74: GHOSTBLOOD

After a night of reading through her research, an exhausted and devastated by her findings, concluding that the parshmen are the true identity of the legendary voidbringers. The chapter sees the two women realizing they must travel to the shattered plains to uncover the parshendi's origins, but discovers that a secret society called the ghostbloods is actively searching for similar knowledge—and shockingly, shallan recognizes their symbol as one connected to her own father's death.

In an alcove of the library, exhausted after an emotional night, shallan confirms to jasnah that her research proves the parshmen are the voidbringers. jasnah explains the historical pattern: cycles of peace followed by inexplicable parshmen transformations into violent warriors during the heraldic epochs, the desolations. she fears that the parshmen, now integrated into every aspect of rosharan society and mysteriously connected through some form of hive-communication, could suddenly turn against humanity with catastrophic results. they must gather more information before leaving kharbranth. jasnah asks if shallan will continue despite concerns about her family obligations; shallan, realizing the threat's magnitude, agrees to stay. jasnah reveals they will sail not to shallan's estates but to the shattered plains to discover what triggered the parshendi transformation. she then discloses that multiple factions are seeking this knowledge and names one: the ghostbloods. jasnah shows shallan their symbol—three overlapping diamonds—found tattooed on kabsal's arm. shallan's blood runs cold: she recognizes the symbol as belonging to luesh, her father's steward, and to the men who pressured her family and financed her father's rise toward becoming highprince. the revelation suggests shallan's father may have been a ghostblood member.