79. Open Wound

Shallan meets with Pattern to learn he took her cube to consult with Wit about her instability, and that a Ghostblood spy overheard their conversation—exonerating her friends of betrayal. She then contacts Mraize via the cube to report that Restares cannot be found at Lasting Integrity, though the honorspren claim he isn't there. Meanwhile, Adolin attends a tutoring session with Blended the inkspren to prepare for his trial in three days, learning that a trial by witness format offers his best chance despite the odds being heavily against him. When commotion erupts at the fortress gates, both Adolin and Veil discover that the High Judge—the spren overseeing Adolin's trial—is revealed to be Kalak, one of the Heralds, who has been hiding in plain sight at Lasting Integrity. Veil realizes that the person Mraize sent her to find is one of the Heralds themselves.

Shallan encounters Pattern, who confesses to taking her cube to speak with Wit about her mental instability. Pattern reveals that a Ghostblood spy overheard conversations with Wit, explaining how Mraize learned of their activities. Pattern insists none of Shallan's friends are traitors, only himself. Shallan wrestles with trust, then allows Veil to take control. Veil contacts Mraize to report that she has eliminated all human candidates at Lasting Integrity as Restares, though he could be disguised or Mraize's intelligence could be faulty. She notes that Azure left five months ago and that the honorspren claim not to recognize a vague description of Restares. Mraize warns her that Restares is extremely dangerous if cornered and suggests she acquire Stormlight for protection. Veil agrees to develop a plan and ends the communication when disturbances break out.

Adolin attends a tutoring session with Blended, an inkspren who serves as an official emissary to Lasting Integrity. Blended informs him that his trial has been scheduled for three days hence, once the High Judge returns. Though Adolin is unprepared in honorspren legal complexities, Blended suggests motioning for a trial by witness format—more straightforward than standard honorspren procedure. This three-day format allows three testimonies against him on day one, his own testimony on day two, and rebuttals and judgment on day three. Blended warns that his grasp of their legal system is weak and that he risks being outmaneuvered by legal experts, but she supports his plan to appeal to the honorspren's sense of honor and prove modern Radiants are unconnected to ancient failures. Adolin expresses confidence that the honorspren will listen, though Blended's silence suggests she doubts this.

As Blended and Adolin leave to investigate commotion at the fortress gates, they discover a newly arrived figure surrounded by gathered spren. Veil, also drawn to the disturbance, recognizes the figure as the short Alethi man with thinning hair she has been hunting. When Veil questions Lusintia about the High Judge's identity, Lusintia reveals that despite his human appearance, the High Judge is Kalak, one of the Heralds, called Kelek'Elin among humans. Kalak ordered the honorspren not to reveal his presence to humans. Veil realizes that Mraize has sent her to find and likely kill one of the Heralds themselves.