The family members gather in the small, sandy burrow and eat a meager meal. Leeli thanks Podo for protecting them, touching his face affectionately. Her gesture moves him deeply. They sleep on the dirt floor.

Janner wakes to find Oskar studying the First Book. The scholar reveals that it narrates the fall of Anyara, the First Kingdom, which Oskar believes is the ancient name for Anniera. A translated passage laments Anyara’s destruction, mentioning that the end began when Queen Gladys bore a second son. The book references a secret power beneath the stones, likely in a hidden chamber under Castle Rysen. This may be why Esben wanted them to have the book.

Podo interrupts, telling Oskar to stop filling Janner’s head with stories and focus on reaching the Ice Prairies. He blames Oskar for not hiding his map well enough, leading to their troubles. Oskar argues that the children are the last heirs of Anniera and deserve to know who they are. He points out that Tink is the only remaining heir to the throne, and Leeli is the first Song Maiden in generations. Podo dismisses this and announces it is time to leave.

Podo reveals another hidden door leading to the main Strander tunnel network, which runs extensively under Dugtown and Torrboro. He and Oskar plan to use the tunnels to reach Ronchy McHiggins’s tavern. Podo will wait in the tunnels while Oskar makes contact, as Podo might be recognized. Tink asks to come but is denied. Janner is left in charge.

After they leave, Nia assigns the children schoolwork. Janner writes in his journal, reflecting on the sea dragons’ warning about a man who sailed across the sea. He realizes that the warning likely does not refer to Gnag the Nameless. Hours pass, and Podo and Oskar finally return. Oskar reports that a guide will meet them in an alley behind the tavern at midnight. Ronchy told him that Gammon had been in Dugtown just three days earlier. When asked for her opinion, Leeli decides they must proceed. The family spends the rest of the day translating the First Book, which becomes a tedious history of battles and lineages. Leeli cannot decipher the musical notations. At midnight, Podo wakes everyone to leave.

Podo leads everyone through the tunnels, placating a hostile Strander with Claxton’s pone and Tink’s legend. They emerge into an occupied house and sneak out the front door. Outside, a Fang watchman sits atop a torch tower. The family runs to Green Blossom Avenue. An approaching Fang patrol forces them into an alley, where Leeli falls and drops her crutch. A Fang finds it but is ordered to bring it, and the patrol moves on. Podo apologizes and carries Leeli on his back.

They reach Riverside Road and the Roundish Widow. The bells strike one—they are an hour late. A Fang named Sneem descends the tower to meet his replacement, Glag, who warns that the Florid Sword has been spotted. Sneem looks up at the roof and cries out.

The Florid Sword, a man in a black mask and cape with a red F and S on his chest, leaps from the roof, kills Sneem, and shoots Glag off the tower. He then dramatically introduces himself, disposes of the body in the river, and tells the family to take cover.

Podo leads them into the alley behind the Roundish Widow, where Ronchy McHiggins waits with Migg Landers, their guide. Landers demands payment and receives it. Ronchy vouches for him as one of Gammon’s men. Landers becomes belligerent, ordering them to wait an hour. Podo gives Claxton’s pone to Tink.

The city goes silent. Podo sees Landers at the alley entrance and shouts that he is a traitor. A wall of Fangs appears behind Landers. A Fang kills him, then tells the Igibys that they are trapped.

Janner throws crates at the advancing Fangs while Podo smashes through the tavern’s side door, injuring himself, and pushes inside. Nia, Leeli, and Oskar rush in, with Oskar grabbing the boys’ packs. The pursuing Fangs jam themselves into the broken doorway.

The boys are now trapped between Fangs at both ends. Podo, surrounded at the front, shouts to meet at the burrow. The Florid Sword reappears, fighting alongside Podo and urging everyone to retreat. Janner and Tink hide under a table. After the fighting stops, Fangs report that the others have escaped.

Ronchy McHiggins, who is revealed to be a secret informant for Gammon, regrets trusting Landers. At dawn, he finds the boys asleep under a table and decides to help them.

Janner and Tink wake to find Ronchy standing over them. He explains that he did not betray them, then serves them breakfast. Janner remembers Podo’s instruction to meet at the burrow, and Ronchy gives him directions. He also warns about the Fangs’ Black Carriage, which steals children. Seeing a drawing of Ronchy with a wife and baby, Janner realizes that the man was also a target of the Fangs’ cruelty.

