An epigraph from Navani Kholin reflects on Sadeas’s recent betrayal and the expectation of further treachery. The scene shifts to Shallan, who awakens on a rock in the sea, numb and exhausted, and sees a distant santhid shell—realizing the creature saved her.

Shallan swims to shore, mourns Jasnah’s death, and searches the coastline for survivors, finding none. As dusk nears, Pattern urgently leads her to a half-submerged trunk containing Jasnah’s waterproofed books, notes, and infused spheres—preserving Jasnah’s life’s work.

Facing bitter cold, Shallan attempts to create a fire by cautiously entering Shadesmar. Pattern warns that what is land here is sea there. Balancing between realms, Shallan tries to persuade a “stick” to become fire, but fails as her Stormlight runs out. She tumbles into the sea of beads, then forces herself back to the physical world, shaken and freezing.

Refusing to die in place, Shallan staggers through the night and finds a campfire. She collapses among a small caravan and sleeps. At dawn, she awakens to Tvlakv, a Thaylen slaver-merchant, his two guards, and caged slaves. Injured and vulnerable, she gauges the danger but decides to project confident authority, as Jasnah would.

Shallan introduces herself, declares her destination as the Shattered Plains, and orders Tvlakv to retrieve her trunk and take her north. He suggests stopping at the nearer Shallow Crypts, but she overrules him. With Pattern observing and parshmen laborers passing by, the slavers comply, load Jasnah’s trunk, and set out toward the Shattered Plains.