The Emperor's Soul

by Brandon Sanderson

Nights! Getting the personality right would be secondary. Getting a stamp that actually took . . . that would be the first step. She wasn’t certain she could manage even that much. “And I’ll need soulstone, of course.” Frava regarded Shai, arms folded. “You can’t possibly expect me to do this without soulstone,” Shai said drily. “I could carve a stamp out of wood, if I had to, but your goal will be difficult enough as it is. Soulstone. Lots of it.” “Fine,” Frava said. “But you will be watched these three months. Closely.” “Three months?” Shai said. “I’m planning for this to take at least two years.” “You have a hundred days,” Frava said. “Actually, ninety-eight, now.” Impossible. “The official explanation for why the emperor hasn’t been seen these last two days,” said one of the other arbiters, “is that he’s been in mourning for the death of his wife. The Glory Faction will assume we are scrambling to buy time following the emperor’s death. Once the hundred days of isolation are finished, they will demand that Ashravan present himself to the court. If he does not, we are finished.”