[Dragaera] Tiassa -- Chapter the Sixth vs Epilogue -- spoiler

[Scott Schultz]

Hmmm... The more I think about it...

An open mystery is the fashion in which Lady Saruchan knew of Vlad's
injuries and knew where to find him when he was injured and ostensibly in
police custody.

It makes me wonder if there WAS a swordsman fighting at Vlad's side at the
river and that swordsman was Lady Saruchan herself. Upon realizing who his
assailants were and why they were attacking, he realized that he was putting
Sara in mortal danger. Faced with the possibility of alienating her if he
drew Lady Teldra and proceeded to annihilate the souls of her close
relatives, he took the most expedient course. He ended the fight by throwing
himself into the river and trusting to luck, Loiosh, and perhaps
intervention from Verra to keep him alive.

Sara showed up later with his gear, apparently out of nowhere, because
Loiosh brought her.

The more I think about it, the more I think that Chapter the Sixth IS almost
entirely fabricated, though Lady Saruchan is the source of the fabrication
and Paarfi is more or less a dupe.