Torogai reveals that Chagum is carrying the egg of the water spirit, chosen to be its guardian. Balsa knows that the Emperor will never openly search for the prince, so she comes up with a plan to throw the Emperor off her trail. However, when Chagum's staged funeral is held in the capital, a wide-area search for her is in the works. Tanda brings in a slave trader named the Blue Hand to Balsa, who wants to "purchase" and release all of his slaves using the Second Empress's treasure, in exchange for access to his hideout and one of his horses.