40. Questions, Peeks, and Inferences

Shallan receives a cryptic letter from Mraize revealing information about the Skybreakers, the Sons of Honor, and the circumstances surrounding her brother Helaran's death and recruitment. She memorizes and destroys the letter, then visits the barracks as her Veil persona to gather information and unwind, where she encounters the spy Ishnah in disguise and recruits her to train Vathah's men as a support team.

Shallan reads a detailed letter from Mraize explaining that Helaran was recruited as a Skybreaker acolyte by the Herald Nale, likely because Nale believed a member of her house was close to bonding a spren. The letter reveals that King Gavilar worked with the Sons of Honor to bring about the Desolations, and that Helaran may have been sent to kill Amaram as a test of worthiness or as a strike against the Sons of Honor. Mraize notes that the actual Surgebinder in Amaram's army (the bridgeman, though unnamed in the letter) was not known to the Skybreakers and would have been killed if discovered. Shallan memorizes the letter using her artistic Memory ability and destroys it, noting Mraize is manipulating her by dangling information like bait.

Shallan then assumes her Veil persona and visits the soldiers' barracks, where she joins Vathah, Gaz, Red, and Shob in a game of pieces. During the game, she demonstrates remarkable skill at deducing the hidden arrangement despite having no peeks. The soldiers discuss feeling purposeless and wanting meaningful work rather than endless gambling and drinking. While sitting with them, Veil spots Ishnah—the woman from All's Alley—in disguise as a washwoman and confronts her about spying.

Ishnah reveals she was trained as a spy for House Hamaradin but fled after her brightlady was killed, possibly by the Ghostbloods. She offers her services to Veil, claiming skills in information gathering, message coding, and surveillance. Veil, recognizing the value of trained assistance for her growing entanglement with Mraize and the Ghostbloods, agrees to employ Ishnah—but on the condition that Ishnah train Vathah's men to become a support network for Veil's espionage operations. Ishnah reluctantly accepts, dubious about turning the rough soldiers into capable spies.