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hands and knees, then up onto his feet. Jost turned back, wary, holding his quarterstaff in one hand. “Teach me,” Kal said. Jost blinked in surprise. He glanced at his brother. “Teach me,” Kal pled, stepping forward. “I’ll worm for you, Jost. My father gives me two hours off each afternoon. I’ll do your work then if yo... |
ajar, so Kal peeked in. He’d expected to see his mother cleaning, but instead found that his father had returned from Brightlord Wistiow’s manor. Lirin sat on the edge of the operating table, hands in his lap, bald head bowed. He held his spectacles in his hand, and he looked exhausted. “Father?” Kal asked. “Why are yo... |
look like anything would solve his problems. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be a surgeon, and he felt suddenly constricted by what life was forcing him to become. But that one moment holding the quarterstaff sang to him. A single moment of clarity in an otherwise confusing world. “He’s old,” Syl said with awe, flitting ar... |
behind the counter. Kaladin blinked. The man’s age hadn’t changed, but he didn’t seem nearly as frail. His step was firmer, and his voice had lost its whispering raspiness. He searched through his bottles, mumbling to himself as he read off his labels. “You could just go to the surgeon’s hall. They would charge you far... |
of diamond barely visible at the center of the drops of glass. “Here now,” the apothecary said, squinting. “You trying to pass dun spheres off on me?” He snatched one before Kaladin could complain, then fished around under his counter. He brought up a jeweler’s loupe, removing his spectacles and holding the sphere up t... |
of soldiers in leathers, carrying spear and shield. All were Sadeas’s men. Soldiers of one camp didn’t mix with those of another, and you stayed away from another brightlord’s crater unless you had business there. Kaladin shook his head in dismay. “What?” Syl asked, settling on his shoulder. “I hadn’t expected there to... |
approach. There was a strict rotation, and errors were neither made nor tolerated. Bridge crews had a brutal system of self-management: If a man tried to cheat, the others forced him to run the final approach in front. That sort of thing was supposed to be forbidden, but Gaz turned a blind eye toward cheaters. He also ... |
smoldering ruins of a bridge the Parshendi had destroyed during the night. How had the Parshendi managed that, during a highstorm? Earlier, while listening to the soldiers, he’d learned that the soldiers regarded the Parshendi with hatred, anger, and not a little awe. These Parshendi weren’t like the lazy, nearly mute ... |
have made trouble if he had. Shaking his head, Kaladin roused his bridge crew, though it took special prodding to get Rock—the large Horneater—up and moving. Once across the chasm, his men picked up their bridge and jogged toward the next chasm. The process was repeated enough times that Kaladin lost count. At each cro... |
“I’m bridgeleader. It’s my privilege to run at the front. Go.” Rock shrugged, but did as ordered, taking Kaladin’s position at the back. Nobody said a word. If Kaladin wanted to get himself killed, who were they to complain? Kaladin looked over the bridgemen. “The longer we take to get this bridge down, the more arrows... |
closed the gaps as they arrived. Kaladin screamed for the bridgemen to drop amid another spray of arrows. One sliced open the skin near his ribs, deflecting off the bone. He felt it hit, but didn’t feel any pain. He scrambled around the side of the bridge, helping push. Kaladin’s team slammed the bridge into place as a... |
chasm lip with arrows flying back and forth over his head. It was Dabbid, one of the bridgemen. He curled up, arm twisted at an awkward angle. Kaladin charged in. He threw himself to the ground and crawled beneath the zipping arrows, hoping that the Parshendi would ignore a couple of unarmed bridgemen. Dabbid didn’t ev... |
and shirt, then handed the shirt to Narm. “Use this as tinder and gather some fallen arrows for wood. Does anyone have flint and steel?” Moash did, fortunately. You carried anything valuable you had with you on a bridge run; other bridgemen might steal it if you left it behind. “Move quickly!” Kaladin said. “Someone el... |
the side, holding it in place with his knee, then tied a quick bandage on the leg, ordering one of the soldiers to hold it firm and elevate the limb. “Where’s that knife!” Kaladin yelled, hurriedly tying a loose tourniquet around the arm. He needed to stop the blood right now; he’d worry about saving the arm later. You... |
