Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14.
Spoilers for those who are unfamiliar with the series. Note that this summary is designed to help people who have already read the books get back up to speed before the release of the final volume in January. First-timers are advised to read the books directly, as in some cases these summaries may spoil things that are not revealed in the books until much later.
Rand al'Thor confronts the Forsaken Semirhage.Follow the break for the summary:
Knife of Dreams
Atown in Amadicia, held by the Children of the Light. Eamon Valda and RhadamAsunawa are holding a meeting when a senior officer approaches to tell themthat a Child has brought a serious charge against another Child. In the oldways, this can only be settled by a duel to the death. Asunawa thinks that isstupidity, but Valda is suspicious of Asunawa after he arranged their newalliance with the Seanchan. Valda agrees that the old ways may have to berestored. The accusing child is Galad Damodred: he charges Eamon Valda withmurdering Morgase Trakand in cold blood. Valda is amused and agrees to the duel,confident of the outcome since he is a blademaster. After a furious battleValda is defeated and slain. Asunawa and every Questioner in sight flees. Underthe same archaic, old rules Galad is now Lord Captain Commander of the Childrenof the Light. Stunned, Galad tells his men that the Seanchan have invaded theirlands, killed their comrades and captured their fortress. They are enemies.Galad would ally with anyone who can bring down the Seanchan, should they beAes Sedai, Asha’man or the Dragon Reborn himself. To his surprise, all of theChildren present agree. They move out, heading out of Seanchan territory asfast as possible.
Serana,a town in Tarabon, roughly halfway from Elmora to the Amadician border. GeneralRodel Ituralde attacks a Seanchan encampment outside the town. He has TarabonerDragonsworn forces draw out the camp’s sul’damand damane, who are promptly shotdown by hidden archers before they can react. The Seanchan forces flee underheavy arrow fire, allowing Ituralde to destroy the stores. Across Tarabon morethan 20,000 Domani, Dragonsworn and Taraboner rebels have launched similarstrikes. Hopefully this will be enough to goad the Seanchan into chasingthem...headlong into a trap. Ituralde’s forces move on, though most of theTaraboner Dragonsworn remain behind to continue the harrying. Ituralde notesthat a group of Taraboner civilians were apparently run down by the Seanchancavalry but can’t find any trace of the corpses. It’s like they were neverthere and evaporated like mist. Shrugging, he moves on.
InEbou Dar Suroth can’t sleep because of nightmares over where Tuon is and whatshe’s doing. Her da’covale Liandrinarrives, possibly with the intention of killing her, but is nearly slain bySuroth’s pet torm. Liandrin tells herone of the Seanchan generals wants to talk to her. General Galgan, commander ofthe Corenne’s military, reportsIturalde’s raids from across the border: dozens of supply depots up in flames,hundreds of Seanchan soldiers and dozens of damaneand sul’dam slain. Lieutenant-GeneralTuran, in command of Seanchan forces in Tarabon, is already planning a punitiveexpedition to punish the Domani invaders (which is exactly what Ituralde wants,of course). Suroth commands that nine-tenths of the raken in Amadicia and Altara be diverted to help the pursuit andGalgan agrees. However, he will not divert the to’raken from their pre-planned operation elsewhere. He also tellsher he is not ready to move against Illian yet and is still concerned about themissing Whitecloaks. Suroth, not used to being contradicted, returns to herchambers in a rage. Semirhage appears and aks Suroth if she would like tocommand all the Seanchan forces this side of the Aryth Ocean. Suroth points out that toplay Empress would invite reprisals from the real Empress. Semirhage tells herthat Empress Radhanan is dead. Semirhage killed her and poured her blood overthe Crystal Throne. The entire Imperial Family has been slaughtered and theCourt of the Nine Moons turned into a bloodbath. Seandar and the next twelve largestcities of the Empire are in flames as the noble families fight for the throne.The Seanchan Empire is in chaos and will soon fall into civil war. What Surothdoes this side of the Aryth Oceanwon’t be noticed back in the Empire for a long time to come. News will soon bebrought by ship to Tarabon and Suroth must be ready to seize control when thathappens. She must find and kill Tuon, the only surviving heir of the ImperialFamily. Suroth promises to achieve then and sends out word that an imposterDaughter of the Nine Moons is at large in Altara and must be slain no matterthe cost.
Inthe White Tower Pevara visits Tsutama Rath, a former Sitter for the Red Ajahwho was exiled years ago during the ‘vileness’. Tsutama has been recalled andappointed the Highest, the head of the Ajah, following Galina Casban’sdisappearance. She has received a letter from Sashalle, one of the Red sisterssent to capture Rand al’Thor and who was stilled atDumai’s Wells and then Healed again. Sashalle’s report reveals that Healingstilling and gentling is possible, confirming that Logain is with the Asha’manand no longer gentled. Most shockingly, Sashalle reveals that she has swornloyalty to Rand and means to hold that oath until death.Tsutama compares the letter with another she has, from Toveine Gazal, and notesthey support one another. Gazal’s letter confirms that Asha’man are bonding AesSedai against their will. Tsutama hates men with a passion but is intrigued bythe idea of Aes Sedai bonding Asha’man as a way of controlling them withoutthrowing away a valuable resource for the Last Battle. She orders Pevara andanother Red Sitter, Javindhra, to make the arrangements to propose the measuresto the Asha’man. Javindhra is dead set against the idea but when the Highestspeaks, all Red sisters obey. When they ask her what Elaida will think, Tsutamareplies she doesn’t care as they won’t let Elaida know until it’s far too late.
Pevarameets with Yukiri and learns that the other hunters have captured Atuan, aBlack Ajah member. Atuan has already revealed the names of the two other Blacksisters in her heart: Karale Sanghir, a Domani Grey, and Marris Thornill, anAndoran Brown, but both are out of the Tower at the moment. Until they return,the search for the Black Ajah seems to have reached a dead end. However, Talenehas received a summons to appear before the Supreme Council of the Black Ajah.Pevara decides that the risk of exposing themselves will be worth it if they canlearn of further Black Ajah sisters. Pevara ponders gathering as many sistersas possible and attacking the Supreme Council directly, but Yukiri shoots thatidea down. Bringing in too many people will only alert the Black Ajah that theyare on the trail.
Seainearrives from a meeting with Elaida and notes that the Amyrlin is much more incharge of herself than before. Elaida asked her how the search was going. WhenSeaine mentioned the Black Ajah, Elaida laughed and merely said that she hadasked them to expose a link between Rand al’Thor andAlviarin. The hunters are puzzled by this about-face, but now suspect thatElaida might be Black Ajah after all.
