Chapter 143

Navani navigates the Spiritual Realm's visions to rescue her grandson Gavinor from Aesudan's chambers while Elhokar leads an assault on the palace. She discovers that Odium has taken control of the vision and is using it to torment her, but she manages to escape through the Oathgate with Gav, leaving Dalinar behind. Meanwhile, Venli infiltrates a human military position at Narak, disguised and possessing new stone-shaping powers, to propose a strategic alliance.

Navani waits in the palace hallway as Elhokar's forces breach Kholinar below. She reaches out to the Sibling, learning that she cannot create a perpendicularity to escape the Spiritual Realm alone but that points of transition—created by someone else—could serve as exit routes. She encounters her son Elhokar leading soldiers up the stairs with Kaladin; though moved by seeing him, she realizes he is soon replaced by Odium wearing his face. Navani finds Gavinor traumatized in Aesudan's chambers. Odium, possessing Elhokar's form, reveals himself and taunts her about her predicament. Rather than try to save Elhokar—whom she recognizes as already lost—Navani flees toward the Oathgate with Gav and a simulacrum of Kaladin. She commands the vision-Kaladin to activate the gate, ignoring Odium's mimicry of Elhokar's pleas behind her. When the Oathgate flashes, she connects to the Sibling and emerges from the vision back into her physical rooms at Urithiru. In a parallel section, Venli disguises herself in a cloak and infiltrates a human military camp at Narak under guard. She meets a Windrunner commander who had challenged her to propose aid. After hearing his initial plan and recognizing its flaws, she suggests revisions involving Jasnah Kholin, implying a potentially workable strategy.