The Way of Kings

“There was a problem, however,” Sadeas said. “One Dalinar himself raised. Why cut the strap on a Shardbearer’s saddle? A foolish move. A horseback fall wouldn’t be of much danger to a man wearing Shardplate.” To the side, the servant Sadeas had sent away returned, leading a youth with sandy hair bearing only a few hints of black.

Sadeas fished something out of a pouch at his waist, holding it up. A large sapphire. It wasn’t infused. In fact, looking closely, Dalinar could see that it was cracked – it wouldn’t hold Stormlight now. “The question drove me to investigate the king’s Shardplate,” Sadeas said. “Eight of the ten sapphires used to infuse his Plate were cracked following the battle.”

“It happens,” Adolin said, stepping up beside Dalinar, hand on his side sword. “You lose a few in every battle.”

“But eight?” Sadeas asked. “One or two is normal. But have you ever lost eight in one battle before, young Kholin?”

Adolin’s only reply was a glare.

Sadeas tucked away the gemstone, nodding to the youth his men had brought. “This is one of the grooms in the king’s employ. Fin, isn’t it?”

“Y… Yes, brightlord,” the boy stammered. He couldn’t be older than twelve.

“What is it you told me earlier, Fin? Please, say it again so that all may hear.”

The darkeyed youth cringed, looking sick. “Well, Brightlord sir, it was just this: Everyone spoke of the saddle being checked over in Brightlord Dalinar’s camp. And I suppose it was, right as that. But I’m the one who prepared His Majesty’s horse afore it was turned over to Brightlord Dalinar’s men. And I did it, I promise I did. Put on his favorite saddle and everything. But…”

Dalinar’s heart raced. He had to hold himself back from summoning his Blade.

“But what?” Sadeas said to Fin.

“But when the king’s head grooms took the horse past on its way to the Highprince Dalinar’s camp, it was wearing a different saddle. I swear it.”

Several of those standing around them seemed confused by this admission.

“Aha!” Adolin said, pointing. “But that happened in the king’s palace complex!”

“Indeed,” Sadeas said, raising an eyebrow at Adolin. “How keen-minded of you, young Kholin. This discovery – mixed with the cracked gemstones – means something. I suspect that whoever attempted to kill His Majesty planted in his Shardplate flawed gemstones that would crack when strained, losing their Stormlight. Then they weakened the saddle girth with a careful slit. The hope would be that His Majesty would fall while fighting a great-shell, allowing it to attack him. The gemstones would fail, the Plate would break, and His Majesty would fall to an ‘accident’ while hunting.”

Sadeas raised a finger as the crowd began to whisper again. “However, it is important to realize that these events – the switching of the saddle or the planting of the gemstones – must have happened before His Majesty met up with Dalinar. I feel that Dalinar is a very unlikely suspect. In fact, my present guess is that the culprit is someone that Brightlord Dalinar has offended; that someone wanted us all to think he might be involved. It may not have actually been intended to kill His Majesty, just to cast suspicion upon Dalinar.”

The island fell silent, even the whispers dying.

Dalinar stood, stunned. I… I was right!

Adolin finally broke the quiet. “What?”

“All evidence points to your father being innocent, Adolin,” Sadeas said sufferingly. “You find this surprising?”

“No, but…” Adolin’s brow furrowed.

Around them, the lighteyes began talking, sounding disappointed. They began to disperse. Dalinar’s officers remained standing behind him, as if expecting a surprise strike.

Blood of my fathers… Dalinar thought. What does it mean?

Sadeas waved for his men to take the groom away, then nodded to Elhokar and withdrew in the direction of the evening trays, where warmed wine sat in pitchers next to toasted breads. Dalinar caught up to Sadeas as the shorter man was filling a small plate. Dalinar took him by the arm, the fabric of Sadeas’s robe soft beneath his fingers.

Sadeas looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

“Thank you,” Dalinar said quietly. “For not going through with it.” Behind them, the flutist resumed her playing.

“For not going through with what?” Sadeas said, setting down his small plate, then prying Dalinar’s fingers free. “I had hoped to make this presentation after I’d discovered more concrete proof that you weren’t involved. Unfortunately, pressed as I was, the best I could do was to indicate that it was unlikely you were involved. There will still be rumors, I’m afraid.”

“Wait. You wanted to prove me innocent?”

Sadeas scowled, picking up his plate again. “Do you know what your problem is, Dalinar? Why everyone has begun finding you so tiresome?”

Dalinar didn’t reply.

“The presumption. You’ve grown despicably self-righteous. Yes, I asked Elhokar for this position so I could prove you innocent. Is it so storming difficult for you to believe someone else in this army might do something honest?”