Adolin accompanies Emperor Yanagawn into a strategy meeting at Urithiru, where Dalinar, Navani, Jasnah, Fen, the Mink, Sigzil, Stargyle, and other rulers and officers are gathered to address the final days before the contest. A Reshi king arrives uninvited, and after a pause the Mink and Dalinar allow him to join, reinforcing the idea that even small allied nations matter. Adolin, however, is distracted by his unresolved anger toward Dalinar and chooses silence instead of reconciliation.

The meeting begins tensely as Queen Fen blames Dalinar for negotiating terms that leave allied nations open to attack during the ten-day window. Yanagawn counters that Dalinar at least secured the possibility of lasting peace, and Fen reluctantly agrees. That defense of Dalinar changes the room’s mood, and Adolin is unsettled both by Yanagawn’s maturity and by the bitterness he still feels toward his father.

As Dalinar tries to turn the discussion toward military positions, Wit abruptly interrupts after reviewing the contest agreement. He admits he missed a critical legal implication and explains that, under Alethi law, if Odium captures a kingdom’s seat of power, Odium can claim the entire kingdom. Because Dalinar argued for whole kingdoms such as Alethkar and Herdaz, Odium can now pursue whole kingdoms the same way, which makes Azimir and Thaylen City far more dangerous targets than anyone had realized.

Dalinar objects that Odium promised not to exploit loopholes or violate the spirit of the agreement, but Wit says that is exactly why the discovery is so alarming. Wit concludes that Rayse could neither make nor keep such a move, and therefore Rayse must be dead and someone else must now hold the Shard of Odium. Wit warns the rulers that they are facing an unknown and highly intelligent enemy who has devised a plan to conquer Roshar in the remaining ten days.

Elsewhere in the tower, Shallan meets with Gaz and Shob while disguised as a worker. Shob reports that he spotted a recently recruited Ghostblood spying near Dalinar, and Darcira follows the woman to a new Ghostblood hideout in Narak. Shallan studies sketches of Mraize, Iyatil, and their masked associates, decides that a direct strike would be premature unless the leaders are confirmed inside, and resolves to infiltrate the hideout before sending in a larger team. Before Shob leaves to continue listening for useful information, Shallan notices his distress, takes his complaints seriously, and promises to help him seek care later, reflecting her own recent effort to recover lost parts of herself.