Elsewhere,Alviarin stands in shame amongst the White Ajah. Only twenty sisters from theAjah are in the Tower at the present time and most have taken a negative standagainst her, wondering why she threw away the position of Keeper for no realreason. Word about Dumai’s Wells is spreading thanks to Alviarin, trying to getback at Elaida, although it seems likely that Elaida will succeed in deflectingthe blame to the actual sisters involved. Two White sisters are debating thatperhaps the Dark One’s growing influence on the world is responsible for foodspoiling. Alviarin learns that Talene has disappeared and recalls how closeTalene appeared to be to Yukiri and Doesine. She sends out orders to the BlackAjah that Talene is to be found and Yukiri and Doesine are be watched. If theycan be isolated, the Black Ajah is to take them for questioning.
Galina Casban meets with Perrin and his lieutenants. GalinaCasban heads out from the Shaido camp surrounding Maldenin north-central Altara for a ride, miserably aware that she cannot channelwithout Sevanna’s permission and living in fear of Thevara. Suddenly, two menappear and apprehend her. Thevara is blindfolded and taken somewhere else. Sheoverhears people talking about someone (‘She’) being cautious and fearing atrap, but doesn’t understand what they are talking about. When the blindfold isremoved, she is in the command tent of a small army. The men who captured herare named Gaul and Neald. Grady, Berelain and theGhealdanin Captain Arganda are present. Perrin Aybara confronts her, demandingto know about the Shaido camp and Faile’s whereabouts. Galina reveals that theShaido are uncomfortable inside the walls of Maldenand avoid the town where possible. The Shaido Wise Ones are also extremelyangry that so many of the spear-carriers, mainly the Brotherless but the othersas well, are turning to alcohol to endure their shame and hardships. Galinaasks Perrin to delay the attack but he refuses. Galina realises that Faile,Morgase and Alliandre know about a lie she told them which will be exposed ifthey are rescued, confirming her as Black Ajah. She realises they will have todie before the attack. Berelain knocks her out and Neald carries her back tothe camp.InTar Valon Egwene is taken to the White Tower where she spots NicolaTreehill, the novice who ran away from the rebel Aes Sedai camp. Nicola washoping to be able to learn to channel faster in the Tower, but her hopes havebeen dashed. Egwene’s captors, one of whom is Katerine Alruddin of the RedAjah, refuse to tell her who betrayed her. Egwene is taken to the Mistress ofNovices, Silviana, and is told that Elaida has decided that Egwene is a dupe ofthe rebels and is not to be held accountable for treacherously claiming thetitle of Amyrlin Seat. Egwene refuses to be bowed. She does learn that Leanewas captured as well and that the Tower Aes Sedai think she is a wilder,laughing at her error in claiming to be of the Green Ajah. Egwene tells themthat Nynaeve Healed her and she chose Green. They don’t believe her. Egwenetries to warn them that the Seanchan are planning to attack Tar Valon. Katerineand the others don’t believe it, but Silviana agrees to carry the warning toothers. Egwene isn’t to be shielded, but will be fed forkroot to keep herchannelling under control.
Egwenecontacts Siuan through their dreams and Siuan is able to relay her message tothe rebel Hall of the Tower. Egwene is to work at destabilising the Tower fromwithin. The Hall is not to authorise Gareth Bryne to launch an attack on TarValon. Egwene believes she can undermine Elaida from within the Tower, as theAjahs in the Tower are already on tenterhooks around one another. Lelaine isimpressed by Egwene’s audacity, but is determined to gain the Amyrlin Seat ifEgwene is killed or stilled. She enlists Siuan to her side, having discoveredSiuan’s real friendship with Egwene.
Anotherrebel Aes Sedai, Beonin, Travels to the Ogier grove in Tar Valon and adopts adisguise so she can get into the Tower to see Elaida. Beonin is shocked to seean Aes Sedai who died forty years earlier walking through the grove, only toabruptly vanish. In the White Tower Elaida holds a meeting with MattinStepaneos den Balgar, the deposed King of Illian. Mattin demands Elaida’sassistance in reclaiming his throne from Rand al’Thorand also an apology for the Aes Sedai abducting him. Elaida gives emptyassurances and ends the meeting. She then meets with her new Keeper of theChronicles, Tarna, who reports that the chain blocking Southharbor has onlymostly been turned to cuendillar.They can still slip barges around the edges of it to meet supply ships. It’sslow, wearying business but the city can still be resupplied, if only at a fractionof the rate of normal. Elaida curses the rebels’ resourcefulness, noting thatremoving the cuendillar chains willrequire demolishing both harbour walls, which could trigger an attack from therebels. Tarna also reports that people in the city are reporting sightings ofthe dead. She is sceptical, but Elaida knows of Foretellings from the earliestdays of the Aes Sedai confirming that the dead walking will be one of the signsthat Tarmon Gai’don is truly imminent.
Beoninenters and makes her report to Elaida: her attempt to sow dissent amongst therebels when first they fled to Salidar was partially successful, but theelection of the rebel Hall of the Tower and then the raising of Egwene haltedthat plan. Beonin thought it best to remain amongst the rebels and then returnonce prudent. Elaida and Tarna are doubtful that Beonin knows anything ofvalue, but Beonin ends that by showing them the weaves for both Travelling andSkimming. Beonin also tells them about the secret rebel Aes Sedai agents in theTower, to Elaida’s shock.
TheForsaken gather in Tel’aran’rhiod, ata reconstruction of the Ansaline Gardensas they were before they were destroyed in the War of the Shadow. They arebemused at the eleven chairs being present, since surely Asmodean and Osan’garare as dead as Rahvin and Be’lal? Aran’gar flirts with Graendal and suggests analliance, which Graendal seems to consider. Moridin arrives with Cyndane and Moghedien in tow. He is pleased thatthey have all been brought back into line and disciplined for theirdisobedience to the Dark One (Mesaana looks ill when he says this). He alsoannounces that Sammael is still alive, having resurfaced and ordered a hundredMyrddraal and many thousands of Trollocs into the Ways on an unknown purpose.The other Forsaken are sceptical, though Demandred allows that they might havebeen mistaken to have assumed that Sammael was dead. Moridin also suggests thatit was another of the Forsaken merely disguised as Sammael. Aran’gar muses onthe possibility that Cyndane is a resurrected Lanfear, despite beingconsiderably weaker in the Power. Moridin then orders the others to find andkill Mat Cauthon and Perrin Aybara, but to leave al’Thor alive. Aran’gar swearsto obey, along with the others, but has no intention of taking al’Thor alive.
Inthe forests of Altara Perrin Aybara meets with Banner-General Tylee Khirgan ofthe Seanchan Ever-Victorious Army. Berelain accompanies him, and Tylee isstartled to learn that a direct descendant of Artur Hawkwing yet lives on thisside of the Aryth Ocean.Tylee is also bemused by Perrin’s choice of a hammer as his weapon. She quotesto him words from the Seanchan version of TheProphecies of the Dragon, which state that the Last Battle will be imminentwhen the Wolf King chooses the hammer and when the fox marries the raven.
