Lucius’s party of survivors have stopped in front of a line of rat creature tracks. While Lucius confers with Ted the Bug about what route to take to Atheia, Wendell and the headmaster discuss Lucius’s past. The Ven-Yan suspect Lucius of treachery because an event similar to the attack under the Harvest Moon took place 50 years prior. As the captain of the royal guard, Lucius led an army into a rat creature ambush. Wendell is shocked at this revelation.

Lucius says that the only way to circumvent the ghost circles is to follow the rat creature tracks. This makes Wendell and the headmaster uneasy.

A refugee camp has developed at the gates of Atheia, populated by a diverse range of creatures. Thorn and Grandma have decided to keep their identities secret until they can see what the situation in the city is, so they and the Bones are all wearing disguises.

Thorn meets a young girl selling prayer stones and carvings of Mim. Her name is Taneal, and she gives a prayer stone to Thorn for free.

Smiley and Phoney have mysteriously acquired a hay wagon, which they are using to smuggle Bartleby past the gates. Grandma and Smiley argue about this, but Smiley refuses to “get rid” of Bartleby.