The city of Zamora is within the truce between the humans and the arcanics. The chapter opens with a soliloquy by Athanasius in which he tells the reader that the city is in the center of the truce. He tells us that the council of the council has come to see him, and that the mother superior has come for her. He also tells the audience that he knows why he stayed away from her all these years, in full violation of the treaty with Orleen. He says that he is glad that this is not a place for farewells, as the council marvels at his strength. He explains that he has seen death himself, and he wants her to tell him something. He asks her what she is doing in the wagon, and she says that she is also in the truce, but that she wants to be alone. She tells him that she might be human, but she is a daughter of the edenites, who do not believe in the hate of the federation. She says that the forest would have been gone if the boy had not been killed with "infernal energy" . She adds that she knows that she sympathizes with the animals, but they should not be at peace with the humans. She also says that her grandfather was a traitor to the race, and the council is afraid of his potatoes.