Cuttingthrough the prophecies and greetings, Perrin proposes an alliance ofconvenience. The Seanchan forces in this region have been directed to destroythe Shaido Aiel, but were not expecting the overwhelming numbers present at Malden.Perrin wants the Shaido out of his way so he can rescue Faile and the otherprisoners. By pooling their resources, they can achieve what neither forcecould do alone. Tylee is doubtful, until she realises that Perrin hassignificant numbers of Aes Sedai, Aiel Wise Ones and Asha’man with him. Tylee’ssul’dam are not happy about workingwith unleashed channellers, but Tylee sees the tactical value in doing so. Sheonly has a dozen damane with her armyand there are more than 400 channelling Wise Ones with Sevanna. Perrin alsooffers a sweetener by renouncing any claim to the Two Rivers being anindependent kingdom, which would complicate the Seanchan’s situation shouldthey ever conquer Andor. Tylee agrees to the alliance, but is uncertain on howthey can overcome the still-superior numbers of Shaido: more than 100,000 ofthem are now gathered at Malden.Perrin proposes ‘poisoning’ the town with forkroot to put the channellers allto sleep and Tylee is impressed by the plan.
The town of Malden in northern Altara, held by the Shaido Aiel.Inthe Shaido camp, Faile waits on Sevanna as she meets with Therava. Theravaproposes they abandon Malden, astheir vast numbers have stripped the countryside bare for miles in alldirections. Their scouts have found mountains to the north and east, witheasily-defended valleys. Sevanna is not keen on moving, however,counter-proposing that they remain and if necessary take up farming to survive.Therava dismisses Sevanna’s plan to find and marry Randand unite the Shaido under his banner as foolhardy, to Sevanna’s fury. Theravainstead means to claim that Couladin was the true Car’a’carn and with him dead the Aiel have no reason to remain thisside of the Dragonwall. Therava also takes delight in telling Sevanna thatanother Shaido sept chief has received permission to go to Rhuidean and attemptthe test to become clan chief. If he succeeds, Sevanna will have to standaside. Sevanna is furious. Faile and the other servants leave the tent, butFaile is shocked when the entire world seems to ripple around her. The otherspresent feel it as well: another sign that Tarmon Gai’don is imminent, perhaps.Back in her tent, Faile learns that one of her allies amongst the otherservants has secured the rod-like device that Galina was looking for. Rolan,Faile’s self-appointed ‘protector’ amongst the Aiel, also tells Faile that heknows she is planning to escape. He and some of the other warriors are sickenedby the Shaido’s indolence and plan to desert and return to the Waste. He offersto help her escape when the time comes.
ValanLuca’s travelling show remains at Jurador, despite Mat’s requests that theymove on with haste. Luca is making a lot of gold from the stop and is plumpedup at having a commission from Tuon. Mat, frustrated, goes shopping in themarket and finds a staff of black yew, which is usually only found in the TwoRivers and gives the Two Rivers longbow its formidable draw. Mat buys thestaff, noting that the seller was not charging nearly enough for its value. Healso buys a horse, a Domani razor (so-called for its black and white markingswhich meet each other as straight as a razor), as a gift for Tuon. Arrivingback at the camp, he discovers that Aludra has been buying up materials for herspecial project, one that requires the services of a bellfounder (and Mat is startingto guess why she might need one).
Leavingher to get one with it, Mat goes to see Tuon, who is talking with Selucia,Olver and Noal. Noal is telling them stories about the lands beyond the AielWaste, Shara. Mat asks Noal if he is a relation of Jain Charin’s and Noalguardedly admits he is a distant cousin. Olver is excited to learn that Noal isrelated to Jain Farstrider, the most famous explorer in the westlands. Seluciaand Tuon, who have no knowledge of the legendary hero, are bemused by the exchange.Tuon is also intrigued when Mat starts calling her ‘Precious’ to balance herinsistence on calling him ‘Toy’, seeing it as a game she intends to win.
Juilinwarns them that Seanchan soldiers are in town and Mat groans at the risk ofdiscovery. It turns out the soldiers are travelling through, looking forrecruits for the Seanchan army, and Luca manages to smooth-talk them intomoving on from the show. Mat returns to the show but his foxhead medallion goescold, indicating that women are channelling nearby. Mat discovers that the twocaptive Seanchan sul’dam Bethamin andSeta being berated by the Aes Sedai Joline, Teslyn and Edesina to the point ofphysical violence. Furious that their channelling could be detected by anynearby sul’dam or damane, Mat puts Joline across his kneeand demands an explanation. Joline tells him that they saw Bethamin channel theOne Power under her own volition. Bethamin, who like all sul’dam has been denying that they can learn to channel, becamedistraught and refused to repeat the attempt. Mat knows that now she’s startedchannelling on her own, Bethamin must learn to control it or it will kill her.The Aes Sedai present reluctantly agree to teach her.
Somewhatspooked by the Seanchan encounter, Luca has the show move on. As they travelnorth-eastwards at a gruellingly slow pace, Mat quizzes Aludra about herbellfounder project. He has guessed that Aludra wants to make lofting tubes, ofthe kind that launch fireworks into the sky. Aludra confirms this, but has amodified design that will fire explosive powder weapons into the enemy’s ranksfrom ranges up to two miles: a devastating form of explosive artillery. Mat isimpressed, but identifies problems with moving the weapons – Aludra calls them‘dragons’ – at speed. Aludra agrees but states these problems can be overcomewith the right resources. Mat tells Aludra that he knows the Dragon Reborn andRand will want these dragons for his army (this triggers an image in Mat’s headof Rand talking to Loial, possibly a vision of what Randis doing at that precise moment). Aludra is startled, but believes him. Sheagrees to accompany Mat when he leaves the travelling show and strikes out onhis own.
Egeaninand Bayle Domon finally marry, which brings some cheer to the march, but itremains a frustratingly slow transit across southern Altara. Mat plays stoneswith Tuon, and one evening is stunned when Tuon casually asks him what he knowsabout the Dragon Reborn and the Horn of Valere. He replies nothing, but Tuongoes on to say that the Prophecies of theDragon require Rand to kneel before the CrystalThrone before Tarmon Gai’don. Tuon is happy with her gift of the Domani razor,to the point of racing off into the woods purely to vex Mat. Mat catches upwith her in a collection of ruined statues, all that is left of Londaren Cor,the ancient capital of Eharon before its destruction in the Trolloc Wars. Matrecalls a memory of someone dying in a battle near the ruined city and puzzlesover how the Eelfinn managed to get that memory when the man died outside oftheir world. Feeling sick, he ponders if anyone who visits their world is‘tainted’ so the Eelfinn can stare through their eyes afterwards and storetheir memories. Could they be looking through his eyes right now?
