Summary:Words of Radiance/Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Safe Things
Words of Radiance Summary
Follows	Chapter 18: Bruises
Precedes	Chapter 20: Pattern
Analytics
Viewpoint	Shallan Davar

Characters

• Shallan Davar (Point of view)
• Balat Davar (Mentioned only)
• Helaran Davar
• Lin Davar
• Two unnamed Davar maids

Plot summary

Five and a half years ago

Shallan is wearing a new silk dress, a gift from her father. The dress is that of a woman as she is now old enough to cover her safehand. She starts to think of her mother, then stops, like a candle suddenly snuffed. Two maids bustle past, getting ready for guests. Shallan overhears one softly whisper "She saw. Poor thing was in the room when it happened. Hasn't spoken a word in five months. The master killed his own wife and her lover." Shallan thinks that because she does not speak, apparently the maids do not think she can hear either. At times, she wonders if she is invisible or not real.

The door suddenly slams open and her brother Helaran enters. Grinning wide, he gives her a gift of charcoal pencils and thick, expensive paper. He has missed her drawings and asks her to practice more. He tells her she needs to be strong and that he needs her to look after the other brothers for him. The door slams open again, this time admitting her father, Lin Davar. Her father and brother start arguing, and Helaran calls their father a murderer and summons a Shardblade. Lin cuts off, putting his hands up and says "you don't know what you think you know. Your mother-", but Helaran cuts him off. Shallan manages to say "No" to Helaran, stopping him from killing Lin. Helaran leaves, saying that he has important work to do, but warns their father the he will be checking in on the house.

Notes

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