That afternoon, Gort Magnar arrives with his wife Shana and sons Willem and Lutren. Maggie notes that while Gort matches his description from the books, she has realized recently that Reynald seems younger and less worn than he should be, which troubles her. Gort directs his attention primarily to Reynald, showing where his loyalty lies.

Maggie warns them that their mission against Hreban will make enemies of powerful families and orders. The Magnars accept. Maggie assigns Will and Lute to return the rescued children. She warns them against making detours for romantic encounters, foreknowledge from the novels that startles the brothers. She further proves her knowledge to Gort by mentioning his fellow soldier Eges, who warned him before the battle in which he broke his leg.

Concerned by the discrepancy she has noticed, Maggie questions Reynald about his age. He confirms that he is 38, but as a mounted knight, his service was less physically taxing than Gort’s infantry career. When asked about his horse Striver, Reynald reveals that the animal has died. Sensing her distrust, Reynald offers to show his official papers and presents his Grant of Green Purse, an official document awarded for 20 years of military service, confirming his identity.

Reynald then challenges Maggie, pointing out that she has no papers. He warns that the Treasury will eventually investigate Derog’s estate, and she needs a legal identity and forged deed. Maggie feels guilty for doubting him but remains worried about inconsistencies. A bee depositing pollen on her sleeve sparks an idea for a legitimate business.

Maggie wakes to find a mysterious fish on her chest. She takes it to the kitchen, where she meets Shana Magnar. Shana identifies the fish as a fresh purple pike and claims it for soup. When Shana orders Maggie to sit for tea rather than help with chores, Maggie learns that everyone went to the Dog Market without her, leaving her feeling sidelined.

To earn Shana’s trust, Maggie mentions Kurem of Las, a man who proposed to Shana the night before her wedding. She knows that Shana is worried that Gort has a secret and reassures her that Gort’s secret involves neither illness nor infidelity. Maggie then contemplates the moral dilemma of saving 80 mercenaries, including Gort, fated to die in two weeks, knowing intervention could dangerously alter the timeline.

Later, disguised as a minor noble with Reynald as her guard, Maggie visits a warehouse belonging to the Yolentas, a Great Family, at the docks. She purchases a barrel of pink salt and finds out that the next pink salt shipment arrives in four days.

Reynald leads her to an ancient wall overlooking the harbor, where they scout the Yolenta pier. Maggie confesses her dilemma about the doomed mercenaries and her fear that saving them will create unpredictable consequences. Reynald shares a story about a fellow knight who defied orders to save lives and encourages Maggie to do the same, promising to stand with her and handle whatever follows. Maggie reveals her plan to steal one of the marked barrels from the incoming shipment and replace it with their decoy. Reynald agrees that the heist is possible, though not without risk.

The next day, Maggie begins setting up a soap-making operation in the courtyard—she knows that Rellas doesn’t have a consistently good soap, and thanks to a friend’s hobby, she knows how to make soap. Meanwhile, Will prepares for his role as an inside man on the Yolenta dock crew. The purchased salt barrel is delivered to them and secured. Clover explains she left Maggie because Maggie lacked a proper dress in which to appear at the Dog Market. She also asks her to stop doing household chores, which undermines Clover’s identity as a lady’s maid. They reach an understanding.

Maggie, Clover, and Shana spend over 12 hours developing soap, producing numerous test batches before settling on a perfect formula. The men work on weapons maintenance nearby. Maggie feels a sense of belonging but experiences guilt for not thinking about her family.

Will returns exhausted from his undercover work as a Yelenas dock worker. He confirms that the salt ship will unload at four in the morning in two days. Security will be tight, requiring a significant diversion. Reynald devises a plan using flammable gorefish oil and Kaiden’s throwing accuracy to create chaos. Maggie agrees to the plan on the condition that everyone stays safe. When Lute asks why they are stealing salt, Maggie promises to explain once they have the barrel.

On the night of the heist, Maggie and Shana watch from the Spotter’s Rampart as dockworkers, including Will, unload the salt ship. Will signals that he has located a marked barrel. At Maggie’s signal, Clover and a disguised Kaiden create a diversion on the wharf. Kaiden hurls gorefish oil into a fire barrel, causing an explosion. In the chaos, Lute swaps the marked barrel for their decoy and escapes unnoticed. The heist succeeds.

That evening, the household gathers around the stolen barrel. Maggie reveals she can see a version of the future and proves it by telling Gort he was about to accept a job from the broker Filderon to attack Falcon Point. Shana becomes upset that Gort kept this secret. Maggie explains the job is a trap: Filderon is recruiting mercenaries for what appears to be a bandit raid but is actually a setup orchestrated by the Yolentas to allow their contraband to pass. The mercenaries will be crushed between the fort’s defenders and Yolenta’s knights, and Gort will be captured and executed.

Will smashes the barrel open, revealing five gray iron ingots. Maggie explains the full scheme: Dreantia Yolenta has been illegally selling gray iron abroad and hiding the profits. Her niece Indora discovered the theft and partnered with Ulmar Hreban. Hreban supplies Indora with foreign iron, which she smuggles in salt barrels to arm rebels near Selva. When the rebellion draws royal attention, inspectors will uncover Dreantia’s embezzlement, allowing Indora to take over the family. In return, Indora will supply Hreban’s private army with weapons. The Falcon Point attack is designed to draw the Yolenta knights away so that Indora’s contraband shipment can pass inspection.

Enraged at being sacrificed as pawns, the Magnar family decides to assassinate Filderon. Reynald tells Maggie he thinks she is amazing.

That evening in her study, Maggie discusses with Reynald what to do with the smuggled iron information. She outlines two options: sell the intelligence to the Shears, who are allied with Duke Everard and desperate to locate the rebels’ iron source, or leak it to the Justice Chamber to publicly damage Hreban.

Maggie explains that Solentine and the Shears maintain a secret alliance with Everard, despite his father’s public deference to the throne. She gives Reynald an envelope containing leverage against Solentine in case the Shears betray them, along with a coded warning about a dangerous meeting with a gang boss named Krasta. She notes the alliance between Solentine and Everard will eventually collapse when Everard makes a choice Solentine cannot forgive.

Reynald theorizes that Hreban is already secretly allied with Silveren, leader of the Redeemer Knight order, which would explain his boldness. They agree that Silveren must have a larger, unknown agenda.

Despite the higher risk, they decide that leaking the information about the iron to rattle Hreban is strategically superior. Reynald reveals he has a contact in the Justice Chamber and offers to handle the leak himself. Maggie agrees to trust him.

The next evening, Maggie waits anxiously for the Magnars to return from their mission against Filderon. Reynald’s contact acted swiftly after receiving their information—the Justice Chamber raided the Yolenta warehouse that afternoon. Reynald joins her with tea and pastries to ease her worry.

Maggie explains that her decision to save the mercenaries stems from childhood fears about her soldier father never returning from war. Reynald formally pledges his loyalty and protection, cementing their partnership. Maggie realizes that she earned his complete trust by choosing to save innocent lives.

Maggie asks Reynald to describe the magic of some of the Great Families. He explains that Arvel’s golden Enduring Flame protects his allies; Everard’s green-and-black Fatefire destroys everything it touches; the Borses’ red Rageglow grants immense strength at the cost of sanity; and the Savarics’ colorless Exultant Call inspires unbreakable courage in their soldiers.

Reynald spots the four Magnars returning safely through the twilight and promises Maggie they will win the coming war.