Backat the show, Mat talks to Setalle Anan and guesses that she was once Aes Sedai.She confirms it. She went to the Tower and accidentally stilled herself duringtraining. Rather than wasting away and dying, she ran off to Ebou Dar and wastaken in by her later husband. Through that relationship she found the strengthto live on. Unfortunately, Mat is given more headaches when Teslyn, Joline andEdesina learn that Tuon is a Seanchan noblewoman with ties to the Seanchan highcommand. They badger her incessantly about negotiating a truce and the releaseof captured channellers until Tuon and Selucia spring a trap on them, usingthree secreted a’dam to leash themfor a few minutes. Mat intervenes and releases them, taking the a’dam away and burying them. However,the three Aes Sedai avoid Tuon after that.
Theshow passes a village that was abandoned more than a thousand years ago,bustling with life. The village sinks into the ground, taking a passing gleemanwith it. As Luca tries to calm his people, Mat realises the time is close whenthey must leave the show and move on by themselves. That night, whilst Thomfusses over a letter he’s been reading and re-reading constantly, Mat finallyasks what it is. Thom tells him it’s a letter given to him by Moiraine beforeher ‘death’. And in the letter she asks Thom to give the letter to Mat but onlywhen he asks about it. Puzzled, Mat reads the letter and is shocked to see thatMoiraine foresaw that she would become a prisoner of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn inthe world beyond the redstone doorways and that Mat, Thom and another man shedoes not know would rescue her. Mat is bemused about how they will do this,given the doorway was destroyed in Cairhien, but Olver chimes in that Birgittetold him about the Tower of Ghenjei, an alternate gateway to the lands of thefoxes and snakes. They don’t know where the gateway is, but Mat recalls adistorted memory from travelling on Domon’s ship along the River Arinelle afterthe battle at Shadar Logoth (The Eye ofthe World) that might be a clue. Mat agrees to go once they are out ofAltara, with Thom and Noal also volunteering. The dice that Mat hearsconstantly spinning in his mind, and has done for months, stops dead when hemakes the decision.
InMaderin, the next village along the road, Thom learns that the Seanchan haveplaced an army on the main road across the border into Murandy. They areforcing every passing woman to drink a kind of tea, and those who react to itare taken prisoner. They are also looking for a young, dark woman ‘claiming’ tobe the Daughter of the Nine Moons, an imposter who must be dealt with. Therehave also been reports of strange murders in the villages to the south-west:possible evidence of the gholam ontheir trail. Mat gives orders for their group to leave Luca’s show immediately,especially after he is jumped by a group of rogues outside the inn. He, Thom,Selucia and Tuon manage to dispatch them
Perrin,General Tylee Khirgan and various attendants Travel (via Asha’man, so theSeanchan damane cannot see or learnthe weaves for Travelling) to the Amadician town of Almizarto arrange for the brewing of enough forkroot to take down Malden.Whilst in the town Perrin sees a man vomit up a stream of beetles and die,another sign of the Dark One’s touch on the Pattern. Outside, two assassinsarmed with bows try to kill Perrin, but he survives. The two assassins commitsuicide rather than be taken alive.
InCaemlyn, one of the city gates falls under assault from the besiegers but theattack is quickly repulsed. Elayne lacks the strength to hold all twenty-fourmiles of the city walls, so instead she has lookouts posted and channellersready to open Travelling gateways to quickly rush troops to where they areneeded. So far this has been successful, but chancy due to Elayne’s lack ofmanpower. This is at least addressed when Elayne’s supporters outside the citysuccessfully link up with one of Elayne’s channellers scouring the countrysidelooking for allies and bring ten thousand fresh troops into the city onElayne’s side, under Captain Charlz Guybon. Many of these troops are men thatGaebril (Rahvin) discharged from the Queen’s Guard due to their loyalty toElayne’s mother and so are trustworthy. Elayne is also heartened as her variouschannelling allies continue to bring fresh supplies into the city byTravelling, meaning that the siege is completely ineffectual.
Backin the palace, Elayne is baffled to find that the layout to the place hassomehow shifted without anyone noticing. She and Aviendha work on a possibleTalent that Aviendha has shown signs of developing: the ability to identify ter’angreal by touch alone. During thework, Aviendha is summoned to rejoin the Aiel: they are departing Caemlyn onthe direct orders of the Car’a’carn,and will not tell even Elayne where they are going.
Elaynehas grown suspicious of Doilin Mellar, especially after several men she put tofollow him all showed up dead. Her First Clerk has found anotherman to tail Mellar, Hark, whom he believes will be better-suited to the task.Elayne agrees. Elayne goes to the map room to gain an oversight of the overalltactical situation. Caemlyn remains surrounded by the armies under ArymillaMarne, but other forces are nearby: Lord Luan and the other neutral lords,along with more than sixty thousand troops, all undeclared, have set up cameseveral dozen miles to the south. The 200,000 Borderlanders are a similardistance to the north-east, but heading south following false reports of theDragon Reborn near or in Murandy. The Aiel are packing up and leaving. Elayneis unsure if the Legion of the Dragon and Bashere’s Saldaeans are staying orgoing, and sends messengers to find out. The intentions of the Black Tower, located not far south of thecity, also remain unknown. Dyelin arrives from negotiations with Luan and hisfaction, but has not managed to sway them to Elayne’s cause. However, they arecontent to remain neutral for the time being.
Vandenearrives with dire news which she gives Elayne alone: Reanne Corly of the Kin isdead, having been smothered by the One Power, likely by the same person whokilled Adeleas. This narrows the number of possible suspects for the murdererto just two, Careane and Sareitha.
AtLord Algarin’s manor house in the Tairen countryside, Randcontinues to recover after the Cleansing. Loial has been asking him and Nynaevefor a full account of the event for the book he is writing, but is disappointedby how humdrum they made it sound. Rand is startled when Lews Therin talks tohim in his mind, believing that there is a link between the two of them and theman they fought alongside in Shadar Logoth (Moridin), formed when theirbalefire streams touched (A Crown ofSwords). Lews Therin reveals to Rand that the manwas using the True Power – a form of the One Power drawn from the Dark One – tocreate his balefire stream, which might have something to do with the oddsituation. Then Lews Therin drifts back into madness and Randbanishes the voice.
