50. Queen

Navani organizes her scholars under guard while secretly communicating with the Sibling through the tower's stone, learning that the tower's defenses have been inverted to suppress Radiants. She discovers that Kaladin is awake and functional despite the suppression field, and tasks him with investigating how the enemy is operating the Oathgates to send communications and potentially reach Dalinar.

Navani manages her confined scholars in the eastern basement study room by assigning busy work—organizing notes and rechecking calculations—to avoid raising suspicion while she maintains the shield protecting the Sibling. Through soft whispers against the stone, she communicates with the Sibling, the tower's spren. The Sibling reveals it was wounded centuries ago when an Unmade was bound, causing it to lose the rhythm of its Light, and that a Fused scholar has since corrupted parts of it with Voidlight. The tower's ancient protections, designed to defend against Voidlight users, have been inverted to now suppress Stormlight users like the Radiants. Navani learns that only Kaladin and Lift remain awake—the former mysteriously resistant to the suppression, the latter lost to her. The Sibling explains the shield is maintained by three nodes (large gemstones infused with Stormlight) hidden throughout the tower; if Raboniel finds one, she could corrupt the tower completely.

Kaladin, hiding on the eleventh floor with Teft unconscious, sneaks through the tower gathering supplies and Stormlight. He scouts the exterior, discovering that the enemy is maintaining an illusion of normalcy with false guards in Alethi uniforms to prevent Dalinar from learning the truth. Testing a Reverse Lashing—a combination of Gravitation and Adhesion Surges he had not fully explored—he successfully extracts gemstones from lanterns. He raids the monastery on the fourth floor for medical supplies, rations, water, and brushes to help carry Teft. The ardent Kuno agrees to provide regular resupply. When Kaladin returns to his hideout and touches a garnet vein, Navani contacts him through the Sibling, establishing a communication link. She briefs him on the situation and tasks him with discovering how the enemy operates the Oathgates, suspecting they use Voidlight and operate primarily at night to avoid detection. Kaladin agrees to investigate, and Navani warns him about the three nodes while advising against unnecessary risks. Before severing the connection, she mentions Lift may also be awake somewhere in the tower.