said numbly. “They took scrapes—I saw some had cuts—and they should—” “Drink,” Teft said, his crackly voice insistent. Kaladin hesitated, then drank the water. It tasted strongly bitter, like the plant from which it had been taken. “Where’d you learn to heal men like that?” Teft asked. Several of the nearby bridgemen t... |
paled. Then he cursed, holding up the dark sphere. “And a dun sphere at that.” Kaladin frowned. He was sure it had still glowed before the bridge run. “That’s your fault. You gave it to me.” “Those spheres were newly infused last night,” Gaz said. “They came straight from Brightlord Sadeas’s treasurer. What did you do ... |
cupping around the neck with a stiff collar embroidered with crimson thread. “I had imagined,” she said, “that a walk would involve more walking.” “Hm,” he said. “Yes. We’ll be getting right to that soon. It’ll be grand. Lots of prancing, sauntering, and, er…” “Promenading?” Yis the leatherworker offered. “Isn’t that a... |
flat stare. “All right,” he admitted. “It is a little drab.” Like every other high-ranked lighteyed officer in Dalinar’s army, Adolin wore a simple blue out-fit of militaristic cut. A long coat of solid blue—no embroidery—and stiff trousers in a time when vests, silk accents, and scarves were the fashion. His father’s ... |
continue walking up the switchbacks. Teshav joined him. She had streaks of blond in her otherwise black Alethi hair, which she wore up in an intricate crossing weave. She had violet eyes, and her pinched face bore a concerned expression. That was normal; she always seemed to need something to worry about. Teshav and he... |
he thought. I wasn’t made for this politicking and scheming. I was made to wield a sword and ride down enemies. He’d do what needed to be done anyway. “I believe you said you had information on the king’s accounts, Teshav?” “Indeed,” she said as they continued the short hike. “You were correct to have me look into the ... |
your interests.” “I do a lot of things lately that aren’t particular to my interests or my talents,” Dalinar said with a grimace. “My lack of capacity doesn’t change the kingdom’s needs. Have you gathered reports of banditry in the area?” “Yes, Brightlord.” She hesitated. “The rates are quite alarming.” “Tell your husb... |
highest Calling of men was to join the battle in the afterlife to reclaim the Tranquiline Halls, but the Almighty accepted the excellence of any man or woman, regardless of what they did. You just did your best, picking a profession and an attribute of the Almighty to emulate. A Calling and a Glory, it was said. You wo... |
walking toward the king’s chambers, overshadowed by an older brother you love yet envy at the same time. Stormfather, but I do. I still feel that way. “Ah, good Brightlord Adolin,” the ardent said, walking forward with open arms. Kadash was a tall man in his later years, and wore the shaved head and square beard of his... |
the central apex. Vorin temples were always circular with a gently sloping mound at the center, by custom rising ten feet high. The building was dedicated to the Almighty, maintained by Dalinar and the ardents he owned. All devotaries were welcome to use it, though most would have their own chapter houses in one of the... |
was to try to divine the future.” Adolin froze. “Wait, you’re saying—” “Don’t get ahead of me please, bright one,” Kadash assured, turning back toward him. “When the priests of the Hierocracy were cast down, the Sunmaker made a point of interrogating them and going through their correspondences with one another. It was... |
sound echoing against stone walls. The corridors of the king’s war palace were growing richer by the week. Once, this hallway had been just another Soulcast stone tunnel. As Elhokar settled in, he had ordered improvements. Windows were cut into the leeward side. Marble tiling was set into the floor. The walls were carv... |
infused gems. Elhokar stared over the camps and toward the Shattered Plains. They were utterly dark, save for the occasional twinkle of a watchpost. “Do they watch us, from out there?” Elhokar asked as Dalinar joined him. “We know their raiding bands move at night, Your Majesty,” Dalinar said, resting one hand on the i... |
a people, slow to trust one another, and the nature of this extended war—without a clear path to victory and with a focus on riches rather than capturing ground—is not helping at all.” Elhokar sniffed, wind blowing at them atop the peaked rock. “You say there’s no clear path to victory? We’ve been winning! The Parshend... |
