Hawthorne visits Morrigan at Hotel Deucalion to tour and help her study for the Book Trial. During lunch, he asks her what her knack is, and she insists she doesn’t have one. She expresses relief when he still wants to befriend her and quiz her about the Great War.

The Book Trial arrives. Morrigan and the other candidates enter the Wundrous Society examination hall and are presented with blank booklets. Instead of answering three questions about the Free State, Morrigan must honestly answer three questions about herself; if she lies, her booklet will smolder and char. Her three questions ask her why she wants to join the Wundrous Society, her biggest fear, and how she will make people remember her. After hesitating, she answers that she wants to belong somewhere, fears being forgotten, and doesn’t know how to make people remember her. The questions and answers disappear, and get replaced with the word “pass” in large green letters.

For the second part of the Book Trial, Morrigan faces the Council of Elders for an interview. Before she enters the interview, she tries to remember the Free State’s 27 boroughs when candidate Noelle’s unnamed friend (Cadence Blackburn) tries to throw her off.