Summary:Words of Radiance/Chapter 34
| Chapter 34: Blossoms and Cake | |
|---|---|
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| Words of Radiance Summary | |
| Follows | Chapter 33: Burdens |
| Precedes | Interlude I-5: The Rider of Storms |
| Analytics | |
| Viewpoint | Shallan |
Epigraph[edit]
“
Our gods were born splinters of a soul,
Of one who seeks to take control,
Destroys all lands that he beholds, with spite.
They are his spren, his gift, his price.
But the nightforms speak of future life,
A challenged champion. A strife even he must requite.”
— From the listener Song of Secrets, final stanza
Plot summary[edit]
Shallan reads a dispatch on Tyn's spanreed about the political situation in Jah Keved and dwells on the consequences for her family if there is a succession war. Tyn asks if Shallan personally knows any of the important players for the Veden throne but Shallan says she wasn't important enough. Tyn says they might want to go to Jah Keved to take advantage of the chaos once they are done in the Shattered Plains. The spanreed report continues with information about the deserters and reward bounties from their former leader, Sadeas. Shallan is angered that Tyn wants to turn them in and says that she promised them amnesty but Tyn scoffs at this and says that a con artist can't afford to believe their own lies and that Shallan has no chance to get Sadeas to forgive the deserters. Shallan is upset at this and worries that she will soon get caught up between the truth and Tyn's misguided notions over who Shallan really is. Tyn continues reading the spanreed and gleefully announces that there is good news and Shallan reads the printout about Jasnah being dead and the Wind's Pleasure being lost with all hands. Tyn confirms that this was her job to the south.
The spanreed also mentions about Jasnah taking a new ward, a girl named Shallan. Tyn reacts immediately, slamming Shallan to the ground and asking if Jasnah somehow survived. Shallan says no. Pattern distracts Tyn briefly but it is not enough for Shallan to break free. Tyn draws her sword to kill Shallan, but Shallan uses stormlight to create an illusion to distract Tyn long enough for her to summon her shardblade and kill her.
Vathah, Gaz and the other deserters appear at the tent, saying they heard a voice telling them to help Shallan, then heard Shallan's screams and fought their way through Tyn's soldiers to help Shallan. Vathah sees the shardblade and says that Shallan could have killed all the bandits on her own. Shallan tells them the voice they heard was her spren, Tyn was an assassin, and they are to search Tyn's tent for any documents for Shallan to read. Shallan watches as the spanreed continues to write that Tyn's employers, who happen to be the Ghostbloods, want to hire her for another job and inquires if she would like to have a meeting arranged in the warcamps. Shallan realizes that the city the Ghostbloods are investigating is Urithiru, and replies yes.
Characters[edit]
- Present
- Mentioned
Setting[edit]
Tvlakv's caravan
Chapter Header[edit]
- Pattern
This icon is used in all of Shallan's chapters.
- Nale wedge
- Shalash wedge