At dusk, Kaladin inspects the newly formed bridgemen platoons. Bridge Seventeen shows promising cohesion, while Bridge Eighteen remains divided and unmotivated, prompting Kaladin to plan tougher chasm drills or redistribution. Syl warns him he is overworking himself, and mentions seeing ominous red spren as a countdown toward the Weeping approaches.

Returning to Bridge Four’s barrack, Kaladin finds the men gathered: Hobber serving stew, Renarin quietly washing dishes, and Lopen introducing three Herdazian cousins. In storage, Kaladin formally trusts Shen by placing a spear in his hands, promising training and declaring Bridge Four has no slaves. Shen calls Kaladin a good man but withholds something he intends to say later.

Moash pulls Kaladin out for a night at the Ornery Chull with Rock, Lopen, Peet, and Sigzil. Amid market bustle and tavern warmth, they discuss housing for married men and Peet’s budding courtship with the barmaid Ka. Rock tells Horneater origins and speaks of the sacred warm “oceans,” even claiming to have met a white-haired god, unsettling Sigzil. Talk of Sadeas and Ruthar’s defiant plateau runs fuels Kaladin’s dark musings about justice.

Moash then leads Kaladin to a private back room to meet the conspirators: Graves (a lighteyed Shardbearer), Danlan (a clerk from Dalinar’s retinue), and the mercenary Rill, with guards outside. They argue Elhokar’s incompetence endangers Alethkar and say his death would force Dalinar to take the throne. Graves asks Kaladin to provide an opening through the King’s Guard; he frames it as a surgeon’s necessary amputation.

Kaladin says he will consider in order to leave unhindered, then rebuffs Moash outside, calling them traitors and forbidding further meetings. Moash presses that Graves judges beyond eye color and claims the cause is just. Kaladin returns to the noisy common room, outwardly refusing while inwardly unsettled by the persuasiveness of the plot.