54: GIBLETISH

At the king's feasting island, mysterious visitor "WithTheWind" (who reveals his name might be "hoid") warns dalinar that sadeas plans a revelation, and adolin secretly positions guards for potential arrest. sadeas publicly announces his investigation findings, exonerating dalinar from suspicion in the girth-made assassination attempt and suggesting dalinar was framed by an unknown enemy. after the reveal, dalinar successfully persuades sadeas to become his military ally in a joint assault strategy against the parshendi.

The feasts island gathering occurs on a cold night as dalinar arrives late, noting the other highprinces treat him coldly after his failed alliance proposals. a mysterious cloaked figure revealed to be wit sits silently beside dalinar, then cryptically warns him about "winds changing" and mentions "adonalsium" before departing abruptly, advising him that sadeas plans a revelation and to "watch himself." dalinar alerts adolin, who positions six of dalinar's officers and sympathetic king's guards on the island in case of arrest. dalinar mingles with highprince hatham and visiting dignitary au-nakling, overhearing a debate about the tukari-emuli conflict. an ardent acting as hatham's agent subtly offers goodwill, implying the devotaries are becoming politicized despite prohibitions. sensing tension, dalinar confronts sadeas directly, forcing him to make his announcement before the gathered lighteyes. sadeas reveals that the girth-made was cut before the hunt, that eight of elhokar's shardplate sapphires cracked in the battle, and that a young groom named fin testifies the saddle was switched in the king's palace complex before reaching dalinar's camp. sadeas concludes someone framed dalinar, likely an enemy of dalinar's trying to cast suspicion on him, and suggests the assassination attempt may have involved planted flawed gemstones and orchestrated weakening of the saddle. after the announcement disperses the crowd, dalinar thanks sadeas privately. sadeas reveals he accepted the investigator position to prove dalinar innocent, dismisses dalinar's presumption and self-righteousness, but admits he still suspects a real assassination attempt occurred and doesn't trust the coincidence of the cracked gemstones. dalinar apologizes for misjudging sadeas over six years and propositions him: ally in joint plateau assaults using sadeas's speed and dalinar's strength, with dalinar offering sadeas two-thirds of gemhearts and any shardblade kills. sadeas agrees to consider the proposal after the feast.