5: HERETIC

After chasing her across multiple cities, young scholar-in-training and heiress of House davar finally meets the brilliant historian and scholar, brightness jasnah kholin. jasnah subjects shallan to a rigorous examination of her education, initially rejecting her as a ward. However, shallan witnesses jasnah's extraordinary soulcasting ability firsthand when jasnah transforms a massive fallen boulder into smoke to rescue the king's granddaughter, deepening shallan's resolve to stay and win jasnah's acceptance. the chapter reveals shallan's true motivation: she intends to steal jasnah's soulcaster to save her house from ruin.

shallan enters the kharbranthian royal palace to finally meet jasnah kholin, a tall, striking woman in her mid-thirties wearing an ornate soulcaster on her freehand. jasnah initially greets her coolly during a conversation with king taravangian. jasnah explains that her earlier letter to shallan was merely permission to meet, not a promise of wardship, and that she has rejected many applicants. she subjects shallan to a thorough examination of her education in music, languages, writing, logic, and history, proving relentlessly critical of shallan's knowledge gaps, particularly in history. when shallan defends herself with spirit, jasnah notes her humility at admitting fault. the group is interrupted by a cave-in in the palace corridors that has trapped the king's granddaughter behind a massive boulder. jasnah demonstrates her powerful soulcaster by transforming the stone into dense black smoke, which explodes outward and allows the king to reach his granddaughter. witnessing the soulcaster in action seems to dazzle shallan. immediately after, jasnah rejects shallan's petition to become her ward, claiming the visual arts are frivolous, and leaves with the king toward the palanaeum library. as shallan stands alone, devastated at first, she reflects that her true purpose has been to learn jasnah's location and steal her soulcaster to save house davar from financial ruin. she resolves not to abandon her quest and follows jasnah with renewed determination.