Adolin arrives for the final day of judgment to find an agitated crowd and Kelek absent. Sekeir announces that Shallan secretly approached Kelek with a suspicious device, that she is detained, and that Kelek is relieved. Taking the bench himself, Sekeir imposes strict control and threatens to gag Adolin.

Sekeir calls Maya as the last witness, invoking provisions to speak on her behalf. He denounces Adolin and humanity, forcing Maya into the spotlight to embody spren suffering. As Maya thrashes and cries, Adolin is restrained and senses her pain and anger building against her handlers.

Reaching a breaking point, Adolin wills his strength toward Maya. She rallies and speaks: “We chose,” claiming the spren elected the sacrifice at the Recreance. She rebukes Sekeir—asserting it was her sacrifice, not his to wield. Stunned, the honorspren disperse, leaving the prosecution in tatters.

Blended approaches, admitting she urged using Maya to test Adolin’s claims and confirming Maya’s recorded name. She notes a developing connection between Adolin and Maya, though he is no Radiant, and warns that the truth is more complex: many spren chose to end bonds fearing Surgebinding would destroy the world, and the spren did not know they would become deadeyes. Blended will carry the news to the inkspren. Adolin resolves to find Shallan and head for the Oathgate, realizing Radiant–spren relations have irrevocably changed.