88. Voices

A flashback to eight years before the present events, showing Dalinar's severe mental and emotional deterioration following the destruction of the Rift and his wife Evi's death. Desperate to escape haunting memories and phantom voices of burning children, Dalinar seeks alcohol throughout the royal palace and encounters his son Adolin before eventually drinking with a beggar named Ahu.

The chapter opens with Dalinar standing watch during a meeting between King Gavilar and various highprinces' heirs in Kholinar. Dalinar is mentally tormented by memories of the Rift's destruction three years prior—a disaster for which Sadeas carefully shifted blame away from Dalinar by framing it as an unfortunate consequence of the Rifters' aggression. Dalinar is plagued by haunting sounds: weeping children and his deceased wife's voice. When Gavilar signals for a fire to be lit, Dalinar flees, unable to bear the sight and smell of flames. He returns to his rooms in the royal palace (having abandoned his own keep due to painful associations with his wife) but finds Renarin burning incense that reminds him of Evi, so he leaves again in search of alcohol. After searching the throne room's staging area unsuccessfully, Dalinar encounters his fifteen-year-old son Adolin in the hallway, who enthusiastically invites him to watch a sword bout. Though conflicted by Adolin's genuine nature and resemblance to Evi, Dalinar agrees to attend. Unable to face the palace servants, Dalinar descends to the Beggars' Porch behind the palace, where he finds a mad beggar named Ahu. The two share a bottle of harsh white wine. Ahu speaks cryptically of voices tormenting him and mentions names like the Black Fisher and Moelach, suggesting he is influenced by some malevolent force. Ahu claims people attract these entities through their own choices and failings. Heavily intoxicated, Dalinar returns to his rooms but stops at a door where he hears Gavilar, Adolin, and Elhokar discussing him. They remark on his drinking, his frequent visits to the beggars, and his inability to adjust to Evi's death. Adolin defends his father, while Elhokar mocks him. Gavilar suggests a trip to Azir as a distraction. Dalinar, hearing their conversation, is once again tormented by the phantom sound of Evi weeping and collapses on the nearest couch.