Janner closes his eyes as Nugget falls, overwhelmed by the Fangs’ triumph and Leeli’s wailing. Podo drags Janner away from the precipice and carries Leeli. The family climbs to a clearing filled with ancient ruins on the north bank. From their vantage point, they see the Fangs retreating across the falls and realize that they are now safe. Leeli weeps for Nugget while Nia and Oskar comfort her. The family rests on a stone bench among the ruins for a long time, grieving until dusk approaches.

That evening, Leeli retrieves her whistletharp and plays a song that evokes a sense of home. She then transitions to a melody for Nugget. As she plays, magical images swirl in the air before Janner and Tink—vivid scenes from Nugget’s life. The visions shift and thicken as long as they focus on Leeli’s music. Then something changes.

Sea dragons appear in the waters far below, their voices mingling with Leeli’s song. The magical vision changes to show the creatures up close—beautiful, fearsome, with metallic scales and serene eyes. One dragon seems aware of being watched. The vision shows a dragon bearing Nugget’s body on its back. Then, all eight dragons carry him beneath the waves. A voice enters Janner’s mind, saying that Nugget is being taken to Yurgen’s crypt, where heroes lie.

Leeli plays a darker melody, and an ancient gray dragon rises from the water. The voice warns them to beware of a destructive figure nearby who seeks to use the children for his own purposes. Janner asks if the voice means Gnag the Nameless. The voice says only that someone sailed across the sea and is close. As the dragon sinks back toward the sea, the song ends, and the vision fades.

Tink describes seeing the dragons take Nugget to a bone-filled cave. Leeli explains that she used the song to ask the dragons to care for Nugget. When Janner tells Podo about the voice’s warning, the old pirate dismisses it, saying that sea dragons are manipulative liars who enjoy confusing mortals. Janner defers to his grandfather’s experience.

The family gathers in their tent as darkness falls, and Oskar lights a snotwax candle to repel animals. Nia serves dried diggle meat while Janner recounts his vision and the dragon’s warning. Leeli describes feeling connected to the dragons and receiving impressions rather than clear images. When Janner remembers the name “Yurgen’s crypt,” Oskar identifies Yurgen as the ancient king of dragons who created the Sunken Mountains and sought healing stones called holoré. Podo confirms that the Sunken Mountains are real and notes that sea dragons remember many things. However, he insists that the dragon lied about Gnag being nearby, asserting that if this were true, they would already be dead.

Oskar recalls an ancient alliance between Annieran kings and sea dragons. Nia knows nothing of this; she knows only that young dragons were once hunted. Podo estimates that they have a day or two before the Fangs will patrol the north bank.

Oskar proposes seeking an “ally” in Dugtown: a contact of his named Ronchy McHiggins, who runs the Roundish Widow tavern. Oskar explains that Ronchy once introduced him to Gammon, the leader of a rebellion in Kimera. Oskar helped Gammon smuggle the weapons found at Anklejelly Manor. Oskar believes Ronchy can help them to find a mountain guide. Podo agrees but mentions the complication of Stranders, although he refuses to explain what they are. As the family settles down to sleep, Janner prays that his uncle is safe.

The narrative shifts to Artham, who is chained and dragged south toward Fort Lamendron by a troll. The ridgerunner Zouzab watches him carefully. Flashbacks reveal Artham’s capture and his muddled thoughts; he is plagued by a painful memory of abandoning someone. In the present, his mind clears, and as he realizes his destination, he screams in terror.

Janner wakes before dawn, reflects on his former life and his new responsibilities, and concludes that reaching Anniera is worth all the hardships that he has experienced. The family finds Podo cooking bacon. When Janner sees his grandfather’s leg stump without its peg, Podo promises that he will eventually explain what happened to his leg, as there are important things that the children should know.

Oskar’s wound has completely healed, leaving only a scar. He calls it a final gift from Nugget, who carried the healing Water from the First Well.

Janner apologizes to Tink for yelling at him and reassures his brother that he will make a fine king. Tink reacts quietly and withdraws. When Podo addresses Tink as King Kalmar, the boy is uncomfortable. He breaks the tension with a loud belch, and the laughing company sets off into the forest.

The company travels through a peaceful forest. Janner ponders the dragon’s warning but relaxes when they encounter very few dangerous creatures. He asks Oskar if Gnag invaded Skree because of the family. Oskar explains that conquerors expand their kingdoms out of a sense of inner emptiness. He describes the Throne Warden’s role, which involves protecting both the king’s body and his soul by reminding him of all that is good and true.

Oskar says that Artham shone with a legendary quality called Eremund’s Fire, and that “maidens” in Anniera wrote poetry about him. He recites a poem by Alma Rainwater, whom Nia identifies as a friend who perished in the castle.

At lunch, Oskar examines the children’s Annieran gifts: Leeli’s whistletharp, Esben’s sketchbook, and Janner’s ancient book. He explains various legends about the First Books; one claims they were written by the Maker and given to Dwayne the First Fellow, while another claims that Dwayne and his wife wrote them together. Still another says that Dwayne’s villainous son, Ouster Will, wrote the books. Legends also say that Will killed his father and stole the secrets of the healing waters in the First Well.

