Shae meets with Ayt Mada, who insists she did not order Lan’s murder. She did want to send a threatening message, but believed that Lan was capable of peace talks.

Ayt Mada explains to Shae that she has been selling jade and SN1 abroad in Ygutan. Because she is willing to sell to all parties, she is killing the black market and is on track to control the global trade in jade entirely. Ayt Mada asks Shae to usurp Hilo, add No Peak’s forces to Mountain, and become Mountain’s Weather Man. When Shae refuses to betray her family, Ayt Mada warns that Shae has forced her hand.

Doru escapes after Kaul Sen gives him his jade. Hilo is enraged and Shae tries to assuage him by promising to find Doru.

Shae informs Hilo that No Peak can only financially survive the conflict with Mountain for another six months before they are completely out of money. Hilo wonders who could replace him as Pillar; he realizes that if he dies, No Peak dies with him.