18. Double Vision

Shallan adopts her Veil persona and ventures into the Breakaway market beneath Urithiru to investigate murders, hoping to find clues about the killer that Adolin has been unable to locate. Through careful disguise and interrogation at multiple taverns, she discovers a lead but uncovers a disturbing pattern of double murders instead.

Shallan transforms into Veil using Stormlight illusions, shedding her youthful Shallan appearance for a harder, more angular look. She escapes Urithiru through a side entrance and makes her way to the Breakaway, a sprawling underground market that has grown chaotically despite Navani's plans for regulated shops. Veil visits her first tavern to gather information about unreported murders. She attempts to establish credibility by drinking strong wine but badly miscalculates her tolerance, getting drunk after several cups. A bouncer named Jor helps her and mentions a stabbing in All's Alley. Using Stormlight, Shallan abruptly sobers herself, shocking the bartender and patrons. She then locates All's Alley tavern, a disreputable establishment run by a barkeep who is protective of his patrons. Veil learns that a woman was murdered there and claims to be hunting her sister's killer. The barkeep directs her to a group of thugs in an alcove. When a large Horneater named Ur displaces her from a seat, Veil stabs through both their hands to prove she is dangerous, then draws the Ghostblood symbol on the table. This frightens the group, particularly a woman named Betha. Under pressure, Betha reveals that Ur killed a man named Ned who had murdered his wife Rem by strangulation. However, when Veil begins to leave, another woman mentions that Ned killed a second barmaid the same night using identical methods. Betha confirms the barmaid was strangled in the exact same manner as Rem, with matching marks. Veil leaves with a jug of Horneater white, realizing she has uncovered a pattern of double murders rather than the single killer Adolin was hunting.