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Two months into the wardship, a spanreed call from Shallan's austere Conclave chamber to the manor brings two pieces of bad news. Nan Balat (writing through Eylita) explains that the family is closer to ruin than she knows: highprince ails, father's debts come due, the last quarry runs out, and Asha Jushu's gambling-cover is wearing thin. Worse, Luesh — the only one who knew how to operate the Davar Soulcaster — is dead in his sleep with a three-diamond pendant around his neck, and quiet, dangerous men with the same symbol tattooed under their thumbs have come to the manor implying that the Soulcaster must be returned. They gave it to father. They will not accept a broken one. Shallan still has to make the switch. Jasnah wears the Soulcaster all day and locks it in a safe at night with the key on her chest; only the bath, perhaps, opens a window.

Above-ground Jasnah debates the Almighty with King Taravangian. Shallan sketches the king dutifully but lets her hand wander — when Jasnah looks down she finds the page covered in unsettling creatures Shallan cannot explain. Afterwards Jasnah critiques the other thing: Shallan swallowed a witty answer in front of the king. *Cleverness never seems quite so impressive when regarded outside the moment.* Jasnah grants that, then orders her never to call Taravangian dull again — in ancient days a king who brought peace was prized; the world's change in calling such a man weak should terrify everyone. He reminds her of her uncle Dalinar.

Shallan, daring, argues that Jasnah's case against the Almighty dismisses the heart — that she believes because she feels a closeness and a peace, and that feelings cannot be discarded if Jasnah herself rests an argument on innate morality. Jasnah grants the rhetorical method (the Assuredness Movement turned back on her) without conceding the point. *We'll make a scholar of you yet.* Shallan's pleasure is real. She is also here to rob Jasnah blind. She does not like to think about that — so today, again, she does not.