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Ideally, this would be the day that went best for him. He could explain his case and answer questions from the audience. Kelek’s words from the day before weighed heavily upon him; this wasn’t merely about the honorspren and whether some would join the Windrunners. It was a much larger argument.
Was humankind worth fighting for? Adolin somehow had to make that argument today. Blended had warned him he’d need to fend off questions and keep the argument on topic. He couldn’t afford to engage the crowd too directly, couldn’t afford to let them control the conversation.
That done, the trial would convene for one final meeting, where the honorspren could present a single last witness, whom Adolin could question, to rebut his arguments.
He bowed to Kelek as the Herald arrived. He’d changed into official-looking violet robes, a marked difference from yesterday. Did that mean he was taking this more seriously?
Adolin waited respectfully for the High Judge to seat himself among the group of honorspren officials. Adolin had learned that six of them were among the “ten honored by storms.” The ten oldest existing honorspren, other than Syl. Hierarchy was important to this group.
“All right,” Kelek said. “Let’s get this over with. You may speak.”
“Thank you, Honored One,” Adolin said, then turned toward the crowd. “I don’t think my words today will surprise anyone. Yet I’ve staked my future on the opportunity to say them to you. In person. To look you in the eyes, and ask you if you truly think this is justice.
“Men hold grudges. It is one of our greatest failings. Sometimes families will continue a cycle of hatred for generations, all for some slight that no one remembers. While I won’t compare your very real pain and betrayal to something so insignificant, I hope to find in you—immortal pieces of Honor—a more perfect way of—”
“Did you know,” a spren in the front row interrupted, “that your father almost killed the Stormfather?”
Adolin stumbled in his speech. “I will answer questions at the end,” he said. “As I was saying, I had hoped to find—”
“Did you know about it?” the honorspren demanded, shouting. “Did you know he almost killed the Stormfather?”
“I find that difficult to believe,” Adolin said. He glanced up at the top of the forum, where the standing spren were shuffling and whispering to one another. The audience fell quiet, waiting for Adolin. A question had been asked, but he didn’t have to answer it, not yet. He controlled the floor.
So he remained focused as Blended had taught him, then purposefully continued his statement. “In you,” Adolin said to the crowd, “I had hoped to find honor. Ancient spren bonded with us because they believed that together, we became something stronger, something better than we were alone.
“I admit to human weakness. I will not hide it. But I have not seen you admit to your weakness. You claim to be creations of honor. That you are better than men. Yet you refuse to prove it, to show it.
“I know of spren who do. Brave spren, who have come to the battle to join with men. In so doing, they have become stronger. They grow, like the people who bond them. Why do we need Radiants? Because they represent our best selves. We are of Honor and Cultivation. Honor, for an ideal. Cultivation, for the power to reach toward that ideal.
“The Stormfather himself agrees that this is the correct choice. People may not be perfect, but they’re worth helping strive for perfection. And you are worth more than you can ever be sitting alone and refusing to grow.”
That went over well. The honorspren liked a good speech, he’d learned—and those at the top in particular seemed swayed. He took a breath, preparing to move to his next point. Unfortunately, in the pause, that same honorspren from before leaped to his feet.
“The Stormfather made his choice,” the spren said loudly, “and in so doing, put himself in danger—he nearly died. Did you know about this?”
Kelek leaned forward in his judge’s seat. That was dangerously close to a statement, which the audience was not allowed to make. Trial by witness allowed Adolin to make declarations, but the audience could only question.
“I did not know of this event,” Adolin told the spren. “So I cannot offer insight into why it happened, or what the circumstances were.”
“How could you not know?” a different spren, in the second row, demanded. “If you’ve come to persuade us to become Radiant spren, shouldn’t you know the cost of what you’re asking? I think—”
“Enough of that,” Kelek snapped. “Do you want to be ejected, Veratorim?”
The spren quieted immediately.
“Proceed, human,” Kelek said, settling back and lacing his fingers before himself.
“My second argument,” Adolin said, “is to show to you that the kingdoms of the world have put aside their differences to unite together to face this challenge. I brought a letter from my cousin, Jasnah, which was torn up. Fortunately, I can quote parts to you. She proves that the modern kingdoms are—”
“Has she tried to kill her spren?” the spren in the first row asked.
“She proves,” Adolin continued, “that our modern kingdoms are united in ways that—”
“Yes, but has she tried to kill her spren?”
“Look,” Adolin snapped, “do you want me to talk or not? Do you want to hear my testimony, like you’ve offered, or do you just want to take shots at me?”
The spren smiled. And Adolin realized what he’d done. By asking a question, Adolin had invited an answer.
“I think,” the spren said, standing up, “that the most relevant question is if these new Radiants can be trusted. That’s what you need to prove. The Stormfather told us that Dalinar Kholin forced him to physically manifest. Dalinar Kholin, your father, using the Stormfather’s essence to work one of the Oathgates!”
“That’s against his oath!” another one exclaimed. “Did you know about your father’s actions?”
“I’m sure he had good reasons,” Adolin said. “If you would—”
“Good reasons?” the standing honorspren said. “He was running away. Does this seem like the kind of behavior we should trust in a Bondsmith? From the man you said was ideal, that you promised would never betray us. How do you respond to this?”
Adolin looked to Kelek. “Can I please continue my witness?”
“You invited this discussion, son,” Kelek said. “You need to engage him now.” Kelek nodded toward the crowd at the top of the forum. Those who had joined with Notum yesterday waited quietly, wanting answers.
Adolin sighed, glancing to Shallan for strength before continuing. “I cannot speak for my father. You’ll have to ask him. I trust him; the Stormfather trusts him; that should be enough.”
“He is a walking disaster,” the spren said. “He is a murderer by his own testimony. This is no Bondsmith.”
Adolin ignored that, as it wasn’t a question. And theoretically, he could let this subject die and continue.
“Jasnah’s letter,” he began, “is—”
“Kaladin Stormblessed almost killed his spren too,” a completely different honorspren said. “The Ancient Daughter, most precious of children. Did you know that?”
