Summer, 1226

At the beginning of summer, a few of the magi decide to explore some of the local places of interest found for them by their companion Wee Angus (a Scottish dwarf with a worryingly close relationship with his axes). On the way south, they spend a night in a barn at the village of Hetton. The village's divine aura has mostly faded, and wandering the graveyard that night Vladimir discovers what sounds like a scratching noise in one of the graves, as if the buried dead are trying to rise. Later in the barn, they are disturbed by a cat prowling around outside, which Angus kills with his axe. The body of the cat immediately decays, leaving behind an awful stench.

Not wishing to interfere, they continue their journey in the morning at arrive at the village of Foulridge where there are rumoured to be golden apples growing on a tree. Finding the tree, they discover two graves dug very close to it, as if the tree itself has grown up between them since the graves were dug, though they don't look more than a few years old. Nearby are found some old rope tied to a branch, as if two people hung themselves here.

Residing at the tree are the twin spirits of two young women, who do not wish the magi to take their apples. After some discussion, it is determined that the twins are waiting for a handsome man - a description which doesn't fit any of those present. After some deliberation, illusions are cast upon Wee Angus to try and make him more presentable, and he returns to the tree to try and impress the spirits. Eventually, they invite him to sleep with them upon their graves. He wakes in a dream, where the two women approach him, but are repulsed by his natural appearance in his dream form.

In the end, Umbriel takes in her hawk form and steals an apple, much to the wailing of the women. It appears to be a source of Creo vis.

The magi head back towards the covenant, via the gardens of Marisa the Flower Lady. She is a blind woman who tends a beautiful faerie garden that contains within it regios of all the seasons simultaneously. Discovering the way to gain entrance to her residence from the local villagers (which includes presenting the golden apple as a gift), they have a talk with her, though are more interested in finding out about her than asking for any favours. Before she dismisses them, they do discover that her sight was taken from her long ago, by a magus named Llew. The magi remember that there is a Merinita magus at Blackthorn by that name, who has a reputation of both beauty and cruelty.