In the Ghostblood hideout, Shallan stares at the place where Mraize and the others vanished and realizes they escaped into Shadesmar the way Jasnah can, which means one of them likely has Radiant-like transportation powers through a corrupted spren bond. Darcira removes the anti-Light bolt from Shallan’s side, and Shallan waits for the anti-Light to dissipate before drawing in Stormlight to heal. Darcira notes that Shallan’s strange leather armor absorbed far more of the impact than expected, and the other Lightweavers report that they had been investigating a hidden exit into the chasms when Shallan’s signal went up.

As the room is secured and the captured trophies are gathered for study, Pattern returns with Shallan’s satchel. Shallan then peers into Shadesmar without fully crossing over and spots Mraize, Iyatil, and Lieke riding a boat pulled by mandras toward a nearby platform. From what she sees, Shallan concludes that the Narak cell has been badly damaged but not broken, that the three fugitives are heading to Urithiru, and that they have already set something in motion with Dalinar involving the search for Ba-Ado-Mishram.

Shallan nearly tries to follow into Shadesmar by force, but the vision instead leads to a revelation about herself. She recognizes that her unusual past experiences with Shadesmar make more sense now that she has two spren bonds; rather than always pulling spren into the Physical Realm, she has sometimes been pulled partly into their realm. Realizing she should not face the Ghostbloods alone, Shallan decides to seek help.

Elsewhere in Urithiru, Lift waits outside a private meeting where Dalinar, Navani, and Wit are briefing Sebarial and Aladar. Annoyed at being excluded, Lift passes the time with Gavinor, banters with Wyndle, and again asks the Sibling to find her missing red bird from the tower invasion, but the Sibling still cannot. Beneath the humor, Lift remains restless and watchful, especially because she senses that the adults are making decisions without including people like her.

Gavinor opens up to Lift about deeper fears. He asks whether Dalinar and Navani really want him, and Lift reassures him that they do, understanding how damaged children can misread busy adults. Gavinor then speaks of being given to the Voidbringers by his mother, of Elhokar dying while trying to rescue him, and of wanting to kill Vyre and everyone else responsible. Lift does not lecture him out of that anger; instead, she offers companionship and lets him feel heard, which briefly draws a smile from him.

When the meeting ends, Dalinar, Navani, and Wit emerge looking resolved, while Aladar and Sebarial look shaken, showing that an important choice has been made. Dalinar apologizes that he cannot keep a promised sword-practice session with Gavinor, and Navani takes the disappointed boy with them. Lift initially appears to have accepted being left out, but as soon as the adults are gone, she admits that she intends to follow them anyway.