After Anaïs falls asleep, Mallory explores the house. Triphine is too terrified to leave the room. In the foyer, Mallory smells ripe oranges and experiences an illusion of the house pulsing like a living thing and the chandelier bleeding. The sensation vanishes when she blinks. The main doors open on their own, and she enters the central courtyard.

At the fountain where Le Bleu was beheaded, Mallory notices a cracked marble salamander. Deciding it would make an excellent tour prop, she removes her cloak and wades into the freezing water. She climbs the central sculpture, but the salamander is too firmly attached to break off. Armand startles her by asking what she is doing. She yelps, slips, and falls backward into the water.

Shivering, she climbs out and denies attempting theft, claiming she was inspecting the craftsmanship. Armand grins but quickly averts his eyes when he realizes her soaked nightgown is transparent. He gives her her cloak and explains he could not sleep and saw her from a window. He invites her inside for hot chocolate, offering to make it himself.

In the kitchen, Armand lights a fire and expertly prepares their drinks. Mallory watches, noting the cozy, organized space and his practiced movements. When he adds elderberry syrup, she becomes suspicious, so he drinks some syrup himself to prove it is safe. He asks her if a person can earn her trust, and she replies that no one has ever tried. He adds three drops of royal skullcap to his own mug, explaining it helps him sleep and prevents nightmares.

Armand asks again about the salamander, and she admits she wanted it for her tours. He offers to find her a different prop, even mentioning the sword Le Bleu used to kill his wives, and asks her not to deface the estate. Armand explains he wants to learn about Triphine and the other wives, not erase the history despite Yvette’s objections. Mallory considers revealing Triphine is present but decides against it.

Armand reveals that a constable from Morant notified him about Mallory’s illegal tours. He attended one to assess her before making his business proposal. Seeing her fight the voirloup confirmed she was the right person to hire. He tells Mallory she has nothing to fear from him and that he feels they are already connected somehow. Mallory sees a shadow figure loom behind Armand, reaching for his throat. She gasps, but it vanishes. Armand identifies the presence as Monsieur Le Bleu. Frightened, Mallory ends the conversation, saying she needs to get to bed.

The next morning, Mallory wakes to find Anaïs gone and Triphine complaining the house has fleas. Mallory invites Triphine to explore, but Triphine refuses, admitting her fear of encountering Bastien (Le Bleu) and explaining that ghosts can still hurt one another. Triphine also reveals she was magically transported to the house with Mallory’s luggage, having had no choice in the matter. Mallory ventures out alone, exploring the mansion’s rooms and fantasizing about running tours at this location. She discovers the actual murder weapon, a sword, displayed in a parlor and sees Armand’s portrait in the library. His stern expression is a sharp contrast to boy from last night.

While studying the portrait, she overhears Yvette arguing with Armand about trusting the Fontaines, calling them frauds and swindlers. Armand defends hiring them, having witnessed Mallory vanquish the voirloup. He expresses fear that Le Bleu will murder again and says he needs help. When Yvette storms off, Mallory pretends she has been admiring the book collection. Armand invites her to the terrace to discuss the hauntings in more detail.

On the terrace, they find Anaïs reading while Julie polishes statues. Anaïs teases Mallory about her love of gothic romances and performs a reading with her Wyrdith divination cards, suggesting romance is in Armand’s future.

Mallory makes up claims about how different ghost types require different exorcism methods. She questions Armand about the wives, Le Bleu, and the monsters plaguing the estate. Armand describes Lucienne as boisterous and wine-loving, while Béatrice is shy and fond of the pianoforte. As he talks, Mallory sketches his portrait in her notebook, lingering on his features. He explains Le Bleu is cruel, making people see horrific illusions of corpses and blood. The monsters, including the lutin and a demonic horse called a cheval mallet, have driven away staff and hindered the wine business. Armand cannot abandon the estate because the grape varietal for his family’s famous Ruby Comorre wine only grows here, and dozens of employees depend on him. Mallory learns there is a consecrated chapel on the grounds that could be useful for exorcism work.

In the library, Mallory and Anaïs strategize about stalling while appearing competent. Anaïs suggests claiming they need to wait for the Mourning Moon or winter solstice. Mallory finds a book on cleansing aromatics and decides to use it to feign spells. She reminds herself that she only needs to put on a convincing performance for Armand, and he will likely still pay them for trying. She asks Yvette for specific herbs and is directed to check the kitchen gardens and conservatory.

