Puzzled by Mot's revelation, the party decides to consult with the Bergenians, since Reginald normally stays among the monks when in Heremac. Abbot Peter himself receives the party, and expresses his own concerns about the missing paladin. Reginald has often disappeared for several weeks while adventuring into the occupied lands, but he has never been gone so long. The Abbot has no idea where Reginald was headed when he last left the town. The party considers likely places for Reginald to explore, and they recall that the rucks have been taking some prisoners to Grimall Keep, while others prisoners have been taken to Derwich. Valerius further remembers that Reginald has been recently seen talking with Lady Isabelle of Derwich, and Valerius asks the Abbot if she would agree to an interview. Isabelle consents, and she expresses her worries that some tragedy has befallen Reginald. Isabelle then reveals that Reginald had left Heremac on her behalf.

It turns out that there are many rumors concerning one of Isabelle's younger brothers, Frederick. Several refugees from Derwich —including some very reputable retainers to Isabelle's family—have sworn that they have seen young Frederick still alive, several weeks after the massacre. A persistent, unverified rumor claims that young Frederick somehow escaped being killed by Tereus—perhaps by being disguised. Reginald was a loyal friend and servant to Derwich, and he readily agreed to undertake the quest, hoping to recover Frederick alive. The party, recalling Mot's dream, presses Isabelle for any information of underground passages or chambers at Derwich, but Isabelle has heard of no such thing. Isabelle further reveals that the rucks destroyed much of Derwich Castle, but they have since rebuilt most of the fortress. Derwich is now under the direct control of one of the sons of Tereus: Busirane, renowned for his monstrous cruelty.

The consortes at once prepare to make for Derwich. They soon arrive in Vesay, the last free town on the edge of ruckish territory, and rest there for the night. Many townsmen in Vesay recall seeing Reginald pass through about three or weeks ago, but they have heard nothing since then from the paladin.

The consortes depart Vesay. They soon come across the rotted corpses of a Black-blade patrol, dead several weeks, and some of the party members wonder if this is Reginald's handwork. Taking care to avoid attention, the party skirts by Caxbrill, pausing only long enough to survey the place. The party finds no sign of Reginald at Caxbrill and notes that much of the town has been rebuilt in the last few months.

The party camps in the woods that night, and during the second watch the party is accosted by a rag-tag band of men, former residents of Derwich who have taken to the wood to avoid living under Busirane's rule. The men explain that they live by raiding from the rucks. The men have no more information on the missing Reginald, and tell the consortes that Derwich is heavily garrisoned, and that Busirane keeps many poor peasants who toil under extremely harsh conditions. Derwich castle consists of a large stone tower, surrounded by both an inner stone wall and an outer stone wall with a fortified gate house.

The party leaves the bandits and approaches Derwich. Noxumbra flies over to scout out the place, and she reports that several large places in the outer wall have been rebuilt with timber; several scores of peasants are working in the fields under the watchful gaze of heavily armed guards. The road leading up to the outer gate is lined with a series of wooden crosses, on which are nailed the wretched corpses of many peasants. Noxumbra also reports a curious feature: a wooden palisade, without any door or gate encloses a large section of the outer ward. Within the palisade is a lonely lot, empty and overrun with weeds.

After some debate, it is agreed that St. James will disguise himself as a peasant and infiltrate Derwich castle, where he will gather as much intelligence as possible. The consortes set up a prearranged signal so that St. James will be able to make an escape while out in the fields. St. James covers himself in filth, and easily slips in among the toiling peasants. That night, the peasants are marched into the castle. St. James discovers that the rucks keep a strict head count, and when the rucks discover that their count is one peasant high, there is much consternation. The incorrect count is blamed on one of the ruckish sergeants, and the unfortunate ruck is promptly executed for his incompetence, his head mounted high on a stake in the outer ward. St. James notes that the severed heads of many rucks and men hang prominently in Derwich.

One of the peasants, realizing that St. James is a stranger, approaches and questions the young thief on his business in Derwich. St. James in turn asks some questions of his own, and learns that Reginald has not been seen in Derwich, and that no one has recently seen a boy matching Frederick's description. The peasant further tells St. James that the rucks scrupulously avoid the empty lot within the palisade. The peasant then adds a kink to the consortes' plan for St. James' escape: evidently, any time the rucks discover that their tally of prisoners is low, they immediately execute five prisoners, chosen at random. St. James finds that the outer ward is swarming with ruckish guards, but he eventually decides to take his chances: waiting until the guards are distracted, St. James makes a run for the palisade, quickly scrambling over the wall and into the empty lot. He hears a great commotion on the other side of the palisade, but the rucks do not pursue.

The lot seems empty, but suddenly a friendly voice calls to St. James in the dark: it is a young boy. The boy claims to be Frederick, and tells St. James that he has been hiding in here for a long time—so far, he has been able to completely avoid detection from the rucks. St. James initially assumes the lad to be an exceptional sneak, but further talk raises some disturbing questions: the boy declines an offer of food, and then tells St. James that he cannot escape from the palisade. St. James feels a chill and, taking a deep breath, touches the boy's hand and finds it strangely cold. Harboring an awful suspicion, St. James asks Frederick if he is a real boy or a spirit. Frederick is confused and upset about the question. St. James, uneasy about the entire situation, drops the matter and steels himself for a long night in the abandoned yard.