Logainarrives with reports: Elayne holds Caemlyn and Arymilla maintains the siege,but they seem to be at stalemate. More than half of the Black Tower has departed for Arad Domanand Illian, including all of those with bonded Aes Sedai, as per Rand’sorders. Rhuarc and Dobraine have taken large contingents of Aiel and Cairhienininto Arad Doman to pacify the country and restore order, with Rhuarc givenresponsibility for the capital at Bandar Eban. Randwants the country pacified so as to support his efforts at the Last Battle andalso to form a bulwark against the Seanchan who are spreading across AlmothPlain and starting to threaten Arad Doman’s southern borders. Logainwarns Rand that Taim has built a loyal core of Asha’manat the heart of the Black Toweronly loyal to him. He has amended the ‘accidental’ list he put up of deserterswith the names of Rand’s most loyal Asha’man on it, butLogain is certain it was no accident. However, Rand isnot sure he can trust Logain either. Cadsuane warns Randthat the truce he is proposing with the Seanchan will not be popular. Randagrees, but reveals he was told this in the doorway ter’angreal in Tear: the north and the east must be as one with thewest and the south (already held by the Seanchan). Randbelieves that he must therefore conquer or win over the north – Arad Doman andthe Borderlands – and then he must ally with the Seanchan to fight the LastBattle. Cadsuane agrees this is a valid interpretation of the prophecy, thoughnot the only one.
Newsarrives that three Ogier, including Loial’s mother and his betrothed, Erith,have arrived. Loial panics, until he is settled by Randand Cadsuane, and goes to meet with them. They reveal that, having chased Loialhalfway across the westlands and back again, they’d given up and been headingback to Stedding Shangtai in the Spine of the World (not far from Algarin’smansion) only for providence to put Loial right in their path. With no furtherado, Elder Haman marries Erith and Loial. Loial’s mother reveals that the GreatStump is meeting to discuss when to open the Book of Translation. When this isdone, the Ogier will depart this world, to return tens of thousands of yearshence when the Wheel demands it. Loial is aghast that the Ogier are even consideringfleeing the Last Battle rather than standing alongside humanity against theShadow. He decides to address the Great Stump, which his mother laughs at: heis far too young. However, Erith points out that any married Ogier may addressthe Stump, to his mother’s considerable shock. Loial says that he will raisethe point that the Ogier have always fought the Shadow, in the War of the Powerand the Trolloc Wars, and have not fled. If the Shadow wins at Tarmon Gai’don,all of time and space will be lost, threatening not just this world but anyother that the Ogier might flee to.
Furtherruminations are abandoned when he spots an enormous army of Trollocsapproaching the house. Everyone is alerted and takes up defensive positions,but the number of attackers is overwhelmingly huge. Randtries to grasp the One Power but suddenly LewsTherin seizes it away from him and begins creating weaves of a type that Randhas never seen before: war-weaves from the War of the Shadow which have notbeen seen or used in three and a half thousand years. Blossoms of Fire –air-mines that detonate when Shadowspawn pass near them – are joined byDeathgates, Travelling gatways that suck anything near them into oblivion, andArrows of Fire, filaments of energy that can strike through multiple ranks ofenemies, killing them. The Asha’man see what Rand is doing and copy him,unleashing the One Power on a scale that utterly dwarfs even Dumai’s Wells.Trollocs and Myrddraal are annihilated by the thousands, but they are numerousenough that they still nearly reach the manor house. Only the joining of achanneller not far off Rand’s power – Logain – fullyreverses the tide. The remaining Shadowspawn are destroyed. Rand,drawing on Lews Therin’s knowledge, tells the others that Shadowspawn cannotsurvive passage through a gateway. This explains why the Forsaken simply havenot flooded the westlands with them. They can use the Ways, but transit througha gateway destroys them.
Thechannellers set about disposing of the Shadowspawn corpses, but Randis sent a note from Verin. She is leaving to pursue a different course. Shewarns him that he can trust Cadsuane, but the other Aes Sedai are suspect, eventhose who have sworn fealty to him. Loial then arrives and tells Randhe must go to Stedding Shangtai and address the Great Stump. Randsays farewell, but also points out that he needs Ogier to secure every singleWaygate in the westlands. If they do not do this, Shadowspawn could flood intothe heart of the land at any time. Elder Haman agrees to perform this taskhimself. Bashere then arrives with word from the Seanchan setting the time andplace for the meeting with the Daughter of the Nine Moons. Randagrees to the terms.
Nynaeveand Lan watch the corpses being burned and Lan expresses discomfort with thetime Rand is taking to settle the Seanchan. This attackmay be a harbinger of the Last Battle itself. If so, Shadowspawn armies may begathering right now to invade the Borderlands. Nynaeve offers to take him toShienar, but on the condition that he rides to Fal Moran and gathers in as manymen who want to follow him as possible. Lan reluctantly agrees. Nyaneve takeshim by gateway…to World’s End in Saldaea, almost three thousand miles from FalMoran. Nynaeve departs before he can stop her, leaving him with the entirelength of the Borderlands to ride to get home. Nynaeve Travels ahead of him,hopping from town to castle to village, telling people that the Last King ofMalkier is going home and all who wish to ride with him to Tarmon Gai’don cando so.
Rand,Cadsuane, Min, Nynaeve and others of their group arrive in Tear. Randwishes to inspect the situation there and finds the city thronged with SeaFolk. A vast armada of Sea Folk rakers and other ships lies anchored in theFingers of the Dragon to the south, ready to fight the Seanchan fleets (orwhat’s left of them, after Ebou Dar) if necessary. Randis startled to see a steam-wagon charging through the streets. He saw the samething in Cairhien being designed at the academy and is impressed by theprogress that’s been made, especially when he learns that the steamwagontravelled from Cairhien to Tear doing more than a hundred miles per day.
Thereare other strangers in the city: Rand sees a man wearingunusual clothes speaking of worms on his ship that spin silk, which he takesfor a scam. He also hears a Seanchan voice, but cannot find who it belongs to.Taking a room at an inn, he opens a Travelling gateway into the Heart of theStone and his party goes through. They locate High Lord Darlin Sisnera, Rand’sSteward for Tear, along with Alanna, the Aes Sedai who bonded Randas a Warder against his will (Lord ofChaos). To Rand’s fury, High Lord Weiramon is alsopresent, having broken his orders to stay in Cairhien to ride to Tear’s relief.When Rand learns that the other High Lords of Tear arereturning home from Illian, despite the Seanchan on their doorstep, he almostexplodes in a rage. He is mollified, however, when the Aes Sedai negotiatingwith the rebel Tairens report that they will put down their arms and swearfealty to Darlin as King of Tear. Rand accepts that, anda dazed Darlin is proclaimed King of Tear, the first in the nation’s history. Randthen orders Darlin to prepare forces to be sent to Arad Doman to get ready forTarmon Gai’don.
TheFirst Twelve of the Atha’an Miere host a meeting in the harbour of Illian where, as in Tear, vastnumbers of Sea Folk ships are gathering. Amongst them are Seanchan warships,captured during the great escape from Ebou Dar. The Sea Folk consider thesevessels inferior and are refitting them with better Sea Folk sails for battle.Harine din Togara, former ambassador to the Dragon Reborn, is summoned to themeeting, where the First Twelve are confronting his emissary, Logain. Logainasks the Sea Folk to carry supplies for a million people to Bandar Eban, fromwhere they will be distributed to all of Arad Doman. The Sea Folk are stunned,but agree to the request. Then another Sea Folk Sailmistress arrives withdistressing news: the Amayar, the shorebound inhabitants of the Sea Folkislands, have committed mass suicide. Hundreds of thousands of them are dead,apparently in response to the ‘Time of Illusions’ ending, triggered by thestatue on Tremalking glowing and then melting (during the Cleansing). The SeaFolk mourn but, as Logain tells them, they must mourn on the march to TarmonGai’don.
