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Two leatherworkers in the warcamp confirm the king's hunch — the saddle girth was indeed sliced. Avaran the portly Alethi and Yis the Iriali (yellow-eyed, metallic golden hair under a cap) both call it a slice rather than a tear, though Avaran warns that a loose buckle on a hanging saddle can do the same cut. While Adolin examines the strap his current courting interest Janala in her sleek yellow dress waits impatiently outside with her handmaiden and the Cobalt Guard escort. Horns sound across camp: a chrysalis on plateau 147 within striking distance — but no third horn comes from Dalinar's army. Adolin chafes. Janala uses the moment to push Adolin to ask his father to relax the Codes on uniform-wearing.

Up at the king's elevated palace, Dalinar dictates orders to his scribe Teshav — patrol pattern for her husband's battalion in the Unclaimed Hills, a missive in the king's name lowering Soulcasting rates for highprinces who paid on time (pressure on Thanadal, Hatham, and Vamah, who have not), a quiet read into whether Aladar really plans to vacation home. He commits a quarter of his soldiers to patrol because the other highprinces refuse to help.

Inside, he asks Elhokar to revive the old office of Highprince of War — a single commander to make the princedoms fight as one army. Elhokar instead accuses him of growing weak: the highstorm fits, the fixation on Gavilar's last words, and especially that book of Lost Radiants that claims lighteyes should be the slaves of darkeyes. Dalinar protests that the book was written by Nohadon — an ordinary man — and that the passage has been misinterpreted; the king sees that defense as proof of his weakness. Suspicion flickers across Elhokar's face, then settles. He concedes: if Dalinar can show him the highprinces are willing to work with him, he will consider the appointment. A solid compromise.

Riding home with Renarin and a few guards, Dalinar plans which lesser highprince to approach first when Renarin points east. A stormwall is rising the horizon — a highstorm that Elthebar swore was unlikely. Dalinar pushes Gallant for his own warcamp rather than shelter in Aladar's and risk being seen during one of his episodes. They make the perimeter; Renarin catches his arm and tells him gently he has to stop. They take shelter in a soldiers' barrack as the stormwall sweeps over the camp.