2. Severed Cords

Lirin examines refugees entering Hearthstone while secretly harboring Dieno, the Herdazian resistance general, in his inspection line. A Fused arrives searching for a spy with a shash brand, and Kaladin—Lirin's son, marked as a slave and wielding strange power—is discovered among the refugees, bringing violence to the checkpoint.

Lirin works as a surgeon inspecting refugees from fallen Herdaz at Hearthstone's entrance, maintaining calm professionalism despite knowing a hunted resistance general hides among those seeking entry. Brightness Abiajan, the parshwoman citylady, observes his work and questions his emotional detachment, mentioning her own childhood treatment by him before the Everstorm awakened the parshmen. Lirin maintains clinical distance, citing surgical necessity. Laral, now serving as a water carrier, signals that "three down"—code for the general's position in line—and warns that the Herdazian leader appears unremarkable. Lirin refuses to betray the general despite his hatred of war, asserting he has sent word to his son Kaladin to retrieve him. When the general, Dieno enne Calah (the Mink), reaches Lirin's station, Lirin recognizes him by his scarred wrists and sun-darkened skin. After examining him, Lirin coaches one of the general's companions to fake a leg wound, using the injured man as cover to extract all five from the inspection line via litter. Laral's husband, former citylord Roshone, provides distraction by stumbling drunk through the checkpoint, amusing the parshmen inspectors and drawing their attention away from the litter bearers. However, Abiajan interrupts before Lirin can move the general to safety, summoning him to meet a visitor. A towering Fused emerges from the fog—a nightmare creature with black skin, red-lined eyes, and jagged carapace. Through a warform interpreter, the Fused announces they seek a dangerous spy: a tall young man with wavy black hair, a shash slave brand on his forehead. As the Fused's soldiers search the refugee line, they discover Kaladin, who erupts with glowing power, bringing death to Hearthstone despite Lirin's efforts to protect his son and harbor the general.