The boys leave and face Riverside Road’s chaos. Tink dashes into the crowd; Janner struggles to follow. After crossing the road, Janner finds Tink and scolds him. They argue about Janner’s role as Throne Warden and Tink’s unwanted destiny. Tink declares that his name is Kalmar and that he does not want to be king. He runs off, abandoning Janner in the crowd.

Feeling angry and abandoned, Janner follows Ronchy’s directions to Crempshaw Way, then to a street marked Tilling. The street is deserted and menacing. He calls for Tink but gets no reply. Running in fear, he reaches a dead end that is blocked by a high stone wall. He runs back, hides inside a dilapidated building, and watches as three ragged men pass. Inside, he realizes that something is breathing behind him. He turns and sees two eyes, just before a figure lunges at him.

An old “hag” grabs Janner. He breaks free, but dozens of “hags” and ragmen emerge to chase him. He runs into a building, goes upstairs, and climbs out a window. He then scales a brick wall via a gutter, reaching the roof. He vaults over the stone wall and escapes by leaping over the rooftops.

Unable to find a way down, he overhears people discussing the Florid Sword and an Annieran family that the Fangs are hunting. When he climbs down a gutter pipe, a skeletal ragman captures him and whistles. A rope drops over the wall; Janner is tied and hauled back among the “hags” and ragmen.

The lead “hag,” Gorah, tells Janner that she will get what is hers at dark. He sleeps, then wakes at dusk. His captors take him to meet the Overseer, who arrives atop a carriage with his ridgerunner assistant, Mobrik. Together, the two arrange trades, releasing old captives in exchange for new ones. Gorah, who is trying to reclaim her son Jairy, learns that he was taken to Throg after an escape attempt. As she collapses in grief, another man, Mykel Bolpin, trades Janner and a second boy in order to free his daughter Lily. As Janner is taken into custody to be sent to work in an unknown factory, he learns that Lily had first been taken eight years ago, when she was only 12. He despairs to think that it might be that long before he manages to escape. Now imprisoned in the carriage, Janner sees a sign for Tilling Court and realizes that he had taken a wrong turn in his earlier travels—Tilling Street was nearby. Mobrik tells him that they are going to the Fork Factory.

The carriage travels through Dugtown after curfew, unbothered by Fang patrols. It arrives at the Fork Factory, a massive brick building. Mobrik has the portcullis raised. Once they are inside, two captive children lower the portcullis by hauling on a chain. The Overseer says that Janner is now nothing but a “tool.” When Janner speaks, the Overseer punches him in punishment. Mobrik explains that “tools” may only nod or shake their heads. The Overseer says that Janner will remain his property unless his parents can capture two replacements. Janner’s defiant smile unnerves the Overseer, who orders him to work without rest. Mobrik leads him toward a yellow glow and a noisy racket.

Janner enters the factory floor, a hellish world of fire and smoke dominated by a massive machine. He sees hundreds of children making Fang swords. Mobrik warns against escape, noting that the Overseer enjoys practicing with his whip. Janner briefly glimpses a child with oddly familiar bright blue eyes.

Mobrik takes him to the paring station to replace a prisoner named Knubis, who trims excess metal with giant shears. Mobrik threatens Knubis with the Black Carriage and reassigns her to the coal piles despite her blistered hands. Janner boldly asserts that Knubis is not a tool, then punches Mobrik. Maintenance Managers—child enforcers—beat Janner as punishment, and their leader says that Janner’s name is now “Tool.” Janner defiantly declares that his name is Esben. He begins work at the paring station.

Janner works all night, feeling his hands blistering as Maintenance Managers watch from the rafters. To fight his despair, he thinks of his family. At dawn, Mobrik takes him to the Overseer; Janner gives his name as Esben Flavogle. He sleeps through the day in a dormitory of silent, exhausted children.

Woken by a bell, he eats multiple bowls of soup. Most children stay silent. Mobrik gives him leather gloves, and as another night of mindless work passes, Janner feels his mind and hope shrinking. On his third night, feeling that he is losing his identity, he resolves to escape. He waits for the Maintenance Manager to be distracted, then runs.