Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive #4) - Brandon Sanderson Page 0,144

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