28. Heresies

Navani oversees the departure of Dalinar's expeditionary force to Azir, including farewells to her husband and daughter Jasnah. She then discovers a hidden sealed room in Urithiru's atrium containing an intricate stone model of the tower itself, and receives an unexpected spanreed message from an unknown angry correspondent about fabrials.

Navani watches from Urithiru's outer platform as Dalinar prepares to depart with his army for the Azir front. She notes the strategic positioning of Taravangian's forces away from command, with Szeth disguised as a common soldier among Dalinar's guards as insurance against betrayal. Young Gav departs with Dalinar, whom Navani worries about but recognizes Dalinar's desire to spend time with the boy to compensate for his absence from Adolin and Renarin's childhoods. Jasnah arrives via palanquin and shares an awkward but meaningful moment with Navani, acknowledging her neglect of family relations and reassuring her that Navani matters to her. After confirming the army's safe arrival in Azir via spanreed, Navani discusses the warcamps with Sebarial, entrusting him to bring them under control while tacitly allowing him some profit as incentive. She also encourages Sebarial to show sincerity to Palona. Inside the tower, Navani reviews reports and then visits the atrium, where a hidden sealed room has been discovered. Falilar the engineer shows her a remarkably detailed stone model of Urithiru itself, divided to show cross-sections, with rooms represented including a tiny version of the room it occupies. The original gemstone mechanism that may have opened the door is being investigated. As Navani prepares to leave, Isabi arrives with the mysterious red-light spanreed that contacted Navani weeks earlier about fabrials, now blinking again with a new message.