Now in Wildwood, a coyote guard marches Prue back to the warren. They lead her to Alexandra in the throne room. The Governess treats Prue kindly but denies any knowledge of what the crows have done with Mac. Alexandra also discredits the bandits and the avians: “A young girl as bright as you must understand the danger of becoming involved in affairs that are beyond your realm of experience. Things are rarely as simple as they appear” (302).

As Alexandra continues to explain the politics of the Wood to Prue, the girl becomes confused about who her allies really are. Meloy writes: Her whole world seemed to be spinning about her, flipping on its axis; up was down, right was left. It was as if everything, her entire worldview, had abruptly switched polarity” (307-08). Alexandra advises Prue to return home and promises to search for Mac and return him to his family. Confused and dispirited, Prue agrees to let a coyote guard escort her back to the border of the Impassable Wilderness.

In the warren prison, Curtis wakes to the sound of Septimus gnawing at the cable suspending his cage sixty feet above the ground. He orders the rat to stop immediately.