The last stage on the way to the Labyrinth turns out to be the most difficult test for the patience and will of the dark elf. The gray limits, even having found an owner, remain deadly for uninvited guests. Wild Khmers, mockingbirds hiding in the thicket, carnivorous trees and poisonous midges... But they bother Tarran much less than the presence of the Squirrel. Her hatred is still strong, and her heart is as impregnable as the heart of the Cursed Forest. However, when the elf is faced with a choice between saving the world or the little Hound, he does not hesitate for a moment. And he makes a decision that ultimately changes everything.