“I curse occasionally too.”
“I hadn’t noticed. You’re a very curious ardent, Kabsal.”
“You’d be surprised. We’re not nearly as stuffy a bunch as we seem. Well, except Brother Habsant; he spends so much time staring at the rest of us.” He hesitated. “Actually, now I think about it, he might actually be stuffed. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him move….”
“We’re getting distracted. Weren’t you trying to recruit me to your devotary?”
“Yes. And it’s not so uncommon as you think. All of the devotaries engage in it. We do a lot of frowning at one another for our profound lack of ethics.” He leaned forward again, growing more serious. “My devotary has relatively few members, as we don’t have as much exposure as others. So whenever someone seeking knowledge comes to the Palanaeum, we take it upon ourselves to inform them.”
“Recruit them.”
“Let them see what it is they are missing.” He took a bite of his bread and jam. “In the Devotary of Purity, did they teach you about the nature of the Almighty? The divine prism, with the ten facets representing the Heralds?”
“They touched on it,” she said. “Mostly we talked about achieving my goals of…well, purity. Somewhat boring, I’ll admit, since there wasn’t much chance for impurity on my part.”
Kabsal shook his head. “The Almighty gives everyone talents—and when we pick a Calling that capitalizes on them, we are worshipping him in the most fundamental way. A devotary—and its ardents—should help nurture that, encouraging you to set and achieve goals of excellence.” He waved to the books stacked on the desk. “This is what your devotary should be helping you with, Shallan. History, logic, science, art. Being honest and good is important, but we should be working harder to encourage the natural talents of people, rather than forcing them to adapt to the Glories and Callings we feel are most important.”
“That is a reasonable argument, I guess.”
Kabsal nodded, looking thoughtful “Is it any wonder a woman like Jasnah Kholin turned away from that? Many devotaries encourage women to leave difficult studies of theology to the ardents. If only Jasnah had been able to see the true beauty of our doctrine.” He smiled, digging a thick book out of his bread basket. “I really had hoped, originally, to be able to show her what I mean.”
“I doubt she’d react well to that.”
“Perhaps,” he said idly, hefting the tome. “But to be the one who finally convinced her!”
“Brother Kabsal, that sounds almost like you’re seeking distinction.”
He blushed, and she realized she’d said something that genuinely embarrassed him. She winced, cursing her tongue.
“Yes,” he said. “I do seek distinction. I shouldn’t wish so badly to be the one who converts her. But I do. If she would just listen to my proof.”
“Proof?”
“I have real evidence that the Almighty exists.”
“I’d like to see it.” Then she raised a finger, cutting him off. “Not because I doubt his existence, Kabsal. I’m just curious.”
He smiled. “It will be my pleasure to explain. But first, would you like another slice of bread?”
“I should say no,” she said, “and avoid excess, as my tutors trained me. But instead I’ll say yes.”
“Because of the jam?”
“Of course,” she said, taking the bread. “How did your book of oracular preserves describe me? Impulsive and spontaneous? I can do that. If it means jam.”
He slathered a piece for her, then wiped his fingers on his cloth and opened his book, flipping through the pages until he reached one that had a drawing on it. Shallan slid closer for a better look. The picture wasn’t of a person; it depicted a pattern of some kind. A triangular shape, with three outlying wings and a peaked center.
“Do you recognize this?” Kabsal asked.
It seemed familiar. “I feel that I should.”
“It’s Kholinar,” he said. “The Alethi capital, drawn as it would appear from above. See the peaks here, the ridges there? It was built around the rock formation that was already there.” He flipped the page. “Here’s Vedenar, capital of Jah Keved.” This one was a hexagonal pattern. “Akinah.” A circular pattern. “Thaylen City.” A four-pointed star pattern.
“What does it mean?”
“It is proof that the Almighty is in all things. You can see him here, in these cities. Do you see how symmetrical they are?”
“The cities were built by men, Kabsal. They wanted symmetry because it is holy.”
“Yes, but in each case they built around existing rock formations.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Shallan said. “I do believe, but I don’t know if this is proof. Wind and water can create symmetry; you see it in nature all the time. The men picked areas that were roughly symmetrical, then designed their cities to make up for any flaws.”
He turned to his basket again, rummaging. He came out with—of all things—a metal plate. As she opened her mouth to ask a question, he held up his finger again and set the plate down on a small wooden stand that raised it a few inches above the tabletop.
Kabsal sprinkled white, powdery sand on the sheet of metal, coating it. Then he got out a bow, the kind drawn across strings to make music.
“You came prepared for this demonstration, I see,” Shallan noted. “You really did want to make your case to Jasnah.”
He smiled, then drew the bow across the edge of the metal plate, making it vibrate. The sand hopped and bounced, like tiny insects dropped onto something hot.