Inthe rebel Aes Sedai camp outside Tar Valon, Romanda is summoned to a meeting ofthe Hall. Lelaine has been contacted by an Aes Sedai not attached to either therebels or the Tower who wishes to address them. The Aes Sedai, Merise, is oneof those sworn to Rand who has taken two Asha’man as Warders. They are here tomake an offer on Rand’s behalf. Before they can begin,however, one of the Asha’man angrily says that someone just tried to listen inon the meeting using saidin. The AesSedai are confused, and in the moment Delana manages to slip away unnoticed. AnotherAes Sedai eagerly requests permission to test a weave that will supposedly tellif a man is channelling and is given it, to the irritation of most of theothers. One of the Asha’man Warders, Jahar, then lays the offer on the table:the rebel Aes Sedai may choose forty-seven Asha’man to bond as Warders. AsLelaine and Romanda had been thinking about making that offer themselves, thisis providential. Merise also confirms that saidinhas been cleansed of the Dark One’s taint, to the wonder of the Aes Sedaipresent.
Romandais happy with the bargain…until someone asks Jahar why forty-seven. He repliesthat the Asha’man have bonded fifty-one of the Tower Aes Sedai who tried toraid the Black Tower,so this restores the balance. The assembled rebels are horrified. Jahar thenreveals there was another Asha’man bonded to an Aes Sedai who died during theCleansing, Eben Hopwil. He reveals that Eben died fighting a woman who couldchannel saidin, somehow. Romandasuddenly realises that several recent murder victims amongst the rebels werefriends or associates of Halima, who in turn is friends with Delana…who justfled the meeting at the news of saidinbeing used to listen in. The Hall orders Delana and Halima arrestedimmediately, but find they have already fled by Travelling.
Withinthe White Tower,Egwene’s defiance against captivity continues. She is sent every day forpunishment to the Mistress of Novices, Silviana, but maintains an air of calmand poise. She refuses to give honours or titles to any Aes Sedai, maintainsher claim to be the Amyrlin Seaand refuses to take orders from anyone, particularly Accepted. Duringone-on-one ‘lessons’ Egwene discovers she can use the division and suspicionplanted by Elaida and Alviarin amongst the Ajahs to her own advantage, gettingsome of the Aes Sedai to admit that Elaida is a poor Amyrlin. She is alsoallowed to see Leane in the White Towercells and Leane suggests escape, but Egwene thinks she can do more within theTower than outside it. Egwene is more bemused when Alviarin offers to help herescape, but rejects it. On another day she is stopped by King Mattin Stepaneos,who knows she is a childhood friend of Rand’s. He throwsa list of Rand’s ‘crimes’ against her, such as Colavaere’s death and the deathsof Tairen and Cairhienin lords, but is surprised when Egwene throws the truthback at him: Colavaere committed suicide and Rand has made both Tarien andCairhienin lords Stewards of those lands. Egwene tells him that the Aes Sedaiare divided and untrusting of one another, and show contempt in now giving himthe truth, only a highly edited version of it. Mattin is escorted away,thoughtful at what Egwene has said.
Onanother day, Egwene bumps into Beonin and declares her Black Ajah, as Beoninwas able to disobey her oaths to Egwene. However, Beonin starts choking onwords that she has betrayed nothing, indicating she is still bound by the ThreeOaths. It turns out that Beonin evaded her oath to Egwene by logic: with Egwenea prisoner, she cannot be Amyrlin any more and oaths sworn to her do not hold.When Egwene points out she is still Amyrlin and the the rebels remain in thefield and in communication with her, Beonin reluctantly admits that she waswrong. She tells Egwene what she has told Elaida. Egwene orders Beonin to findthe rebel moles in the Tower and warn them that Elaida knows who they are.Beonin agrees. During her next visit to Silviana, Egwene gets her intoconversation about how Elaida enforces penances not in the Tower law on sistersand Silviana expresses her distaste for it.
Inthe Amyrlin’s study, Elaida meets with Meidani, a girlhood friend but also oneof the rebel Aes Sedai sent to infiltrate the Tower. After she leaves, Tarnanotes she almost seemed afraid, like she knew that Elaida knew who she was.Elaida dismisses the possibility. They discuss news from the world: therebellion against the Seanchan in Tarabon seems to have died down,disappointingly. Work on dismantling the harbour towers so they can get rid ofthe cuendillar chains is underway,but is going ridiculously slowly: the wards on the towers are three thousandyears old and as strong now as when they were first created. Elaida asks howEgwene is doing and is amused at reports of her defiance. She orders thatElaida wait on her that night at dinner, which Tarna can see going well.
Matand his followers are proceeding north-east towards the Damona Mountains, a low range of craggymountains created in the Breaking of the World that is near to the borderbetween Altara and Murandy. Vanin, the most disreputable of Mat’s allies, knowsof a smuggler’s trail that leads over the mountains into Murandy. For once, itlooks like things are going Mat’s way. This feeling is reinforced when Talmanesarrives! A large chunk of the Band of the Red Hand are nearby, having beenencouraged to ‘leave’ Murandy when King Roedran was done with their services(the rest have gone into Andor to wait for Mat and Talmanes there).
Talmanes’sarrival causes consternation in the camp. The Aes Sedai are confused to learnthat the Amyrlin Seat is some girl called Egwene al’Vere they’ve never heardof, or if they have only as an Accepted. Tuon is, for once, left startled atthe news that Mat has his own private army and angry by the news that hepersonally knows Rand al’Thor. She also learns that Matis ta’veren, but curiously theSeanchan Prophecies make no mentionof the term and she dismisses it as a superstition. Mat is stunned to learnthat the Band is six times the sizeit was when he left it in Salidar. Unfortunately, Mat learns that the pass theywere planning to use has been closed by a landslide and there is no other wayover the mountains. They need another route. Reuniting with the Band, he beginsstudying maps showing the border and making military preparations. Tuonmaintains a calm demeanour, but inside is stunned that she had no real idea whoMat Cauthon is.
