Summary

"Chapter 13: The Chosen Path" begins two days later, Zahrah packs her bags and sneaks out as her parents sleep. Her compass tries to stop her, but she ignores it and returns to where Dari was bitten to find the digi book. A note from a member of the Great Explorers of Knowledge and Exploration congratulates the reader on the pursuit of knowledge and tells them to find a compass. Zahrah wishes she had time to consult Nisibidi and recognizes how scared she is.

After 15 minutes of travel, Zahrah is walked on by a pack of kid-sized spiders and angrily feels like a coward. She travels for hours as the path shrinks, trying to ignore her anxiety. She is proud of her courage and looks for a place to sleep. She reads a section on the Fringes, learning that it is the least dangerous...