As the night wears on, St. James suddenly realizes that Frederick is no longer at his side. Instead, St. James hears weeping in the dark. Disoriented, St. James stumbles through the blackness until he comes upon a young man, on a few years younger than himself. The lad lies in a pool of blood and weeps, staring at the two bloody stumps where his hands should be. St. James is unable to communicate with this vision, and recoils from the horrible sight. The weeping gradually dissipates.

Later, St. James hears footsteps approaching, and he soon beholds an awful image: the Baroness of Derwich, also covered in blood, her eyes wild with shock and grief, stumbling across the yard. Cradled in her arms lies a dead baby boy. Overcome by horror, St. James flees from the sight.

Midnight looms near, and the very ground in the abandoned lot begins to heave and groan: strange mist roils up from the earth, and St. James can soon hear the sounds of distant wails and moans. Presently, a figure approaches—a tall, dark man dressed in black armor, his eyes dark, empty sockets. The figure identifies himself as the dead Baron Derwich, murdered along with the rest of his family, their unconsecrated bodies buried beneath the ground of the empty lot. The Baron's shade tells St. James how he is forced to spend his days in infernal torment, and his nights wandering the earth above his jumbled bones. The shade implores St. James to deliver justice to the Derwich name. St. James readily agrees, and at the shade's request swears three times to help.

At dawn, during the changing of the guard, St. James jumps over the palisade and runs toward the outer wall. He quickly climbs to the battlements, and avoiding ruckish pursuers, tumbles over the side, and runs to the woods and his friends. St. James then tells his consortes of last night's disturbing events. Valerius is very upset with his friend for swearing to an oath with a shade, but the deed is done, and the consortes consider what to do. They eventually decide to bring a priest to Derwich, a priest who would bless the ground and hopefully lay the spirits of the Derwich family to rest. Friar Sidrach, it is agreed, is too far away to be summoned in time, so most of the consortes plan to head for Vesay, and find a priest there.

Valerius, Mot, Noxumbra and St. James remain behind, to see if hindering the rucks will satisfy the ghost of Derwich. That night Valerius prepares a protective circle, and at midnight the ground begins to rumble, and soon an entire host of wretched shades appears, hanging back just at the edge of the fire's light. Soon the shade of Baron Derwich presses forward, and demands why St. James has not yet released him from suffering. St. James apologizes and the shade departs, but the young thief feels considerably weaker.

Valerius and his fellows ambush a Black-blade patrol: St. James fires arrows, Mot tosses clubs, and Valerius conjures strange orange-skinned monsters to attack the rucks, who are soon wiped out. Valerius intentionally plants one of the counterfeit badges from Lownell, and arranges the scene of slaughter to suggest that Lownell's minions killed the rucks. Meanwhile, the rest of the consortes arrive in Vesay. Hamral and Vandoren are able to convince an old Seeker chaplain, Brother Tallow, to accompany them to Derwich.

That night, Valerius prepares another circle, and the shades appear again—and are not appeased. St. James grows increasingly weaker. The next day the rest of the consortes return with Brother Tallow, and a plan is developed. First, St. James and Tallow will disguise themselves as peasants. Then, just as the peasants in the fields are about to be brought in for the night, Valerius and the rest of the consortes will create a series of distractions that will confuse the rucks. In the tumult, St. James and Tallow will join the rest of the peasants and be brought into the castle, and before the head count is taken, sneak over the palisade wall.

As St. James and Tallow join the peasants, the young thief is recognized and guards dispatched. However, Noxumbra immediately relays this information, and Valerius begins the diversion by calling up a blast of fire that strikes one section of the castle wall. Meanwhile, Vandoren creates the sound of trolls attacking at another section of the wall, and on another side Hamral begins playing a ruckish horn, feinting different and contrary commands. This combination utterly confuses the rucks: many peasants seize the opportunity and fly into the woods. The other peasants are quickly hustled within the gates, St. James and Tallow sneak in, and are able to make their way up and over the palisade before the rucks can react.

Inside the empty ground, Brother Tallow begins a ceremony to bless the ground and release the restless spirits. Vandoren uses a magic charm to carry messages on the wind to St. James, keeping the thief appraised of what is happening outside the palisade. Meanwhile, the rucks scurry to account for the escaped peasants, put out the fire, and marshal their troops to repel a troll attack. An entire company of rucks readies for a sortie, and Prince Busirane himself, astride a great war-horse, prepares to lead the attack. As Brother Tallow continues with his rites, the ground begins to buckle and spew forth more gas. A great rift yawns open, and St. James can hear pitiful, wailing voices calling from the ground. Some perverse force compels him to draw closer and closer to the rift, but St. James steels himself and is able to step back. Brother Tallow finally completes the ritual: the ground snaps shut, and the yard is suddenly still.

Meanwhile, Busirane and his troops march out from Derwich Castle. Vandoren informs St. James and Tallow to be ready to run. Once Busirane is clear of the castle gates, Valerius steps forward from the trees, and announces that he brings a message from Sir John of Lownell: "Know that Lownell will no longer serve under the yoke of Tereus." And with this, Valerius suddenly calls forth a great burst of flame that engulfs Busirane. Again, the rucks are thrown into confusion, and St. James and Brother Tallow make good their escape. The party watches as Busirane writhes in agony on the ground, his charred horse lying beside, and his bodyguard in total disarray. Once St. James and Tallow reach the woods, the entire party immediately leaves for Vesay.