As they talk, the family discovers that the cover of Janner’s book bears words in the language of Old Hollish. Janner recognizes the name Bonifer Squoon. Nia confirms that Squoon was Esben’s chief advisor, and Oskar realizes that Squoon’s journal, previously dismissed as fiction, was authentic but is now lost.

Suddenly, a wounded toothy cow approaches and collapses, dead. Podo pulls a Strander spear from its side and urges them all to move on quickly.

At Fort Lamendron, Artham is brought before the Fank known as General Khrak. Zouzab reports capturing the Throne Warden but admits that the children escaped. He reveals the family’s plan to reach the Ice Prairies and join Gammon’s rebellion. Khrak and the Fangs laugh, implying that the Ice Prairies are not safe. Artham realizes the Fangs must have found a way to survive the cold, but he cannot warn the children, as his mind becomes confused. Khrak taunts him about his imprisonment in the Deeps of Throg, then declares that Artham will be sent to the Phoob Islands for the Grey Fangs to deal with.

That night, Janner lies awake worrying, then hears Podo having a nightmare and mumbling apologies for unnamed past deeds. Janner wakes him. Outside, as Podo smokes his pipe, he confirms that he dreams of things he still regrets, but he refuses to elaborate. He explains that Stranders are criminals who are too violent even for Dugtown; they have been banished along the river, and those farthest out are the worst.

Back in the tent, Tink confesses that he does not want to be king, and Janner admits he does not want to be Throne Warden. Tink longs for Glipwood. Janner also misses it but insists they cannot go back. He shows Tink a picture in Esben’s sketchbook, reminding him that Glipwood is real and belongs to them. The brothers reaffirm their bond.

The next morning, they prank Oskar by dismantling the tent around him. As they laugh, a dirty girl emerges, holding a dagger. She is a Strander.

The girl, Maraly, wants to know about her wounded toothy cow, then demands their weapons. When Podo refuses, Maraly throws a knife into his peg leg, then aims another at Leeli. Podo surrenders. More Strander children surround them. Oskar wakes mid-capture.

The children plunder the packs but ignore the book, sketchbook, and whistletharp. They take the family to a camp, where the scarred clan leader, Claxton Weaver, orders them to be tied up by the fire.

Later, when their hands are untied so they can eat, Claxton demands a reason to let them live. Podo offers supplies, reveals his Strander past, and name-drops several famous figures. Claxton agrees, stipulating that Podo must tell a compelling story from his Strander youth. If it fails to satisfy, they will all die.

Podo tells of meeting Growlifist the Strander King. Explaining that Stranders respect slyness and thievery, Podo reveals that he secretly picked Growlifist’s pocket before his entire clan, stealing a golden bird medallion called a pone (a leader’s token). When Growlifist threatened to kill him, Podo produced the stolen item. Impressed, Growlifist struck Podo hard enough to scar his face, then welcomed him into the clan.

Claxton calls it a good story but does not believe that anyone could pick Growlifist’s pocket. A Strander holds a knife to Leeli’s throat. Claxton sentences the adults to drowning and declares that the children will be kept. Janner notices Tink staring at Claxton with fascination rather than fear.

Laughing as he produces cups, daggers, coins, and jewelry, Podo reveals that he has been picking the Stranders’ pockets all evening. Claxton admits that Podo might have met Growlifist but reasserts that no one picked his pocket. He orders the adults killed.

Janner sees Tink preparing to run. Assuming that his brother is fleeing, Janner calls him a coward, but instead of running away, Tink leaps onto a bench with Claxton’s dagger at the man’s throat and his pone in hand.

Claxton disarms Tink and strikes him hard. As Tink lies in the shadows, he throws a stolen dagger, hitting Claxton in the back of the head and knocking him unconscious. The Stranders cheer. Maraly, revealing that she is Claxton’s daughter, comforts Tink and kisses his cheek.

Nurgabog, Claxton’s mother, appears and reveals a past romance with Podo. She declares that Tink took the pone fairly, and he gives his name as Kalmar Wingfeather. Nurgabog offers the family safety in exchange for a kiss from Podo.

Janner apologizes for calling Tink a coward. Tink explains that he noticed Podo pickpocketing others and used the same technique. Having taken the pone, Tink is now the temporary clan leader. Their belongings are returned, and they sleep safely.

Janner wakes to thick fog and discovers Tink missing. He follows a series of sounds and finds Tink and Maraly playing tackleball, so he joins them. At breakfast, Oskar reports progress in deciphering the First Book with Nia’s help. Nurgabog gives Claxton’s pone to Podo for safe passage through other Strander territories. Podo announces that they will travel to a river burrow near Dugtown.

While washing in the river, Tink tells Janner that Maraly said he would make a good Strander. Janner laughs it off, reminding Tink he is the High King of Anniera, not a thief.

Nurgabog urgently warns the family to leave because the Fangs are approaching from the North Road. The Stranders arm themselves; the children, including Maraly, have vanished. As the family flees, Janner hears Nurgabog shouting at others to ready the cages. Podo sets a grueling pace along the River Road for hours.

When Podo spots another Strander group, the family disguises themselves with mud, and Podo shows Claxton’s pone. These Stranders already know Tink’s story and recognize the name Kalmar Wingfeather, so they grant him passage.

Tink is now famous along the Strand. Podo worries because Tink’s real name is known, but Oskar suggests that it may spread hope among other Skreeans. They must reach the river burrow by dark.