Ghealdan, Amadicia and northern Altara, showing the location of Malden and Perrin's army. From the Thirteenth Depository Blog.Perrinand Tylee’s armies are gathered some distance from Malden.They have started pouring forkroot into the water supply feeding the town andnow have to wait for it to become effective. Tylee reports that seven thousandWhitecloaks have been spotted fifty miles from their position, heading northand east. Their intelligence confirms that Galad Damodred has killed andsupplanted Eamon Valda before abandoning the Seanchan cause, which is happynews for some of those present. The Seanchan are under orders to destroy theWhitecloaks if possible, but not at the expense of their current mission. In Maldenitself Faile makes contact with Galina and tells her she has the white rod.They agree to exchange it the next day, in a desolate part of the town awayfrom prying eyes.
Randal’Thor and his party arrive at the meeting place with the Seanchan, at a noblehomestead in northern Altara. Both Nynaeve and Cadsuane are equipped with aformidable array of ter’angreal fromCadsuane’s large collection, to ensure no trap can be sprung. As they drawclose to the house and several Seanchan emerge to meet them, one of the ter’angreal reveals that one of theSeanchan has inverted her weave and masked her ability to channel from otherchannellers. One of Cadsuane’s ter’angrealthen shatters the Seanchan’s weave, revealing her to be Semirhage in disguise. Rand,recognising her, reaches for the Power, only to be stopped by Lews Therin, whograpples for it as well. During the moment of stasis Semirhage launches afireball at Rand. He takes the impact on his upper arm,losing his hand in the process, before Cadsuane and Nynaeve overwhelm Semirhageand the Seanchan present with the Power. Gateways open and Rand’sforces surround the area. Rand shrugs off his horrendousinjury but Cadsuane wants to know how he recognised Semirhage. The Forsakenherself replies, stating that some people who hear voices in their heads aresometimes hearing the voices of their past lives. Those voices are real and theinformation they have is real, but it is also indicative of a fracturedpersonality. The damage has been done and Rand will nowlikely go insane and could do so…abruptly. Rand’s alliesseem sceptical of Semirhage’s claims, but also seem warier of him now.
Randorders the other Seanchan sent back to Ebou Dar with orders to offer a realtruce to the Daughter of the Nine Moons. Semirhage will remain his prisoner.Nynaeve is horrified when she finds that Semirhage had also come equipped withthe a’dam for men that Egeanin hadsupposedly sent to the bottom of the Aryth Ocean.
Mat's journey from Ebou Dar to the Damona Mountains. From the 13th Depository Blog. InAltara, Mat has hit upon his strategy. The Seanchan army blocking the way intoMurandy is occupying the Molvaine Gap, the central pass through the Damona Mountains carrying the main road.This army is guarding against any attack out of Murandy and is not meant foroffensive duties, so Mat hopes he can draw this army out more easily than anyother. Once they’ve convinced the Seanchan they are in once place when they arein another, then they can slip past and through the mountains. As the Bandlaunch raids on Seanchan supply camps all along the mountains to the west, Mathopes to get the Seanchan moving and to get the Band back together fast enoughfor them to move past. It’s a tricky plan involving complex timing, but it’sthe only idea he has. One of the raiding forces pulls a Seanchan pursuit forceout behind them, which Mat meets with the Band’scrossbowmen. Using a new hand-crank which can fire seven times a minute, theymassacre the Seanchan force with ease.
InMalden Faile and Morgase – still in disguise as ‘Maighdin’ – hand over thewhite rod to Galina in a derelict building. Galina goes to see if the coast isclear, but the building then collapses on top of Faile and Morgase. Theysurvive, but are trapped. Using her minuscule ability with the Power, Morgaseis able to make a nearby scrap of cloth blow, hoping it will attract attention.Galina meanwhile, having caused the collapse, flees out of the area as fast aspossible, just in time to see Perrin’s army cresting a nearby rise over thetown.
Perrin’sforces – including Masema’s rabble – array for battle, and they are joined byTam al’Thor and a number of extra troops from the Two Rivers, brought bygateway. Tam reproachfully tells Perrin that Asha’man have visited the TwoRivers recruiting, and they said that Rand is the DragonReborn. Perrin apologetically says there is no time for that and they mustprepare for the fight ahead. Aram,the Tinker who picked up a sword in the Two Rivers, asks to fight at Perrin’sside.
Battleis joined. The Shaido respond to the unexpected appearance of Perrin’s forcesand their Wise Ones attack…but only a dozen of them, the rest feeling theeffects of the forkroot. Perrin’s channellers easily negate their attacks andthe Two Rivers bowmen open fire, their superior range pummelling the Shaido’sranks from well outside the range they were expecting. The Shaido rush Perrin’sarmy, only to run into a hail of fire from his lesser-ranged troops and thechannellers present. A large Shaido flanking force wheels round to hit the sideof Perrin’s army, only to be crushed by the Seanchan forces emerging from thewoods behind them.
Perrin’sforces drive into the Shaido camp and gain the upper hand, but Perrin issurprised when Aramturns and attacks him. Aramtells him he had a revelation from the Prophet, that Perrin is evil Shadowspawnand was responsible for the attack on the Two Rivers. Perrin is unable todefend himself, but two Shaido archers kill Araminstead. Perrin, shaken, rejoins the fight.
Rolanhelps Faile and her comrades escape the ruin, but is then killed by Perrin,thinking him to be a hostile Shaido. He and Faile are reunited. The battle iswon, the Shaido put to rout and the prisoners freed. Tylee arrives andcongratulates Perrin on their victory. She has a prize of her own: Sevanna.Sevanna is incredulous that she had the Queen of Ghealdan and a high lady ofSaldaea as her captives and knew nothing of it. Faile claims her jewels inorder to pay for food for the tens of thousands of former prisoners, ex-gai’shan and other survivors of thebattle. Tylee and Perrin shake hands and she hopes not to face him across thebattlefield. Comparing notes, Perrin and Faile also realise that Galina must beBlack Ajah, which the Aes Sedai present take note of.
Escapingthe immediate area, Galina prepares to use the rod to free herself of heroaths…but Therava intervenes, ordering her to hand the rod over. She forbidsGalina to touch the rod or to try to escape ever again. She calmly tells herthey will gather in every Aes Sedai they can and then return to the Aiel Waste,where they were rebuild the Shaido slowly, over generations if necessary. AndGalina will be her gai’shain forlife. Satisfied, Therava leads the way eastwards, the former Highest of the Red Ajahand a member of the Supreme Council of the Black Ajah trailing at her heels.
InCaemlyn another Kinswoman has been murdered, making the rest of the chanellersin Elayne’s entourage uneasy. Elayne enforces the command that no-one is alonefor long periods, but this is not always practical. A member of the Red Ajah,Duhara Basaheen, barges into the palace and confronts Elayne, telling her shehas been sent by Elaida to serve as Elayne’s Aes Sedai advisor, until such timethat she can return to the Tower and be properly tested for the shawl. Elaynefinds the idea ludicrous and has Duhara ejected from the palace.