In the thriving conservatory, Mallory finds Armand dressed in work clothes, tending plants himself. He explains they lack sufficient gardeners, and he prefers this work. He shows her the collection of medicinal plants from around the world, warning her about impweed, whose toxic sap causes blisters and stinging. Armand gathers the herbs Mallory requested and helps her tie them into burnable bundles. When she claims the smoke will lure spirits toward Verloren, the afterlife, he seems skeptical but accepts her explanation.

Mallory burns the herb bundles throughout the château gardens and rooms, coughing through the aromatic smoke and leaving ash trails. She climbs the spiral staircase to the unfinished northern tower, the highest point of the château. The rustic room has no glass in its arched openings, with bird droppings coating the banisters and barn swallow nests in the rafters.

Glowing orbs appear called feux follets, dangerous will-o’-the-wisp-like creatures. They surround Mallory, filling her with calm and warmth. Entranced, Mallory follows one drifting toward the stone rail, reaching for the creature as it floats beyond the ledge. A barn swallow dives at her head, breaking the enchantment just as she is about to fall. She stumbles back, shaken, realizing the feux follets nearly killed her. She admonishes herself for being lured by pretty but deadly things and wonders if she should heed a similar warning when it comes to Armand.

After recovering, Mallory notices the distant ocean for the first time and begins sketching the view. Lost in her work, she does not notice Lucienne and Béatrice watching her until they comment on her talent.

Lucienne and Béatrice discuss the day’s foul-smelling herbal smoke, mocking Mallory’s exorcism attempt. They compare it to the cleansing spell Gabrielle, the fourth wife who survived, once used. Béatrice reads from an old newspaper while Lucienne drinks wine. They brainstorm ways to frighten Mallory. Béatrice could haunt the mirrors, and Lucienne could hover over her bed at night. Béatrice protests the mirrors are too cold, and Lucienne argues Béatrice is not scary enough. They debate whether Mallory is a witch or a fraud, unaware that Mallory can hear and see them and has been sketching them.

Mallory drops her sketchbook between them, open to a drawing depicting their wounds and blood-drenched clothing. When they look up in surprise, she introduces herself and warns them not to test her. Lucienne grins, liking her better. Béatrice hides behind Lucienne, admitting it has been a long time since she met anyone new. Mallory tells them about Triphine, the first wife, and offers to make an introduction, explaining Triphine is shy and has been reclusive since arriving.

Lucienne and Béatrice laugh at Mallory’s suggestion they simply try harder to cross into Verloren, calling it impossible. Béatrice explains that while many spirits choose to move on, she and Lucienne cannot. They have wished to leave the house where they were murdered, but Bastien’s dark magic holds them. He was a powerful sorcerer attempting a spell that required five wife sacrifices. The marriage vows that tied their spirits to his made them acceptable instruments for his magic. After killing only three wives, he was executed, leaving the spell incomplete and the wives trapped on the estate.

The wives don’t know what the spell was meant to accomplish; Only Gabrielle figured out his true ambition. Le Bleu’s spirit returned seven years ago, making their afterlife miserable. Mallory asks if they will help convince Armand she is a powerful ally and that Bastien fears her. They reluctantly agree to try. When Mallory asks where to find Bastien, they point her to the cellar, warning he is territorial there and extremely dangerous.

In the servants’ corridors, Mallory crashes into Julie, scattering linens. Julie has small white flowers from a suitor in her pocket. Mallory warns her to be cautious about love, but Julie insists her beau is sweet and thoughtful. A fire-breathing salamander appears, and Julie panics. Mallory tricks it into lighting her remaining herb bundle with its flame, then sends Julie in the wrong direction while she heads toward the cellar.

At the cellar stairwell, Mallory experiences overwhelming dread and smells oranges. She descends to the locked door, imagining Gabrielle’s horror at discovering the mutilated corpses of the previous wives hung on meat hooks. A skeletal hand emerges from the door, reaching for her throat. She screams and falls backward. The hand vanishes, and Le Bleu’s voice purrs against her ear.

Le Bleu appears before her, dressed elegantly with dark hair and vivid blue eyes. He crushes the burning herbs beneath his boot and comments on how much she has grown up. When she protests that they have never met, he reminds her of her childhood séance. He presses his thumb to the base of her throat, causing searing pain. She gasps that he cursed her. He denies stealing her magic, claiming he gave her death magic in exchange for petty witchcraft and that she should be grateful. He says he owes her for opening the door and will never return to Verloren. When he presses his cheek to hers, Mallory is shocked to feel his tangible form and see that he can pick up objects. He comments that while she does not resemble a past acquaintance, but her sister does. He becomes briefly solid, pressing his lips to her neck, then whispers she and her sister are already in his snare. He disappears into shadows.