Septimus waits at Diggory’s Dyke, a ravine that leads to Wall. He is watching the witch-queen, who is camping there in wait for Yvaine. Septimus needs to avenge Primus and considers the best way to dispatch the witch-queen. Finally, he starts a fire using a book of poems. He waits outside as the hut burns. Suddenly, a snake bites his foot and Septimus becomes paralyzed. The witch-queen confronts him and returns to the hut, leaving Septimus to die.

Madame Semele drives by, and the witch-queen forces her to tell her who she has in the caravan: a bird, a dormouse, and her two mules. She dismisses Madame Semele to drive on, not realizing the star is nearby. When Madame Semele arrives at the empty marketplace outside Wall, she returns Tristran to his true shape and Una to hers. Tristran prepares to return home to his family and Victoria, though he’s no longer certain he can give Yvaine over as a gift. He looks forward to seeing his home again.

As Tristran and Yvaine approach the wall, he’s stopped by the two men guarding the wall. They refuse to let him in, so he and Yvaine return to the meadow.