Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive 4)

So her team had begun using their own terminology. Shallan was the Master Lightweaver. The others were Agent Lightweavers. If someone new joined, they were called a squire during the short time before they acquired a spren. Together, they’d begun calling themselves the Unseen Court. Both Veil and Shallan loved the title … though Radiant had noticed more than a few eye rolls from Windrunners when it was mentioned.

She completed her round of the room, the walking portion of which was shaped like a crescent. She looked over her twenty agents, and started deliberating on the true question at hand: Which ones should she take with her into Shadesmar?

She and Adolin had agreed that the team should be small. Shallan and Adolin, along with three Radiants: Godeke the Edgedancer, Zu the Stoneward, and the Truthwatcher woman who preferred to be called by her nickname, the Stump. They’d bring some of Adolin’s soldiers as grooms and guards—and he’d choose men who hadn’t been on the mission to the warcamps, just in case.

In addition they wanted three Lightweaver agents to Soulcast food, water, and other materials. It was a practical decision, and would also give some of Shallan’s people experience with Shadesmar. Radiant approved, but she had to deal with one discomforting problem.

Did the Ghostbloods really have a spy among her agents? Veil emerged at this contemplation, and took control. She had to prepare for the possibility that one of the other Lightweavers might betray her if brought on this mission. There must be a spy, she thought, and it will be someone who was on the mission to the warcamps. Because whoever they are, they killed Ialai.

Shallan agreed with this. Though Radiant, for some odd reason, seemed uncertain at that logic.

Well, Veil needed to figure out who the most likely candidates were—then make certain they went on the mission to Shadesmar.

What? Radiant thought. No, if we suspect them of being a spy, we should keep them far away.

No, Veil replied. We keep them close. To better manipulate and watch them.

That would be reckless.

And what would you rather have, Radiant? Veil asked. An enemy you can see, watch, and maybe fight—or one you leave off somewhere, doing who knows what?

That was more of a valid point. Veil surrendered control to Shallan, who knew the team the best. And as she strolled through the room—her hair bleeding to red—she found herself planning. How did she identify which agents were most likely to be a spy?

She started by walking over to where Ishnah was sparring. The short woman’s straight black hair framed a face accented by bright red lip paint, and she wore an Alethi havah with a gloved hand instead of a sleeve. Ishnah was one of those who had earned her Blade. By Windrunner terms, she should be off gathering her own squires and making her own team—they seemed to assume everyone would want to follow their command structure. The Unseen Court, however, didn’t care for Windrunner methods.

Instead, the Unseen Court would remain together. A balanced team, with roughly equal men and women, as all but one of her new recruits over the year had been female. Indeed, Shallan felt the Court was complete. Beryl had been with them for nearly three months now, and Shallan hadn’t felt a need to recruit anyone else. She wanted a tight-knit group. Hopefully other groups of Lightweavers would come to join the Radiants—but they would form their own teams.

Ishnah had once wanted to join the Ghostbloods. Could the woman have found her way to Mraize? Would she have agreed to watch Shallan? It was possible, making Ishnah a prime suspect. That hurt Shallan to consider, to the point that she forced Radiant to take over again.

What of Vathah? Radiant glanced toward him. The brutish former deserter was the most naturally talented Lightweaver. He often used his powers without recognizing it—even now as he sparred with Red, he’d made himself appear taller and more muscular. He had joined her under protest, and never quite seemed tamed by modern society. How much of a bribe would it take to coax him to spy on her?

We’re going to have to be careful, Radiant, Shallan said from within. The Court could tear itself apart thinking like this.

Somehow Radiant had to distrust them all while encouraging them to trust one another.

“Ishnah,” Radiant said, “what do you think of the mission we’ve been given?”

Ishnah dismissed her Shardblade and walked over. “Going into the dark, Brightness? That place offers opportunities. The ones who master it will get ahead quickly.”

It was a pragmatic but ambitious attitude. Ishnah always saw opportunities. Her Cryptic tended to ride about on the ornament on the end of the central hairspike she used to keep her braids in place. Much smaller than Pattern, this one constantly made new designs on the surface of the pale white sphere.

“Adolin and I have decided to bring a small group,” Radiant said. “The honorspren need to be met with a coalition of spren and Radiants, not an overwhelming group of Cryptics—particularly considering they don’t much care for them.”

“From what I’ve heard,” Ishnah replied, “the honorspren don’t much like anyone.”

“This is true,” Radiant said. “But Syl has told me that while they don’t trust Cryptics, honorspren don’t hate them like they do inkspren or highspren. I have decided to bring three Lightweavers along with me.”

“Can I have one of the slots?” Ishnah said. “I want to see more of the spren world.”

Mraize’s spy would volunteer for the mission, Veil noted.

“I will consider it,” Radiant said. “If you were going to take two others, who would they be?”

“Not sure,” Ishnah said. “The more experienced would be more useful, but the newer recruits could learn a lot—and we don’t expect this mission to be dangerous. I guess I’d ask around and see who wanted to go.”

“A wise suggestion,” Radiant said.

And a clear way to begin hunting the spy. Inside, Shallan squirmed again. She hated thinking about one of her friends being a traitor.

Well, Radiant hoped it wasn’t Ishnah. The woman had survived the fall of Kholinar with admirable grit. She’d stared one of the worst disasters in modern history in the face and had not only weathered it, but had helped Kaladin’s squires rescue the crown prince. She would be a great advantage on this mission, but Radiant wasn’t certain—despite what Veil said—that they wanted to bring suspicious ones along.

She made another quick circuit of her people, joined by Ishnah, and gauged their eagerness to go on the mission. Most were ambivalent. They wanted to prove themselves, but stories of Shadesmar disturbed them. In the end, she had a short list of the most eager. Ishnah, naturally. Vathah and Beryl, the former prostitute, and Stargyle, the male recruit she’d picked up before Beryl. A tall fellow who was talented at seeing into Shadesmar.

These four were already among the most suspicious, Veil thought. Ishnah, who knows about the Ghostbloods. Vathah, who is always so quiet, so dark, hard to read. Beryl and Stargyle, our newest recruits—and therefore least known to me and the others.

All had been on the mission to the warcamps. So, did she bring three of these four as Veil wanted, or leave them behind as Radiant wanted? Little as she wanted it right now, Shallan took control at the urging of the other two. She had to make the deciding vote.

Strong. With Veil and Radiant supporting her, she found she could face this. She made her decision—she’d leave these four behind, and pick others who hadn’t been on the mission to the Shattered Plains.