Rin and Kitay spend nearly a month drifting downriver, training Rin’s power. In Arlong, they reunite with their friends. Rin tells Vaisra she wants the Cike reassembled now that she has her fire back. She abbreviates her story about her run-in with the Ketreyids, not telling him about her anchor bond.

After Rin’s meeting, Nezha wants to talk to her privately. He explains that while Rin and other shamans wanted to call on their gods, his “body” was claimed by “some thing.” He tells Rin the story about how his brother Mingzha was taken in the grotto while Nezha received his shamanic ability. He shows Rin his tattoo and talks about how the dragon wants to make him “part of his collection” (467). Nezha thinks he and Rin are “better off dead” (469). However, Rin blames him for not using his powers to save more people at Boyang. When she leaves, she feels like something has broken irreparably between them. She joins the Cike and tells them what happened with Chaghan and Qara.

Baji takes Rin to see the southern refugee camps of people fleeing Federation forces. Rin finds her foster brother Kesegi and her foster mother, Auntie Fang.