organized and executed our counterattack. You are a fine king.” The king nodded slowly. “You’ve been listening to readings from that book again, haven’t you?” “I have.” “You sound like him, you know,” Elhokar said, turning back to look eastward again. “Near the end. When he began to act…erratically.” “Surely I’m not so... |
was wrong about that too.” Elhokar appeared to consider it. Finally, the king shook his head. “No. They barely accept my leadership. If I did something like this, they’d assassinate me.” “I’d protect you.” “Bah. You don’t even take the present threats on my life seriously.” Dalinar sighed. “Your Majesty, I do take thre... |
“I see why you feel the need for a Highprince of War, and you may have a point. But the others very much like the present arrangement.” “Because it is comfortable to them. If we are going to win, we will need to upset them.” Dalinar stepped forward. “Elhokar, maybe it’s been long enough. Six years ago, naming a Highpri... |
very air felt more frantic. “Should we go to Aladar’s camp?” Renarin said, pointing. They were nearest Highprince Aladar’s warcamp, and perhaps only a quarter-hour ride from the rim of Dalinar’s own. Aladar’s men would take him in. Nobody would forbid shelter to a highprince during a storm. But Dalinar shuddered, think... |
this time— The storm hit. It began. Dalinar blinked. The stuffy, dimly lit barrack was gone. Instead, he stood in darkness. The air was thick with the scent of dried grain, and when he reached out with his left hand, he felt a wooden wall. He was in a barn of some sort. The cool night was still and crisp; there was no ... |
illuminate the barn’s interior, and the creature had moved into a shadowed recess. He couldn’t see much of it. It seemed part of the shadows. Dalinar tensed, fists forward. It made a soft wheezing noise, eerie and faintly reminiscent of rhythmic whispering. Breathing? Dalinar thought. No. It’s sniffing for us. The thin... |
A fireless brick hearth was set on one side, with a rough-cast iron pot hanging above it. It all looked so primitive. What year was this? It’s just a vision, he thought. A waking dream. Why did it feel so real, then? He looked back out the window. It was silent outside. A twin row of rockbuds grew on the right side of ... |
over the lip of the broken window. This new beast climbed into the room, joining its companion, which crouched anxiously, sniffing at Dalinar. It seemed wary, as if it could sense that it faced an armed—or at least determined—opponent. Dalinar cursed himself for a fool, raising one hand to his side to stanch the blood.... |
arm as he rammed the poker into the beast’s chest. The skin resisted at first, but then broke, his poker moving through easily after that. A powerful jet of smoke burst out around Dalinar’s hand. He pulled his arm free, and the creature stumbled back, legs growing thinner, body deflating like a leaking wineskin. He kne... |
would men make a hole in the rock?” With a Shardblade or a Soulcaster. Or even with basic mining—though that could be difficult, as the crem would seal up caverns and highstorm rains made for an extremely potent risk of flooding. Dalinar looked out the window again. Dark shapes moved in the moonlight; some were coming ... |
“Heb, they’re—” “Run!” he bellowed. “They’re in front of us too!” He spun, picking out the dark patches ahead. He cursed, looking around. “There,” he said, pointing to a nearby rock formation. It was tall and flat. He shoved Taffa forward, and she towed Seeli, their single-piece, blue dresses rippling in the wind. They... |
upward, toward the sky. And there, he saw a brilliant blue light falling through the air. It was like a star rock, dropping at an incredible speed. Dalinar cried out as the light hit the ground a short distance away, cracking the stone, spraying rock chips in the air. The ground shook. The beasts froze. Dalinar turned ... |
he watched, one landed a scraping hit on the Shardbearer in blue, and the claw scored the Shardplate, digging into and cracking it. The danger to these Shardbearers was real. The female Shardbearer turned to Dalinar. She had her helm on now. When had she put it on? She seemed shocked as Dalinar threw himself at one of ... |
find a place with us.” He turned eastward, toward the village. “Spread the word. Signs like this one are not without import. A Desolation is coming.” He turned to his companion. “I will go. Guard these three and lead them to the village. We cannot leave them alone in the dangers of this night.” His companion nodded. Th... |
that it will not destroy you. Come to us.” Dalinar found himself nodding. “Every pasture needs three things,” the woman said, voice changing, as if she were quoting from memory. “Flocks to grow, herdsmen to tend, and watchers at the rim. We of Alethela are those watchers—the warriors who protect and fight. We maintain ... |
