Summary

Part II opens with a quote from Marion Angus, questioning whether a person can be fully aware of her true motivations. Chapter 23 is titled “South.” Loth continues his travel, though he is now showing more signs of the plague and is miserable because of it. A cockatrice attacks him but another creature, an ichneumon, kills the cockatrice and saves Loth. These creatures and wyrms are natural enemies, but Loth had believed them to be extinct. The ichneumon seems almost annoyed when it has to push its way under Loth's arm to get Loth aboard its back. Loth says he needs to reach Rauca, and the beast begins to run, which gives Loth a renewed sense of hope.

Chapters 24 is titled “West.” Sabran and Aubrecht have fallen in love and spend a lot of time together. Ead continues to tell Sabran the...