74. Swiftspren

Veil continues her undercover investigation of the Cult of Moments in Kholinar, distributing food to the poor while building her reputation as the "Swiftspren." She infiltrates a cult procession but becomes dangerously close to surrendering to the cult's darkness before breaking away and dispersing them. She later reconnects with Elhokar, sketching his portrait to encourage him, and receives a mysterious invitation to the cult's revel.

Veil distributes food packages to street urchins and the poor of Kholinar, including Grund, Muri, and random beggars. She cultivates her reputation as the Swiftspren—a mysterious figure said to rob the wealthy and walk through walls—by having Ishnah and Vathah wear illusions of her while giving away provisions. Pattern questions why she focuses on small acts of charity when larger schemes are needed. As evening falls, Veil encounters the Cult of Moments parading through the streets and transforms herself into an elaborate spren costume to infiltrate them. She becomes deeply absorbed in the cult's chanting and darkness, nearly surrendering to their message of abandonment and spiritual release, but breaks free when she hears a voice saying "Shallan, I'm not your enemy." Alarmed at how easily she was corrupted, she uses Lightweaving to impersonate a true spren and commands the cultists to abandon their costumes and return home. After the encounter, she struggles with her fragmented identity—Veil, Shallan, and Radiant—and worries she lacks the logical strength Jasnah possesses. She discovers Wit leading songs among a gathering of singing people, then returns to the tailor's shop disguised as Shallan. In the kitchen, she finds Elhokar drinking wine and studying notes on houses and troop numbers for his political maneuvering. He expresses his yearning to be a hero for his city and his young son locked in the palace. Shallan sketches Elhokar's portrait, depicting him noble and unbowed despite his hardships, and gifts it to him. Later, Ishnah brings Shallan a mysterious note inviting her to meet at the cult's revel in two nights during the next Everstorm, instructing her to come alone with food.