growing indistinct. “I am sorry for not giving more.” “What kind of answer is that?” Dalinar bellowed. He shook himself, struggling. Hands held him. Where had they come from? He cursed, batting them away, twisting, trying to break free. Then he froze. He was in the barrack at the Shattered Plains, soft rain rattling on... |
me your shirt!” Several men rushed off as Kal elevated the leg. One of the men hurriedly handed over his shirt. Kal knew where to pinch to cut off the artery; the tourniquet slipped, but his fingers did not. He held that artery closed, pressing the shirt on the rest of the wound until Valama came back with a candle’s f... |
If he opened his eyes, he’d be awake. And if he were awake, that pain—the burning in his side, the aching of his legs, the dull throb in his arms and shoulders—wouldn’t be just a nightmare. It would be real. And it would be his. He stifled a groan, rolling onto his side. It all ached. Every length of muscle, every inch... |
like that when I fell asleep too, sir,” Hobber said. “It’s like he hasn’t moved all night. Gives me the chills, it does.” Kaladin snapped his fingers in front of Dabbid’s eyes. The man jumped at the sound, focusing on the fingers, following them as Kaladin moved his hand. “He’s been hit in the head, I think,” Hobber sa... |
While some bridgemen watched, others ignored him. None took part. Eventually, Syl flitted down and landed on the end of his plank, riding like a queen on her palanquin. “They’re talking about you,” she said as he passed the Bridge Four barrack again. “Not surprising,” Kaladin said between puffs. “Some think you’ve gone... |
man joins a new team of soldiers, and the first thing he’ll do is talk about how wonderful his old team was. We remember the good times and the bad ones, forgetting that most times are neither good nor bad. They just are.” He broke into a jog. The sun was growing warm overhead, but he wanted to move. “The stories,” he ... |
highprince himself you’re talking about, boy!” He glanced about to see if anyone had heard. “He’s trying to make an example of my men. He wants the other bridgemen to see the wounded suffer and starve. He wants it to seem like he’s doing a mercy by leaving the wounded behind.” “Well, maybe he’s right.” “It’s heartless,... |
a grunt. “Is all spent already.” Kaladin sighed. “It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Two of us couldn’t afford to buy the medicine. Not alone.” “I will give some food,” Rock grumbled. Kaladin glanced back at him, surprised. “But only for this man with arrow in his leg,” Rock said, arms still folded. “Hobber?” “Whatever,... |
needed them desperately. But he was a slave; it was illegal for him to earn money in most ways. If only he had something he could sell. But he owned nothing. He… A thought occurred to him. “Come on,” he said, striding away from the barrack. Rock followed curiously. Kaladin searched through the lumberyard until he found... |
as if to escape before Kaladin changed his mind. Rock stepped up beside Kaladin, watching Gaz. “The little man is right, you know. The men will hate you for this thing. They were looking forward to easy day.” “They’ll get over it.” “But why change for harder work? Is true—you are crazy, aren’t you?” “Maybe. But that cr... |
with us in this thing?” Rock said, squatting down. Us? Kaladin thought, smiling faintly. Teft looked back and forth between the two of them. “I get to keep my food?” “Yes,” Kaladin said. Teft shrugged. “All right then, I guess. Can’t be any harder than sitting here and having a staring contest with mortality.” Kaladin ... |
feast basin had been flooded, turning it into a shallow artificial lake. Circular dining platforms rose like small stone islands in the water. The elaborate miniature landscape had been fabricated by the king’s Soulcasters, who had diverted the water from a nearby stream. It reminds me of Sela Tales, Dalinar thought as... |
of the bridge leading onto the island. Wit actually dressed as a lighteyes should—he wore a stiff black uniform, silver sword at his waist. Dalinar shook his head at the irony. Wit was insulting each person as they stepped onto the island. “Brightness Marakal! What a disaster that hairstyle is; how brave of you to show... |
subject, for they’ve certainly been calling you that a great deal lately.” “Stormfather!” “No, I’m Wit. But I understand how easy a mistake that is to make.” “Because you blow so much air,” Dalinar growled, “or because you make so much noise?” A wide smile split Wit’s face. “Why, Dalinar! I’m impressed! Maybe I should ... |
