demanded. “What is this?”
“Uh . . .” The one-eyed man stammered. “Lordsh . . . Um, Kaladin. You’re, ah, an officer? So things have been going well for you . . .”
“You know this man?” Shallan asked Kaladin.
“He tried to get me killed,” Kaladin said, voice even. “On multiple occasions. He’s one of the most hateful little rats I’ve ever known.”
Great.
“You’re not Adolin’s betrothed,” Kaladin said, meeting her gaze as several of his men gleefully seized Gaz, who had backed into other guards coming up from below. “Adolin’s betrothed has drowned. You are an opportunist with a very bad sense of timing. I doubt that Dalinar Kholin will be pleased to find a swindler trying to capitalize on the death of his niece.”
She finally started to feel nervous. Vathah glanced at her, obviously worried that this Kaladin’s guesses were correct. Shallan steadied herself and reached into her safepouch, pulling out a piece of paper she’d found in Jasnah’s notes. “Is Highlady Navani in that room?”
Kaladin didn’t reply.
“Show her this, please,” Shallan said.
Kaladin hesitated, then took the sheet. He looked it over, but obviously couldn’t tell that he was holding it upside down. It was one of the written communications between Jasnah and her mother, arranging for the causal. Communicated via spanreed, there would be two copies—the one that had been written on Jasnah’s side, and the one on Brightness Navani’s side.
“We’ll see,” Kaladin said.
“We’ll . . .” Shallan found herself sputtering. If she couldn’t get in to see Dalinar, then . . . Then . . . Storm this man! She took his arm in her freehand as he turned to give orders to his men. “Is this really all because I lied to you?” she demanded more softly.
He looked back at her. “It’s about doing my job.”
“Your job is to be offensive and asinine?”
“No, I’m offensive and asinine on my own time too. My job is to keep people like you away from Dalinar Kholin.”
“I guarantee he will want to see me.”
“Well, forgive me for not trusting the word of a Horneater princess. Would you like some shells to chew on while my men tow you away to the dungeons?”
All right, that’s enough.
“The dungeons sound wonderful!” she said. “At least there, I’d be away from you, idiot man!”
“Only for a short time. I’d be by to interrogate you.”
“What? I couldn’t pick a more pleasant option? Like being executed?”
“You’re assuming I could find a hangman willing to put up with your blathering long enough to fit the rope.”
“Well, if you want to kill me, you could always let your breath do the job.”
He reddened, and several guards nearby started snickering. They tried to stifle their reaction as Captain Kaladin looked at them.
“I should envy you,” he said, turning back to her. “My breath needs to be up close to kill, while that face of yours can kill any man from a distance.”
“Any man?” she asked. “Why, it’s not working on you. I guess that’s proof that you’re not much of a man.”
“I misspoke. I didn’t mean any man, just males of your own species—but don’t worry, I’ll take care not to let our chulls get close.”
“Oh? Your parents are in the area, then?”
His eyes widened, and for the first time she seemed to have really gotten under his skin. “My parents have nothing to do with this.”
“Yes, that makes sense. I’d expect that they want nothing to do with you.”
“At least my ancestors had the sense not to breed with a sponge!” he snapped, probably a reference to her red hair.
“At least I know my parentage!” she snapped back.
They glared at each other. Part of Shallan felt satisfaction at being able to make him lose his temper, though from the heat she felt in her face, she’d let go of hers as well. Jasnah would have been disappointed. How often had she tried to get Shallan to control her tongue? True wit was controlled wit. It shouldn’t be allowed to run free, any more than an arrow should be loosed in a random direction.
For the first time, Shallan realized that the large hallway had grown silent. A great number of the soldiers and attendants were staring at her and the officer.
“Bah!” Kaladin shook her arm free of his—she hadn’t let go after getting his attention earlier. “I revise my opinion of you. You’re obviously a highborn lighteyes. Only they are capable of being this infuriating.” He stalked away from her toward the doors to the king’s chamber.
Nearby, Vathah relaxed visibly.