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;Plot summary
Shallan enters her room, pushing away thoughts of the deadeye cryptic and her feelings about Pattern. She says that she is going to contact MriazeMraize, and Pattern trails, saying that she feels wrong. While Shallan gets out the communication cube, Pattern tells her that he had used the cube to talk to Wit but that wit had been overheard by spies for the Ghostbloods. Shallan starts to relax as realizes that none of her friends are spies, which allows Veil and Radiant out, and Veil takes control. She realizes that they still don’t know who killed Ialai, and she calls MriazeMraize on the cube. Veil tells him that Restares is not there and MriazeMraize finds that troubling. He warns Shallan that Restares is one of the most dangerous beings on the planet and that she should be careful. He asks after Shallan's mental health, and Shallan says that it could be better, but they are interrupted by shouting.
Adolin is being tutored by an inkspren ambassador to the honorspren. She tells him that his trial is set for 3 days from then, and that they should motion for a trial by witnesses, though it opens him up to self-incrimination. Adolin is certain that this will be necessary to appeal to their honor. Blended tells him that because the honorspren define what honor means to them, they believe that what they do must be honorable. Adolin realizes that this is how they are able to avoid being convinced using his arguments against their honor. They leave to find the high judge who Blended says is arriving. Adolin sees him and learns that he is human.
{{epigraph|Oh … Father … Seven thousand years.}}
Radiant is yelling at MriazeMraize through the cube because he hadn't told them who Restares really is. Veil takes over and tells MriazeMraize that they no longer have an incentive to work with him. Mraize’s hiding of this information suggests that they may not be able to trust what MriazeMraize has told them. MriazeMraize has Veil open the cube and pull out a metal dagger with a gemstone that he tells her to use on Kelek to capture his soul. He explains that the leader of the ghostbloods has a similar condition to Kelek and needs to learn more about Kelek in order to avoid his fate. He nearly convinces Veil that Kelek is dangerous and that he must be locked away, and that Shallan can impersonate him in order to rule in their favor. He tells her that if she does this, she would become a full ghostblood.
Adolin goes to speak to Kelek and tells him why he is there. Kelek is astounded that they would let him in and thinks that his cause is doomed. Adolin stands by his decision and asks for a trial by witness, and Kelek grants it, saying that it won't matter anyway.
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