“This,” he said, “is called cymatics. The study of the patterns that sounds make when interacting with a physical medium.”
As he drew the bow again, the plate made a sound, almost a pure note. It was actually enough to draw a single musicspren, which spun for a moment in the air above him, then vanished. Kabsal finished, then gestured to the plate with a flourish.
“So…?” Shallan asked.
“Kholinar,” he said, holding up his book for comparison.
Shallan cocked her head. The pattern in the sand looked exactly like Kholinar.
He dropped more sand on the plate and then drew the bow across it at another point and the sand rearranged itself.
“Vedenar,” he said.
She compared again. It was an exact match.
“Thaylen City,” he said, repeating the process at another spot. He carefully chose another point on the plate’s edge and bowed it one final time. “Akinah. Shallan, proof of the Almighty’s existence is in the very cities we live in. Look at the perfect symmetry!”
She had to admit, there was something compelling about the patterns. “It could be a false correlation. Both caused by the same thing.”
“Yes. The Almighty,” he said, sitting. “Our very language is symmetrical. Look at the glyphs—each one can be folded in half perfectly. And the alphabet too. Fold any line of text down across itself, and you’ll find symmetry. Surely you know the story, that both glyphs and letters came from the Dawnsingers?”
“Yes.”
“Even our names. Yours is nearly perfect. Shallan. One letter off, an ideal name for a lighteyed woman. Not too holy, but ever so close. The original names for the ten Silver Kingdoms. Alethela, Valhav, Shin Kak Nish. Perfect, symmetrical.”
He reached forward, taking her hand. “It’s here, around us. Don’t forget that, Shallan, no matter what she says.”
“I won’t,” she said, realizing how he’d guided the conversation. He’d said he believed her, but still he’d gone through his proofs. It was touching and annoying at the same time. She did not like condescension. But, then, could one really blame an ardent for preaching?
Kabsal looked up suddenly, releasing her hand. “I hear footsteps.” He stood, and Shallan turned as Jasnah walked into the alcove, followed by a parshman carrying a basket of books. Jasnah showed no surprise at the presence of the ardent.
“I’m sorry, Brightness Jasnah,” Shallan said, standing. “He—”
“You are not a captive, child,” Jasnah interrupted brusquely. “You are allowed visitors. Just be careful to check your skin for tooth marks. These types have a habit of dragging their prey out to sea with them.”
Kabsal flushed. He moved to gather up his things.
Jasnah waved for the parshman to place her books on the table. “Can that plate reproduce a cymatic pattern corresponding to Urithiru, priest? Or do you only have patterns for the standard four cities?”
Kabsal looked at her, obviously shocked to realize that she knew exactly what the plate was for. He picked up his book. “Urithiru is just a fable.”
“Odd. One would think that your type would be used to believing in fables.”
His face grew redder. He finished packing his things, then nodded curtly to Shallan and walked hastily from the room.
“If I may say so, Brightness,” Shallan said, “that was exceptionally rude of you.”
“I’m prone to such bouts of incivility,” Jasnah said. “I’m certain he has heard what I’m like. I simply wanted to make sure he got what he expected.”
“You haven’t acted that way toward other ardents in the Palanaeum.”
“The other ardents in the Palanaeum haven’t been working to turn my ward against me.”
“He wasn’t…” Shallan trailed off. “He was simply worried about my soul.”
“Has he asked you to try to steal my Soulcaster yet?”
Shallan felt a sudden spike of shock. Her hand went to the pouch at her waist. Did Jasnah know? No, Shallan told herself. No, listen to the question. “He didn’t.”
“Watch,” Jasnah said, opening a book. “He will eventually. I’ve experience with his type.” She looked at Shallan, and her expression softened. “He’s not interested in you. Not in any of the ways you think. In particular, this isn’t about your soul. It’s about me.”
“That is somewhat arrogant of you,” Shallan said, “don’t you think?”
“Only if I’m wrong, child,” Jasnah said, turning back to her book. “And I rarely am.”
“I walked from Abamabar to Urithiru.”
—This quote from the Eighth Parable of The Way of Kings seems to contradict Varala and Sinbian, who both claim the city was inaccessible by foot. Perhaps there was a way constructed, or perhaps Nohadon was being metaphorical.
Bridgemen aren’t supposed to survive….
Kaladin’s mind felt fuzzy. He knew that he hurt, but other than that, he floated. As if his head were detached from his body and bouncing off the walls and ceilings.
“Kaladin!” a concerned voice whispered. “Kaladin, please. Please don’t be hurt anymore.”
Bridgemen aren’t supposed to survive. Why did those words bother him so much? He remembered what had happened, using the bridge as a shield, throwing the army off, dooming the assault. Stormfather, he thought, I’m an idiot!