Besides, what of his own wife? Dead these ten years, wiped by his foolishness from his mind. Even if he couldn’t remember her, he should honor her. Why had Navani returned? As women called out greetings to her, Dalinar hurriedly made his way over to the king’s table. He sat down; a servant arrived in moments with a pla... |
its center. The red Stormlight lit the entire table, throwing shadows down the white tablecloth. Navani picked up the device, rotating it to show her dinner companions its leglike protrusions. Turned that way, it looked vaguely crustacean. I’ve never seen a fabrial like that before. Dalinar looked up at her face, admir... |
strike at their center and kill or capture their leaders. Even a chasmfiend stops fighting when it’s been decapitated. The Vengeance Pact would be fulfilled, and we could go home.” Adolin took a long moment considering, then he nodded sharply. “All right.” “No objections?” Dalinar asked. Normally, his elder son had ple... |
but Dalinar had not forced a complete prohibition on him. Dueling was his life. Well, that and the women he courted. “Then charge me with the honor of our house,” Adolin said. “I’ll duel them! I’ll face them with Plate and Blade and show them what your honor means.” “That would be the same thing as me doing it, son.” A... |
The purpose of youth is to experience variety while it is still interesting.” She glanced at Dalinar. “It isn’t until we get older that we should be forced to be boring.” “Thank you, Aunt,” Adolin said with a grin. “Excuse me. I need to go tell Renarin that you’ve returned.” He hurried away, leaving Dalinar standing aw... |
more, these warcamps are the true center of our kingdom.” “Yes,” Dalinar said quietly. “Our absence from our homeland is dangerous.” Hadn’t that been the very argument that had convinced Navani to go home in the first place? The stately woman waved a dismissive hand. “I have determined that the queen is sufficiently en... |
right?” He sighed. “Very well. But—” “Highprinces and lighteyes,” Elhokar’s suddenly proclaimed. Dalinar and Navani turned toward the end of the table, where the king stood wearing his uniform complete with royal cape and crown. He raised a hand toward the island. The people hushed, and soon the only sound was that of ... |
stand for someone being put over them in war. Sadeas mentioned that if I started with something less threatening, like appointing someone to Highprince of Information, it might prepare the others for what you want to do.” “Sadeas suggested this,” Dalinar said flatly. “Of course,” Elhokar said. “It is time we had a High... |
they were fairly safe growing behind boulders. Some would be pulled free in each storm—perhaps to attach themselves in a new location once the winds abated. Kaladin hoisted a rock, setting it on the bed of the wagon and rolling it beside some others. The rock’s bottom was wet with lichen and crem. Knobweed wasn’t rare,... |
every drop he could get. He climbed out and lifted another stone into the wagon. Rock was approaching; the large, tan-skinned Horneater carried an oblong stone that would have been too large for most of the bridgemen to handle alone. Rock shuffled forward slowly, Syl zipping around his head and occasionally landing on ... |
a smaller stone, obviously trying not to strain himself. “Ho, Natam,” Kaladin said, reaching down to take the stone. “How goes the work?” Natam shrugged. “Didn’t you say you were once a farmer?” Natam rested beside the wagon, ignoring Kaladin. Kaladin set down the rock, moving it into place. “I’m sorry to make us work ... |
know. But I think we’re going to need a lot more reeds.” That night, Kaladin, Teft, and Rock walked the makeshift streets of Sadeas’s warcamp. Nomon—the middle moon—shone with his pale, blue-white light. Oil lanterns hung in front of buildings, indicating taverns or brothels. Spheres could provide more consistent, rene... |
the mark he’d made there. After just a few minutes, a shadowed figure entered Kaladin’s row. Rock. The Horneater gestured to the side and held up five fingers. Fifth wagon from the top. Kaladin nodded and moved off. Just as he reached the indicated wagon, he heard a soft yelp from the direction Teft had gone. Kaladin f... |
reused, but these had cracks or broken tops. Kaladin set down his bundles, then selected three nearly whole bottles. He washed them in a nearby water barrel before tucking them into a sack he’d brought for the purpose. He picked up his bundles again, nodding to the others. “Try to look like you’re doing something monot... |
