Wit walks Elhokar’s old palace on the Shattered Plains, practicing coin tricks and explaining why nonmagical illusions matter: shared belief makes the lie powerful. He banters with Design about sleight-of-hand versus Lightweaving as corrupted, red-tinged windspren trail them, hinting at Sja-anat’s growing reach. Sensing Odium, Wit positions himself in Elhokar’s sitting room to be found and greets the presence as Rayse, taunting him about Dalinar’s contract.

Wit exits smug, but a surge of golden power slams into him. A calm, unfamiliar Odium admits being new at this, constrained from harming Wit directly yet able to access the Breaths where Wit stores excess memories. Wit feels true terror as Odium prepares to exploit that loophole.

The scene snaps back. Wit resumes his tricks, disoriented, missing Design and the odd spren. A half coin falls from a hidden pocket. He again senses Odium, repeats the meeting—with slight differences—and baits the Shard about the contract, then departs.

Wit tries to whistle, noticing his perfect pitch is off, yet concludes the encounter went exactly as planned. Unseen, Odium has erased the Invested memories holding the first exchange, concealing the revelation of a new Vessel and demonstrating a dangerous way to circumvent Wit's safeguards.