87. Trial By Witness

A flashback to a year and a half before the main timeline shows Venli consolidating her power over the listener people by secretly hoarding gemstones and collaborating with Ulim to summon a devastating storm containing stormspren. She encounters her ailing mother and shares a rare moment of harmony with her sister Eshonai, but harbors doubts about the path she's chosen while remaining committed to her goal of obtaining ultimate freedom and power.

The chapter opens with Venli observing a victorious but exhausted listener warband led by Eshonai returning from battle. Venli gloats inwardly that her people are weakening and becoming desperate enough to accept new forms of power. She meets secretly with Denshil, the head farmer, who has been hoarding gemstones under the pretense of experimenting with human gem-cutting techniques. Venli demands he cut smaller stones to accumulate enough gemhearts for every listener in the city, threatening him with the danger of human conquest if he refuses. She encounters Ulim, a spren, who confirms that a massive storm is approaching from Shadesmar—Odium's own power that will devastate humans and leave them vulnerable to listener domination. Venli and her scholars plan to capture stormspren from this storm using gemstones as vessels. Venli meets her sister Eshonai, who informs her that their mother has been found wandering confused and injured. They visit her together, and as their mother sleeps, the sisters share an uncommon moment of harmony, singing the Song of Mornings together. Eshonai thanks Venli for the forms and asks if Venli might find her a diplomatic form to help negotiate with the humans, expressing hope for reconciliation. Venli acknowledges her doubts about her actions but does not confess her plans. After Eshonai falls asleep, Venli leaves and that night enters a storm for the first time to hunt stormspren.