocktails into the building. Anden grabs one to throw it back but is burned. Rohn catches a bomb midair and uses it to disable one of the attacking cars, then kills the two crewboys.

As police sirens approach, Rohn orders other Green Bones to flee. He tells Anden to stay and delay the police. Anden intercepts the first police car, posing as a bystander with a foreign accent and sending the officer in the wrong direction. In an alley, Anden watches Rohn hide his jade-lined gloves in a loose brick. Rohn suffers intense jade withdrawal, then recovers, and they leave.

The two months after the grudge hall attack are the worst of Anden’s time in Espenia. Cory calls from the train station to say goodbye, explaining visiting in person is too dangerous—police are randomly searching Kekonese residents for jade, and Kromner’s crewboys remain active.

Anden grapples with a painful realization: he now sees himself as the weaker person in his relationship with Cory, who had to protect him. Without jade, Anden is now one of those who need defending, a concept fundamentally at odds with his upbringing. He envisions a future where Cory becomes Pillar of Southtrap while he remains a vulnerable secret lover, which fills him with shame.

Later, Anden hears rumors that Dauk sent Rohn to retaliate, killing two crewboys. This act prompts escalating attacks on Kekonese civilians with no police intervention. Dauk Losun and his wife Sana visit the Hians, requesting Anden’s presence. They discuss the deteriorating situation. Dauk expresses despair over the community’s vulnerability, fearing Rohn will eventually be killed. He asks Anden to request No Peak’s friendship and aid. Mrs. Hian places the ceremonial teapot—Anden’s gift representing a promised favor—on the table.

A year into the Oortokon War, Espenian Secretary of International Affairs Quire Corris visits Kekon. On Euman Island Naval Base, Hilo meets with him at their naval base and observes Navy Angels elite special ops training in jade combat—a deliberate display of their military jade capability.

In the meeting, Corris admits that the war is going poorly and requests Kekonese military support. Hilo firmly states Green Bones serve their clans, not foreign governments. Corris offers favorable trade reforms to benefit No Peak in exchange for cooperation. Hilo refuses to send warriors to fight for strangers. The secretary then demands political support, asking Kekon to oppose refugee resettlement to prevent Ygutanian infiltration. Hilo pointedly notes Espenian soldiers have harmed Kekonese civilians, questioning how foreign troops ensure safety.

Hilo ends the meeting, declaring that while Ayt Mada is his enemy, Espenia is not his friend.

That evening, Shae argues that the Espenians remain their best advantage over the Mountain. Hilo asks about the Mountain’s Iwe family. Shae reports that while Weather Man Iwe Kalundo appears clean, several close relatives are shine addicts.

Shae announces plans to visit Espenia to meet local Green Bones. Hilo forbids her departure, stating she’s too politically important. He decides to go himself to assess the situation and see Anden.

Bero and Mudt practice Channeling on captured rats in Bero’s apartment. Mudt demonstrates superior control. Mudt suddenly accuses Bero of stealing shine from his deceased father’s storeroom after the man saved Bero’s life. He delivers a scathing tirade, believing that Bero never intended to help avenge his father’s death.

Enraged, Bero lunges at Mudt but is overcome by sudden dizziness. He realizes Mudt drugged his beer. As Bero collapses, Mudt injects him with a fatal overdose of concentrated SN1, removes the jade from Bero’s neck, and places it around his own. Mudt tells the dying Bero he’s only getting what he deserves.

With a final surge of hatred, Bero crawls to the apartment door and collapses in the hallway, dying.

No Peak discovers the dismembered body of one of Kehn’s Uwiwan informants—a gruesome message from Zapunyo. Over lunch, Kehn tells Hilo that Zapunyo has become dangerously bold and suggests assassination. Hilo agrees they must eventually act against Zapunyo but insists they focus on domestic enemies first.

Hilo discusses recent schemes against the Mountain: leaking news of Iwe family members’ shine addiction and redirecting rowdy Espenian servicemen into Mountain territory. Hilo orders Tar to arrange for a Koben family Green Bone to be killed by an outside party, hoping to provoke internal conflict within the Mountain.

The perspective shifts to Tau Maro, who finds three men waiting in his office. The leader, whose hidden jade aura marks him as a criminal, reveals he knows Maro’s secret: he’s part Shotarian and involved with Shae. Maro angrily refuses to be blackmailed.

The stranger denies Mountain affiliation, stating he only wants an introduction to the Kaul family. Maro throws them out. The leader warns him to reconsider, leaving Maro badly shaken.