When the expeditioners awake, they brag about their exploits with the T-rex, letting Prold take the limelight. This draws the jealous attention of Kitabaya, who is nonetheless impressed. She treats Prold to some smoked meat at Okali’s smoking hut, where they discuss their weaponry at length.
Maddox prepares the report for Harim, earning 5 subcommendations and one full commendation for the slaying of the monstrous rex. The expeditioners also hear two pieces of new: more and more vaatru have been spotted in the forest, and two expeditioners have been murdered at the expeditioners dock, five canoes have dissapeared.
Harim asks Maddox if he has a friend who’s name starts with the letter Z. He affirms, suspicious, and is given a scrap of muddy paper. It depicts a trail they have travelled before, except one spot is marked an X. The back reads “You will find me here. -Z”
Edwina journeys to The Crooked Tower, intent on apologising to the footservant she got in trouble by barging in on the governor when she had malaria. Who should be run into at the door but Salvan Kwandi, a magistrate lieutenant and someone she has been has been ardently avoiding. He seems dishevelled, but quickly attempts to right himself when we recognizes her. The pair share awkward pleasantries (they were once slated to be wed, in a long time past) before Edwina breaks away in haste. Her apology to the servant seems to confuse the poor girl more than anything. It is an alien thing given the rest of her treatment in the empire. On her way out, Edwina sees Magister Oregati in the final stages of yelling at an assistant. He is very displeased, but Edwina does not stick around to find out why.
Before they leave, Edwina escorts Maddox to the Royanūran Royal Archival House and distracts the human-hating librarians long enough for Maddox to find a description that mimics the ritual the expeditioners discovered in the woods. The aim appears to be contacting a resident spirit.
The expeditioners follow the trail to the spot marked on the map. After two days, they arrive. During a small detour through a shallow valley, they are stopped. Something flies through the air and lands at Edwinas feet. The severed head of Zornān! A big Gaian riding a griffon appears on the ridge of the valley, alongside 36 of his brethren. It’s an ambush!
Prold is empowered by a recently purchased Blood Charm and scores a critical hit against the gaian champion. He escapes to the sky on his griffon Vika, marking Prold as his hunted target and firing great stone arrows at him from his bow. Meanwhile, B.S.P and Maddox keep the mad gaian crowd at bay. While Edwina bolsters her allies with her courageous tales of generals past, she spares a moment to pull the gaian champion off his griffon with a telekinetic shove. Flailing on the ground, he is ended by Prolds glaive.
The gaian are emboldened by their leaders death (for they are the gaian; they do not yield). The griffons powerful sqwauk is nullified by Edwina’s counter performance, and it is quickly put down. The remaining Gaian are beaten down. The expeditioners sorrow at their lost ally, and consider their next move.