With the city reeling from Maladie's opera debut, Mundi takes a personal stake in tracking her down, while Amalia launches an investigation of her own. Meanwhile, the charitable Lavinia Bidlow seeks to destigmatize the Touched at a society event, Hugo Swann enlists Lavinia’s younger brother Augie to help monetize his illicit enterprise, and a deranged doctor conducts a series of experiments.

After Amalia's origin story is revealed, a long-awaited reunion crystallizes the Orphans' mission.