Summary:Words of Radiance/Chapter 15
Chapter 15: A Hand with the Tower
Workform worn for strength and care.
Whispering spren breathe at your ear.
Seek first this form, its mysteries to bear.
Found here is freedom from fear.
—From the listener Song of Listing, 19th stanza
- Characters
- Shallan Davar (Point of view)
- Bluth
- Pattern
- Tag
- Tvlakv
- Plot summary
- Tanatatah 1173
Shallan comments about Tvlakv wearing different shoes than on the first day they met, but Tvlakv lies and says he only owns one pair. Shallan asks Pattern to spy on a conversation between Tvlakv and Tag, and Pattern records and replays the chat for Shallan in secret, revealing that Tvlakv intends to protect Shallan, but also to profit from her rescue to try to escape a debt. Shallan uses this information to keep Tvlakv off-balance and to gain the upper hand in their dealings, warning the trader not to play games after Tvlakv expresses doubt over Shallan's story about her betrothal and pending wealth. As she gets up to leave Tvlakv flinches away from her, and she notices that she is glowing faintly with stormlight and has a majestic appearance, which she hopes that Tvlakv misinterprets as a trick of the darkness and campfire light. She returns to her wagon and notices that the pain in her infected feet has lessened.
Bluth returns to the camp in a panic, putting out their campfire. Bluth tells them that he spotted a likely caravan of army deserters who may have turned to banditry nearby. They quickly pack up the wagons and travel east to try to escape notice. Bluth explains to Shallan that they probably would not be able to bribe their way past the bandits, since desertion makes them very desperate people.