35. The Strength of a Soldier

Adolin seeks counsel from his Radiants on how to appeal to the honorspren at Lasting Integrity, but their political strategies seem inadequate. Notum, an honorspren ally, departs before they reach the stronghold. Adolin takes Shallan on a walk where she finally emerges more fully, sketches a magnificent starspren, and shares an intimate moment with him as he opens up about his struggles with his father's expectations.

The chapter opens with Adolin meeting with the Radiants—the Stump, Arshqqam, Godeke, and Zu—to discuss their approach to the honorspren. Veil, one of Shallan's personas, attends while sketching but struggling to coax Shallan out. The council concludes that Adolin's proposed strategies (written letters, appealing to guilt, or threatening alternatives) are unlikely to succeed with the honorspren, who are passionate and unlikely to feel guilty. Arshqqam suggests instead appealing to their honor itself. Adolin dismisses the group for breakfast, and Radiant (another Shallan persona) calls on Beryl, one of Shallan's agents, to share her opinion and gain political experience. Beryl expresses reluctance and uncertainty, but Radiant senses she may be hiding something. The camp continues toward Lasting Integrity, now one day away, with a band of mysterious Tukari humans still following them. Adolin and Veil take a walk together away from camp. Notum, the honorspren who has been accompanying them, arrives on a magnificent glowing steed-spren to bid farewell, as he is forbidden to approach Lasting Integrity. He expresses doubt about their mission's success and cryptically mentions being glad the Ancient Daughter is not trapped in the stronghold. As they continue walking, Adolin deliberately leads Shallan to a ridge where a starspren emerges from the clouds—a breathtaking, constellation-marked creature of ashen carapace and seven sets of insect wings. Shallan, drawn out by the beauty, enthusiastically sketches the creature as it poses for her. During this moment of artistic immersion, she and Adolin connect emotionally. He shares a story about his first adolescent crush, Idani, whom he gave an antique sword after misunderstanding her flirtation. He later discovered her gossiping cruelly about Renarin, which shattered his idealization of her, but he now recognizes she was likely struggling for acceptance. This reflection leads to a deeper conversation where Adolin admits his fundamental conflict with Dalinar: his father sees him as a perfect, noble reflection of his mother and cannot accept Adolin as a flawed person capable of his own choices. Shallan, understanding this completely, draws close to him, and they kiss as the starspren fades into the clouds above them.