Rudeus and Elinalise reach Rapan and soon reunite with Paul, only to learn that a deadly labyrinth has claimed both Zenith and Roxy. The fruits of Rudeus's studies offer a last, faint hope to reach his mother and his mentor in time.

With Roxy's rescue, the search for Zenith resumes in earnest. Rudeus reconnects with his mentor amid the perils of the labyrinth. But why does she seem a little more awkward around him than before?

The rescue party reaches the heart of the Teleporter Labyrinth and confronts its guardian. But when the monster shrugs off Rudeus's magic, they realize they may have bitten off more than they can chew.

Roxy makes a desperate move to pull Rudeus out of his depression. As the group journeys home, both of them must face their feelings and negotiate the consequences.

Rudeus arrives home, frantic that something may have gone wrong in his absence. But the conversations waiting for him may become disasters in their own right. How can he introduce a new wife to a family still reeling from Paul's death?