As the Everstorm approaches, Kaladin slips into a fashionable stormshelter winehouse and meets Adolin and Shallan. They compare intelligence: Elhokar will reveal himself to chosen lighteyes, the Wall Guard appears to be producing food and has seized emerald reserves, and Captain Azure’s mysterious sword and behavior lead Kaladin to suspect she bears an Honorblade. Adolin examines Kaladin’s infantry blade, then Shallan produces Hessi’s Mythica to frame the threat.

Shallan explains that the Unmade are ancient, primal spren and asserts two are active in Kholinar: Sja-anat, corrupting spren, and Ashertmarn, driving excess, supported by the queen’s behavior and corrupted spren seen in the city. The book offers no tactics beyond avoidance, leaving them to improvise. They set immediate goals: Shallan will infiltrate the cult to reach the Oathgate; Elhokar will court discreet support.

Contingencies follow. If the Oathgate cannot be opened, Kaladin proposes a night strike with Drehy and Skar to snatch Queen Aesudan and the prince under cover of a highstorm and fly them to Urithiru. Adolin resists abandoning the city. They judge the Wall Guard earnest but outmatched by tens of thousands of parshmen and the Fused, concluding Radiants and Shardbearers will be needed if Kholinar is to hold. An odd cremling crawls near their booth as the storm abates.

After the storm, Shallan walks with Adolin, who praises her sketches and argues that Radiant powers can serve art as well as war. Shallan wrestles with identity, tempted to craft a perfect bride persona, then parts from Adolin, shifts into Veil, and moves through a wounded city—sampling faces and lives with Stormlight—before refocusing on the mission.

Veil meets Vathah to plan a quick theft of food from the Tenet family’s Mausoleum to pay the Cult of Moments. She refuses to target their riches, prioritizing the cult payment and Oathgate access. After an innkeeper interrupts, Vathah panics and inadvertently wears the face from one of Shallan’s sketches. Veil recognizes an accidental Lightweaver-style illusion, marking likely squire status, assigns him practice later, and proceeds with the food heist to keep the cult rendezvous.