Chapter 200

Taravangian confronts Fen and Jasnah with an ultimatum to join his empire, leveraging control of nearly every major port on Roshar and threatening military action against Thaylen City. When Jasnah resists his arguments, he exposes a contract she signed ordering Aesudan's assassination, undermining her moral authority. Meanwhile, Navani returns to Urithiru with Gav and discovers Lift disguised as her; Wit reveals he kept up appearances while Navani was away and hints he may know how to help rescue Dalinar.

Taravangian, speaking as both himself and Odium, enters negotiations with Fen and Jasnah at Thaylen City. He threatens military action unless Fen surrenders peacefully, claiming he has positioned forces to take the city and has secured contracts with nearly every major port on Roshar—Emul, Tashikk, Steen, Karanak, and others—leaving Thaylen City as his only remaining target. He presents his ultimatum as a business proposition: Fen can negotiate favorable terms now, including representation in his empire, or face conquest. Jasnah counters by appealing to Fen's sense of honor and her two-year alliance with Alethkar and Azir, arguing that joining Taravangian would make her complicit in atrocities and deprive her of self-determination. She refuses to accept his claims of greater good and points out his silencing of spanreeds in Kharbranth. Taravangian shifts tactics, asking Jasnah directly what she would do in Fen's position, then weaponizes her own past: he reveals that Jasnah once deliberately attracted thieves to Kharbranth streets to kill them, claiming this demonstrates her willingness to murder for what she deems the greater good. He then produces a contract bearing Jasnah's signature ordering the assassination of Aesudan, Elhokar's wife and Jasnah's sister-in-law, devastating her credibility as a moral guide to Fen. In Urithiru's tower, Navani arrives carrying the sleeping Gav, deeply anxious about abandoning Dalinar. She encounters guards who initially draw weapons but recognize her legitimacy. In her meeting chamber, she finds her own doppelganger eating at her desk—Lift in disguise. Wit reveals he orchestrated the deception to maintain calm in the tower while keeping the leadership informed of the truth. Navani demands Wit's help rescuing Dalinar. Wit asks whether Shallan, Rlain, and Renarin returned with her, and when Navani reveals she doesn't know their status, he suggests he may have discovered what went wrong seven days ago and potentially how to save Dalinar.