Sarene attends the top secret meeting of traitors. Kiin serves nice food. The other attendees are suspicious of Sarene but she wins them around. It helps that she is Raoden's wife.
This Eondel character is acting suspicious, or at least thinks Kiin might poison him. Perhaps he is a mole. He has been openly opposing the king and getting away with it. That would fit. He has a small, well-trained army, so could be either very dangerous or very useful.
After a lot of eating, Sarene announces her plan. The problem is that by threatening the titles of those who do not make enough money, landowners are forced into beating their workers to work harder. I'm not sure I completely buy this, since a more kind approach does not seem like an impossible to discover innovation, but then again this world order has only been in place for a decade.
Sarene points out that people will be more productive if they are working for themselves. She learned this in Teod, where presumably the peasants are free rather than being serfs. In this, Sanderson reveals himself to be a world-builder who understands economics. He's probably even read some Adam Smith. This is excellent news.
It takes some work but the other nobles at the meeting agree to try giving their people freedom so as to demonstrate how much more wealthy it makes them.
Sarene asks questions about Raoden's death. Perhaps the king murdered him, since he was causing so much trouble. Kiin thinks not, even though Raoden died at a convenient time for the king. That makes me wonder if the Shaod is directed to some purpose, rather than being random.
"There are too many stories about lost heirs that [sic] reappear after twenty years in the wilderness to claim their rightful throne." Aragorn springs to mind. I haven't read much but it's definitely a fantasy trope. Also Danaerys, if she ever gets around to it.
We learn that Sarene has sent her seon to Elantris. Only a matter of time before it bumps into Raoden, then.
Roial is set up as the powerful and wise man.
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