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Prologue: To Question

SIX YEARS AGO

Jasnah Kholin pretended to enjoy the party, giving no indication that she intended to have one of the guests killed

She wandered through the crowded feast hall, listening as wine greased tongues and di of it, rising fro out their drummers Jasnah’s brother, Elhokar, hurried to shush their uncle—though the Alethi politely ignored Dalinar’s outburst All save Elhokar’s wife, Aesudan, who snickered primly behind a handkerchief

Jasnah turned away froh the room She had an appoint the stuffy roo A quartet of women played flutes on a raised platfor since grown tedious

Unlike Dalinar, Jasnah drew stares Like flies to rottenher Whispers like buzzing wings If there was one thing the Alethi court enjoyed ossip Everyone expected Dalinar to lose hihter, ad to heresy? That was unprecedented

Jasnah had spoken of her feelings for precisely that reason

She passed the Parshendi delegation, which clustered near the high table, talking in their rhythh this celebration honored thened with Jasnah’s father, they didn’t look festive or even happy They looked nervous Of course, they weren’t human, and the way they reacted was sometimes odd

Jasnah wanted to speak with them, but her appoint for the middle of the feast, as so many would be distracted and drunken Jasnah headed toward the doors but then stopped in place

Her shadoas pointing in the wrong direction

The stuffy, shuffling, chattering rooht through the shadohich quite distinctly pointed toward the sphere laed in conversation with his companion, Sadeas didn’t notice Jasnah stared at that shadow—skin growing clammy, stomach clenched, the way she felt when she was about to voht source A reason Could she find a reason? No

The shadow languidlyout the other way Her tension eased But had anyone else seen?

Blessedly, as she searched the roohast stares People’s attention had been drawn by the Parshendi druh the doorway to set up Jasnah frowned as she noticed a non-Parshendi servant in loose white clothing helping them A Shin man? That was unusual

Jasnah composed herself What did these episodes of hersshadows s as nonsense, but some superstitions were rooted in fact Her other experiences proved that She would need to investigate further

The calhts felt like a lie compared to the truth of her cold, cla down the back of her neck But it was important to be rational at all tih the doors, leaving the y room for the quiet hallway She’d chosen the back exit, commonly used by servants It was the most direct route, after all

Here, master-servants dressed in black and white htlords or ladies She had expected that, but had not anticipated the sight of her father standing just ahead, in quiet conference with Brightlord Meridas A out here?

Gavilar Kholin was shorter than A’s company That was common around Gavilar, ould speak with such quiet intensity that you wanted to lean in and listen, to catch every word and implication He was a handsomejaw rather than covering it He had a personal rapher had yet ed to convey

Teari’s Guard, loo hi to entrust it to Tearireat duelists Instead, Gavilar wore robes of a majestic, classical style

Jasnah glanced back at the feast hall When had her father slipped out? Sloppy, she accused herself You should have checked to see if he was still there before leaving

Ahead, he rested his hand on A harshly but quietly, the words indistinct to Jasnah