Traveling a day from the Shattered Plains, Shallan spots a sudden flare of red and yellow flora against the dull Frostlands. She convinces caravan leader Macob to detour to a small, sheltered lait, where bone-white trees with red leaves, vines, rockbuds, and a pond with orange eels thrive. She settles to sketch the vibrant scene, enjoying the humidity and calm.

Gaz arrives, curious about the pond. At his hesitant request, Shallan draws him as the people he helped see him—noble and steadfast—softening features and elevating his bearing. The portrait moves Gaz to tears, and Shallan encourages him to keep it safe for lacquering later. She reflects on the roles others expect of her—scholar, courtier, artist—and wonders if she can be all of them, while Vathah watches skeptically and Pattern hums nearby.

Shallan continues studies of the flora, noting lifespren and even Pattern counting leaves. Her hand drifts to two unsettling images: first, a hopeful vision of sailors clambering ashore—perhaps Yalb—and second, a woman poised with hammer and chisel over a stiff, almost stone-like figure. Dusk approaches as Tyn arrives, advising Shallan to practice forgery over art and warning that real criminal work demands soul-wrenching choices.

Tyn frames this as a last chance to back out before the Shattered Plains. Shallan, not wanting to lose Tyn’s tutelage, lies that she is committed and reveals her plan: impersonating the Veden woman betrothed to Adolin Kholin. Tyn approves the target but rejects a direct approach to Dalinar, insisting Shallan must appear self-sufficient, set up in another warcamp, maintain mystery, and be unobtainable—especially given Adolin’s flirtatious reputation.

Internally, Shallan worries about the betrothal without Jasnah’s backing, but prioritizes her deeper goals tied to Urithiru and the Voidbringers. She resolves to manage Tyn without actually scamming the Kholins, even as she feels a spark of excitement at the complexity ahead. The caravan prepares to camp, and Shallan contemplates one more drawing before seeking food.