Rhythm of War

How it opens

In Hearthstone, under a singer citylady, the surgeon Lirin inspects refugees from Herdaz and plans to slip the Herdazian general known as the Mink past the guards. A Fused arrives hunting a spy, and a singer soldier pulls back a hood to find Lirin's son Kaladin, who bursts alight with power. In the Sadeas warcamp, Shallan works in disguise as a merchant to draw out the Sons of Honor, until someone drugs her wine. Kaladin escapes the Fused, then brings in a huge floating platform escorted by Windrunners to carry the people of Hearthstone away.

Who you meet early

• KaladinKaladin, a Windrunner and Shardbearer, comes to Hearthstone to fetch the Herdazian general known as the Mink after his parents send word. His sleepless nights have returned.
• LirinLirin is still the surgeon in Hearthstone, where he inspects each refugee from Herdaz for the singer citylady, Abiajan. He refuses to turn in the Herdazian general known as the Mink.
• HesinaHesina, Lirin's wife and Kaladin's mother, lives in Hearthstone with little Oroden. She helps at the watchpost, reading the descriptions of wanted refugees.
• Laral WistiowLaral, wife of the former citylord Roshone, now wears a servant's dress in Hearthstone. She helps Lirin smuggle the Mink past the singer guards.
• Toralin RoshoneToralin Roshone, the former citylord of Hearthstone, now spends his days as a crem scraper. He stumbles about drunk, or pretends to, as the distraction that lets Lirin lead the Mink past the guards.
• Dieno enne CalahDieno enne Calah, called the Mink, led the Herdazian resistance, which has now collapsed. He comes to Hearthstone hidden among the refugees with four guards.
• Brightness AbiajanAbiajan, a singer, is the new citylady of Hearthstone, with a new name and a commission from the Fused. As a slave child in the town she had her arm set by Lirin.
• Shallan DavarShallan Davar has spent more than a month in disguise in the warcamps, wearing the face of a merchant named Chanasha. Working through her personas Veil and Radiant, she hunts the Sons of Honor and wants them to kidnap her.