Lord William wants Randall to deliver a note, in secret, to Hoverstad, the capital of the Duchy of the North Fjords. This will require that he travel nearly the entire length of their kingdom, by himself, while Marta and the Squirrels travel with one of Lord William's caravans into Terra de Gossos, where they had some trouble three years earlier.
But it is Randall who finds himself in trouble. After some old nemesis attack him, a mysterious young fox finds him in his desperate condition and offers to escort him along the way. Randall finds himself traveling with this strangely familiar young Rey, wondering who this young fox is and why he trusts him so much.