Basta's Pride and Dustfinger's Cunning
- Basta takes Meggie to the crypt—he keeps standing there though, so Meggie can't tell Dustfinger that there's a plan to not let him and Resa die.
- Then Resa slips a note to Dustfinger to give to Meggie. Dustfinger tries to distract Basta, but he notices, and orders Meggie to read it out loud (since Basta can't read). It basically says that nine years is a long time, and Meggie has grown up to be lovely. Aw. Resa is totally her mom. Yay.
- Dustfinger says that he'd only wanted Meggie to smuggle him a little wine, but Basta doesn't buy it, and when Meggie slips the note back to Dustfinger through the bars, Basta smacks her.
- Dustfinger begins to taunt Basta, so Basta holds a knife to Meggie's throat in order to get him to cooperate. More mocking ensues, and Basta finally lets Meggie go.
- Basta opens the door to the cage and steps in. Dustfinger begins to chant a spell about how Basta will be cursed, so Basta tries to grab Dustfinger in order to cut off his fingers and do other horrible things to him, but Dustfinger's too quick.
- When Basta's back is to her, Resa hits him in the head with a rock—Dustfinger grabs Basta's knife, and he and Resa leave the cell, locking Basta in.
- Next, Dustfinger tries to get Resa to escape with him, but she wants to stay behind with Meggie, so Dustfinger takes off, and once Basta's shouts are heard, Resa is locked up again and Meggie is taken back to her room.