86. The Song of Mornings

Dabbid guides Rlain and Lift through the tower to find Kaladin dying of infection. Lift uses her Stormlight to heal Kaladin's severe fever and wound, then inadvertently awakens both Teft and Kaladin from their unconscious states. Dabbid's quiet heroism succeeds in saving his friend's life.

The chapter opens with Dabbid's internal reflections on his lifelong differences—intellectual disability from birth, difficulty with communication and cognition, and how he learned to hide these traits by remaining silent with Bridge Four to avoid being treated as fundamentally broken. He pushed past his anxiety to guide Rlain through the tower's tunnels and hidden passages, evading singer patrols with Rlain's help using his connection to the singers' rhythms. They meet Lift on the tenth floor as planned, where she has stolen food from the Fused. Leading them to the eleventh floor, they find Kaladin in critical condition: fevered, thrashing, covered in violent infection and rotspren from his wound. Lift expends considerable Stormlight to heal the infection completely, pushing so much power into Kaladin that his skin glows before he falls into peaceful sleep. When Rlain questions why Dabbid hid his ability to speak, Dabbid admits his fear of being seen as different and wrong. Rlain challenges this, and Lift defends Dabbid's right to silence. Dabbid reveals the tower promised to heal his cognitive differences when he becomes Radiant, though he now doubts whether the tower was truthful. As they change Kaladin's bedding, Teft awakens—apparently healed by Lift's earlier inadvertent touch. The group realizes Lift can wake the fallen Radiants. Kaladin then stirs and opens his eyes, relieved and joyful to find his friends present. Dabbid reflects that he has repaid Kaladin's act of rescue with a heroism of his own, despite his self-doubt.