is. Spread it on a wound that’s already infected, and it will still work.” That was good, because Leyten’s wounds had begun to turn an angry red, rotspren crawling all over. Teft grunted, then glanced at the bundles. “There are a lot of reeds here.” “I know,” Kaladin said, handing over the other two bottles. “That’s wh... |
believed that the nuatoma who first obtains a Shardblade would become king, a thing we have not had for many years. No peak would fight another peak where a man held one of the blessed Blades.” “So you came to buy one?” Kaladin asked. No Shardbearer would sell his weapon. Each was a distinctive relic, taken from one of... |
serve someone you do not know? Like this Sadeas? A man who is no relation to you?” He shook his head. “Lowlanders. You have too much air here. Makes your minds sick.” “Too much air?” Kaladin asked. “Yes,” Rock said. “How can you have too much air? It’s all around.” “This thing, it is difficult to explain.” Rock’s Aleth... |
bridge crews.” Rock hesitated. “I may have, uh, enhanced the soup.” “Enhanced?” Kaladin asked, raising an eyebrow. Rock seemed to grow embarrassed. “You see, I was quite angry about my nuatoma’s death. And I thought, these lowlanders, their tongues are all scorched and burned by the food they eat. They have no taste, a... |
prodded no further. The king’s Gallery of Maps balanced beauty and function. The expansive domed structure of Soulcast stone had smooth sides that melded seamlessly with the rocky ground. It was shaped like a long loaf of Thaylen bread, and had large skylights in the ceiling, allowing the sun to shine down on handsome ... |
was winning and who lagged behind. Roion’s eyes immediately went to his own name on the list. Of all the highprinces, Roion had won the fewest gemhearts. Dalinar reached his hand up to the Prime Map, brushing the parchment. The middle plateaus were named or numbered for ease of reference. Foremost of them was a large p... |
quoting the Sunmaker, the last Alethi king to unite the highprinces. Gavilar had once revered his name. “Perhaps,” Dalinar said. “Yet what is the point? We fight to get Shardblades, then use those Shardblades to fight to get more Shardblades. It’s a circle, round and round we go, chasing our tails so we can be better a... |
most likely to be you,” Roion said, frowning. “As you and your son already have Shards.” It was the great problem of Shardblades and Shardplate—winning either was highly unlikely unless you already had Shards yourself. In fact, having only one or the other often wasn’t enough. Sadeas had faced Parshendi Shardbearers on... |
ago. In the time before the Heralds left. Dalinar felt as if he could almost see it. The secret. The thing that had made Gavilar so excited in the months before his death. If Dalinar could just stretch a little farther, he’d make it out. See the pattern in the lives of men. And finally know. But that was what he’d been... |
interview the grooms who cared for His Majesty’s horse during the hunt.” “His new position gives him the right to make those kinds of demands.” “Father,” Adolin said, stepping closer, speaking softly. “I think he’s going to move against us.” Dalinar looked at him. “I know you trust him,” Adolin said quickly. “And I und... |
froze, looking as if he’d been slapped. “You aren’t well, Father,” Adolin continued. Part of him realized that he had gone too far, that he was speaking too loudly, but it boiled out anyway. “We need to stop tiptoeing around it! You need to stop making up increasingly irrational explanations to reason away your lapses!... |
least. Kal wore a thick, padded coat of breachtree cotton. The material was scratchy but warm, and had been dyed a deep brown. He kept the hood up, his hands in his pockets. To his right sat the baker’s place—the family slept in the triangular crawlspace in back, and the front was their store. To Kal’s left was one of ... |
was a pretty woman. At least Kal thought so. Prettier than the baker’s wife, for sure. “Your father dismissed you from your lessons already?” she asked. “Everyone hates Father,” Kal blurted out. His mother turned back to her work. “Kaladin, you’re thirteen. You’re old enough to know not to say foolish things like that.... |
Mother. He’s my brother.” “Oh, and he can’t be both at once?” Kal rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.” She climbed down from the stepladder, patting his shoulder. “Yes, I do, and I’m sorry to make light of it. But you put yourself in a difficult position. You want friends, but do you really want to act like the oth... |
to her, didn’t you?” “It was a possibility,” his mother said, returning to her work. He honestly wasn’t certain how he felt about that. The last few months had been strange for Kal. His father had forced him into his studies, but in secret he’d spent his time with the staff. Two possible paths. Both enticing. Kal did l... |
