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Shallan's true mission constantly loomed before her, however. As she worked to earn Jasnah's trust, action would soon be demanded, and though Jasnah certainly proved to be a difficult woman to please, she was far from the harsh apostate from whom Shallan had imagined she would be stealing. After two months as Jasnah's ward, Shallan received word via spanreed from her brothers, who faced increasing pressure from their creditors. Nan Balat further confided that Luesh had been found dead and that his associates were demanding the return of the Soulcaster behind veiled threats. On top of the added urgency, this would require Shallan to learn how to use the device in addition to stealing it. Though she took great efforts to study Jasnah's technique with the Soulcaster, the woman used it sparingly where Shallan could see.{{book ref|sa1|29}}{{book ref|sa1|33}} As Sallan took greater care to observe Jasnah, she also took secret interest in the woman's private research. While the princess sometimes gave Shallan work to do which was related, such as a scholarly investigation into the death of King [[Gavilar]], she never revealed the nature of her studies. Shallan was, however, able to catch glimpses of the books that Jasnah was reading. Eventually, Shallan went searching for a copy of one such book only to find that it was merely a collection of folktales and children's stories.{{book ref|sa1|33}}
 
[[File:Jasnah Soulcasting.jpg|175px|thumb|right|Jasnah Soulcasting criminals--by [[Coppermind: ArtistArtists/Grant Hansen|Grant Hansen]]]]An opportunity to steal the Soulcaster finally arrived soon after Jasnah began using Shallan as her bathing attendant. One evening, as the women conversed over the nature of Gavilar's early interactions with the [[Parshendi]] while Jasnah soaked in her bath with eyes closed, Shallan moved to swap their Soulcasters. Heart beating wildly, Shallan froze up and found herself unable to make the exchange. As she glumly attended to Jasnah while contemplating her weakness, the two began discussing the philosophy of morality. Having decided that Shallan's studies had been too academic of late, Jasnah became suddenly inspired to teach Shallan a hands-on philosophy lesson. She dressed and, despite the late hour, they made their way out of the Palanaeum and into the city itself. They walked the [[Ralinsa]] towards the theater district until coming to a dark side street which provided the most direct path. Jasnah explained that several murders had happened along this street in the previous two months and that the city watch had done nothing. After defending their right to use the road safely, Jasnah led them down the side street and revealed the gems of her Soulcaster. Four men with knives soon attacked, but as Shallan screamed in panic Jasnah swiftly Soulcasted one man into fire, another into quartz, and the final two into smoke as they ran. They returned to the Conclave on a palanquin. Shallan, shocked and horrified by what Jasnah had done, argued with her tutor over the ethics of the encounter. Jasnah defended her actions then tasked Shallan with researching the various philosophies involved and building her own case on the matter. As Shallan helped Jasnah undress and prepare for bed, she suddenly spotted another opportunity to swap the Soulcasters. Galvanized by her disgust at what Jasnah had done with the device, Shallan checked that Jasnah wasn't looking and performed the theft unnoticed.{{book ref|sa1|36}}
 
{{quote|There will be times when you must make decisions that churn your stomach, Shallan Davar. I'll have you ready to make those decisions.|Jasnah Kholin{{book ref|sa1|36}}}}
Shallan used her final days living the life of a young scholar. On the day prior to her departure, Shallan made an observation about the nature of King Gavilar's strange interest in the Parshendi which sparked a conversation about how Shallan's studies on the king related to Jasnah's own research. Though Jasnah avoided explaining herself fully, the prospect of her own discoveries supporting Jasnah's work excited Shallan. Realizing that her time was practically up, however, Shallan asked some blunt and probing questions about [[Urithiru]], Voidbringers, and the Parshendi. When Jasnah eventually refused to answer further questions for the time being, Shallan found herself desperate to learn whatever she could in the time remaining. Under the excuse of searching for a book about Gavilar, she entered the Palanaeum to research anything she could find about the Voidbringers. She found little of substance after searching for two hours, however, and was discovered by Kabsal just as she began to return. She asked him questions while obtaining the book she had originally come for, though Kabsal knew little either.{{book ref|sa1|45}}
 
[[File:Shallan_and_Cryptic.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Shallan fleeing from Cryptics, by [[Coppermind: ArtistArtists/Petar Penev|Petar Penev]]]]As they began to return to Jasnah's alcove, Shallan confessed to the ardent that she would be leaving the following day--giving the excuse of urgent family matters. Kabsal offered to come with her, but Shallan refused him a final time. Wounded, Kabsal asked for a sketch of himself before she departed, and Shallan suddenly realized that she had never drawn one of him during her time in Kharbranth. They hurried back to the Veil, and Shallan set to drawing the young man through tears. Kabsal then insisted that she draw a second image of them together in exchange for payment. Shallan used a mirror to capture a Memory of the pair of them and began to sketch while filled with feelings of guilt and anxiety. As she wrestled with these emotions, Shallan once again accidentally sketched the form of a Cryptic, standing behind Kabsal. Crushed by the weight of her circumstances and concerned for her mental state, Shallan declared that she had made a mistake and dashed from the balcony seeking privacy. As she took the lift down to the main level Shallan took another Memory of the landing above. Upon quickly sketching the scene two of the symbol-headed figures stood above, watching her. Shallan fled to her quarters as quickly as possible, pausing for one more moment along the way to draw another sketch--this time with five of the creatures following her. She hid in her room, huddled on the bed with doors locked, as she began yet another sketch of her surroundings which revealed a group of the Cryptics surrounding her--one of them reaching out as if to touch her. Despite her promises to herself not to use the blade ever since her mother's death, Shallan began to summon her secret Shardblade out of pure terror. She was interrupted then by a voice, asking, "What are you?" With her response, "I'm terrified," the room around her crashed into beads and Shallan found herself in [[Shadesmar]] for the first time. Though only there for a moment, she accidentally managed to Soulcast the crystal goblet beside her bed into blood. Assuming that the transformation was related to the device she carried in her safepouch, Shallan was shocked out of fear momentarily and began to ponder what she had done. Jasnah, however, had followed quickly and began knocking on Shallan's door. Out of concern that Jasnah would discover the blood and realize Shallan had the Soulcaster, she took a shard of glass that was broken in the accident and cut a gash in her own wrist. As Jasnah entered the room, Shallan slipped into unconsciousness.{{book ref|sa1|45}}
 
==== Questions and Answers ====
* Mraize (or maybe in next section)
 
[[File:Shallan and Re-Shephir.png|300px|thumb|right|Shallan fighting Re-Shephir--by [[Coppermind: ArtistArtists/not_safe_for_worf|not_safe_for_worf]]]]
==== Midnight Mother ====
* Investigation of murders
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