27. Playing Pretend

Shallan sketches at a political meeting while observing the arrival of Meridas Amaram, who has been named regent and heir to House Sadeas by Ialai Sadeas. After Adolin storms out in anger, Shallan follows him and learns that Amaram may have killed her brother Helaran. Later, Shallan discovers disturbing drawings in her sketchbook that she doesn't remember making, and then recruits Vathah's soldiers for mysterious dangerous work.

Shallan sits apart from the main meeting in Urithiru's auditorium, sketching while Dalinar and the highprinces discuss strategy against the Voidbringers. She sketches the creature she glimpsed in the cracks of the tower, which Pattern identifies as an ancient spren of Odium. A new Surgebinder named Malata, a Dustbringer who arrived with Taravangian, briefly converses with Shallan, questioning the necessity of recreating the ancient Radiant orders. The meeting is disrupted when Ialai Sadeas arrives with Meridas Amaram and announces she is naming him regent and heir to House Sadeas due to her nephew's youth. Despite Dalinar's objections and Adolin's fury at the decision, King Elhokar ratifies the arrangement. Amaram appeals for a postponement of legal proceedings against him until after Roshar is saved. Shallan follows the angry Adolin to the lift, where he reveals his admiration for Amaram has been shattered. Shallan mentions that Amaram likely killed her brother Helaran, and Adolin explains that Amaram obtained his Shardblade by killing Kaladin's squad and taking the Shards—a revelation that deeply troubles Shallan. Later, while walking the dark corridors alone, Shallan discovers drawings in her sketchbook that she has no memory of creating: twisted, chaotic lines and grotesque images of flesh-ripped horses and an endless void. Disturbed but compelled by the tower's secrets, she seeks out Vathah and his soldiers in the barracks and recruits them for dangerous work, hinting they may need to drink.