in the cold air. “His name is Brightlord Roshone. No time to change, I’m afraid. Not if we want to catch his first speech. Come on!” The three of them hurried away, Kal’s thoughts and worries banished in the face of the chance to meet a new lighteyes. “He didn’t send word ahead,” Lirin said under his breath. “That coul... |
town while most of the wagons continued up to the manor. Kal grew increasingly excited as the carriage rolled slowly into place. Would he finally get to see a real, lighteyed hero? The word around town claimed it was likely that the new citylord would be someone King Gavilar or Highprince Sadeas had promoted because he... |
he said, glancing over his shoulder. “A pair and a trio, maybe. Let’s get back home.” Tien scratched his head in confusion, but the words weighed on Kal. The tower was three pairs in a game of breakneck. The queen was two trios. The first was an outright loss, the other an outright win. But a pair and a trio, that was ... |
It was the end of the sequence. “Thank you, Brightness Litima,” Dalinar said. “That will do.” The woman bowed her head respectfully. She gathered her youthful ward from the side of the room and they withdrew, leaving the book on the lectern. That sequence had become one of Dalinar’s favorites. Listening to it often com... |
to the wall map. “Highprince Aladar refused my offer of an alliance, just as Roion did. Do you have a thought on whom should I approach next?” “Adolin says we should be far more worried about Sadeas’s ploy to destroy us than we are.” The room fell silent. Renarin had a habit of doing that, felling conversations like an... |
in camp. “We march!” Dalinar declared. A few of the officers whooped in excitement, an extreme show of emotion for the normally reserved Alethi. “And your son, Brightlord?” Teleb asked. He’d heard of the confrontation between them. Dalinar doubted there was a person in all ten warcamps who hadn’t heard of it. “Send for... |
to the contested plateau.” “We’d still have to bring the chull-pulled bridges to get across that last chasm,” Dalinar said. “I’m not convinced that bridge crews would move us any more quickly. Not when we have to wait for those animals.” Teleb sighed. Dalinar reconsidered. A good officer was one who accepted orders and... |
He strode to Adolin, and the youth looked up, meeting his gaze. “You said what you felt you must,” Dalinar said. “And I’m not sorry I did,” Adolin replied. “But I am sorry for how, and where, I said it. That won’t happen again.” Dalinar nodded, and that was enough. Adolin seemed to relax, a weight coming off his should... |
the staging field, led by a figure in dark red Shardplate. Sadeas. Dalinar stifled a sigh and gave the command to move out, though he himself waited for the Highprince of Information. Adolin came over on Sureblood, and he gave Dalinar a glance that seemed to say, “Don’t worry, I’ll behave.” As always, Sadeas was a mode... |
down, the machinery was unlocked and pulled across. The bridge was built so they could lock the machine onto the other side, pull the bridge up, then turn and hook the chulls up again. It was a slow process. Dalinar watched from horseback, fingers tapping the side of his hogshide saddle as the first chasm was spanned. ... |
so old, it might as well be in the shadowdays. What did the Radiants really do? Why did they do it? We don’t know.” “We know enough. They used elaborate tricks to imitate great powers and pretend a holy calling. When their deceptions were discovered, they fled.” “Their powers were not lies. They were real.” “Oh?” Sadea... |
feel their tension, their anxiety mixed with excitement. Among them, anticipationspren began to spring from the ground, streamers connected by one side to the stone, the others whipping in the air. Some fearspren boiled up among them. “Are you ready?” Dalinar asked softly. The Thrill was rising within him. “Yes.” Adoli... |
sweeping out with his Blade in a line of death. He sheared through souls themselves, leaving Parshendi to drop dead to the ground. Then he kicked, tossing a corpse into the faces of the Parshendi nearby. A few more kicks sent corpses flying—a Plate-driven kick could easily send a body tumbling thirty feet—clearing the ... |
heartbeat, attacking with more skill than any other man Dalinar had known. The lad was a genius with the Blade, an artist with paint of only one shade. He struck expertly, forcing the Parshendi back. Dalinar shook his head, recovering his stance. He forced himself to resume fighting, and as the Thrill began to rise aga... |
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