Petrus arrives days later than they expected. He tells them that he has spoken with the magistrate and has bad news. Petrus is convinced that Benjamin belongs to Elias and Barta, and he will not be returning to Fiela. Fiela disagrees, but Petrus is firm with her. He says that she raised the boy well, and she should treasure her memories of him, but she will never have him back. After he departs, a forester arrives with a message for Fiela. If she continues to agitate for Benjamin’s return, she will be in legal trouble. 

After forty-one days, Lukas decides that his mother is not going to come back for him. He begins contemplating life without her, as well as what it means that he is white and they are Black. Nina tries to convince him to go into the forest with her, but he does not. Elias is harsh with them when they are not working, and he has to produce a certain amount of beams by the time Elias gets back. However, he decides he likes Nina best in the family.

On day 44, Elias takes them into the woods to help him dig a pit. It is so big that Lukas loses any idea of how long they are out there working on it.