Harkreturns to the palace and confirms that he was able to follow Mellar to a housein the New City district. The houseis owned by one Lady Shiaine Avarhin, about whom little is known. Hark reportsseeing two Aes Sedai at the house. From his description, Elayne realises theyare Marillin Gemalphin and Falion Bhoda, two of the Black Ajah who fled theWhite Tower along with Liandrin (between TheGreat Hunt and The Dragon Reborn).She decides that she and three other Aes Sedai will enter the house and shieldand capture the two Black sisters, whilst their Warders and other soldiers forma perimeter. Unbeknown to the other Aes Sedai, Elayne knows that one of them isBlack Ajah as well, and plans to flush them out with this plan.
Theyarrive at the house and attempt to apprehend the Black sisters and Shiaine, butthey are overwhelmed by four other Black Ajah sisters who were hiding nearby.They use a ter’angreal to disableElayne and her group and prevent them from channelling the One Power. Smugly,they congratulate themselves on Elayne’s capture, and reveal that Careane wasthe traitor in Elayne’s group. Vandene recovers fast enough to stab Careanethrough the heart, but is killed in turn by the Black sisters. They also killSareitha, leaving Elayne as their sole prisoner.
Thedead Aes Sedai’s Warders try to rescue them, but are dispatched. Birgittemanages to escape back to the palace, where she gathers a rescue partyconsisting of soldiers. With Elayne’s loyal Aes Sedai dead, she has to use theWindfinders to create gateways instead. Aware of Elayne’s location through theWarder bond, she identifies what route the Black sisters are taking and hasthe Windfinders prepare to open a gateway in their path to lay an ambush. TheWindfinders agree, but remind Birgitte that their bargain with Elayne expresslyforbids them from intervening in her war. However, word comes of a massedattack on the Far Madding gate from both outside and within, with some of themercenaries that Elayne has hired trying to seize the gatehouse. Birgitte sendsforces to deal with them, realising she cannot lose both Elayne and Caemlyn inthe same night.
Birgitte’sforces mount their attack, but the Black Ajah make mincemeat out of them.Birgitte reminds the Windfinder leader, Chanelle, that if Elayne dies or iscaptured, her bargain with the Sea Folk is null and void. Chanelle reluctantlyuses her Windfinders to shield and imprison the Black Ajah, killing one ofthem, Asne, outright. Elayne is freed. Informed of the attack on the FarMadding Gate, Elayne realises this is Arymilla’s big push and that she will bewith the assault so she can fulfil her promise to be one of the first intoCaemlyn.
The Battle for Caemlyn. From the 13th Depository Blog. TheWindfinders – reluctantly – open a gateway to near the Far Madding Gate. Elaynesees that the gate still holds. Wasting no time, she has her troops attackArymilla’s forces as they are pinned against the walls. As the attack is launched,the Elayne’s forces inside the walls open the gates and charge Arymilla’sforces, trapping them between two groups. Arymilla’s army, despite its superiornumbers, panics and routs. Arymilla and her senior supporters are captured andbrought before Elayne. One of them, Sylvase Caren, swaps sides, swearing herHouse to Elayne’s support. Two of the other Houses also swap sides, givingElayne nine of the ten Houses needed to take the throne. The others areimprisoned. Elayne is informed that the neutral Andoran nobles are nowapproaching the city, and within a few hours she will know if she has to fightanother battle.
InAltara, the Seanchan Furyk Karede and his troops – including the elite Ogiershock troops known as Gardeners – are in hot pursuit of Tuon. They come acrossa staging post for other Seanchan troops and learn that Tuon and her abductorsare to the north-east, near the Malvide Narrows, the large pass through theDamona Mountains.The Seanchan have suffered numerous, repeated attacks across a large front byan enemy force capable of putting out thousands of crossbow bolts and creatinghuge explosions, surely a sign of Aes Sedai involvement. Karede is puzzled, asif Aes Sedai or Asha’man are involved, why has the enemy simply not Travelledaway with Tuon? He learns that General Chisen is bringing his entire army backthrough the mountains, believing it more important to find the ‘impostor’ andkill her and her supporters than to continue guarding the Andoran and Murandianborders. Karede is aware that there is no impostor, and resolves to rescue Tuonbefore she is inadvertently killed by her own troops.
Luanand the other neutral lords arrive in Caemlyn and present themselves to Elayne.They request an alliance against the Borderlanders, but Elayne stumps themwhen she reveals she gave the Borderlander rulers permission to cross Andor (under her authorityas an Aes Sedai, not as Queen of Andor without having won the throne) to searchfor the Dragon Reborn. She reveals they are leaving Andor via the southernborder, having been led to think that Rand is inMurandy. Lords Luan and Abelle are impressed by her diplomacy and declare forher, giving her eleven of the great Houses in support. The others follow, apartfrom Ellorien Traemane (whom Morgase ordered to be flogged when she was underRahvin’s influence). Ellorien accepts Elayne’s victory and authority, but willnot lend her support or allegiance before Elayne is crowned. Nevertheless,Elayne Trakand has won the Lion Throne of Andor and ended the civil war.
FurykKarede’s troops locate Mat Cauthon’s army. Karede decides to attemptnegotiation to secure Tuon’s return. Though he is confident of his troops’ capabilities,he is concerned that their only damaneis a former Aes Sedai who, still held by the Three Oaths, cannot be used as aweapon. Much to Karede’s astonishment, Mat simply agrees to hand Tuon over. Heis aware of Chisen’s army pulling back through the gap and in fact planned forit: he means to slip past them and out of Altara. Karede is impressed, and thenstunned when Tuon announces three times that Mat Cauthon is her husband,completing the wedding ceremony.
Matis astonished and wants to know why. Tuon tells Mat that one of her damane had a Foretelling before theyreached Ebou Dar, telling Tuon that she would marry the fox that makes theravens fly, who remembers Hawkwing’s face, who would set her free of his ownvolition and who would bear the mark of the red hand. Mat tells her that he wastold he would marry the Daugter of the Nine Moons by the Aelfinn, but shedoesn’t believe that. Scouts report that ten thousand Seanchan troops –actually mostly Amadician, Altaran and Taraboner levies – are ten miles to thewest and that Karede will have trouble getting past them. Mat proposes that theBand cause a diversion to allow Karede’s forces to leave.
Matlures the Seanchan force into an ambush, using Karede’s Ogier troops to makethe other force think Tuon is with them. The bulk of the Band stands andfights, using their superior crossbows and Aludra’s latest invention –sling-like weapons that propel splinters of stone and rock through the airusing small explosions – to rain destruction on the Seanchan army before it canclose. When it does close the distance, the Aes Sedai are able to use the OnePower to complete its destruction. The attacking force is killed to the last man.The Ogier Gardeners decapitate the leader of the group and take it back to Tuonas a trophy. Before they depart, the Seanchan salute Mat’s ingenuity and alsoreveal that, as Tuon’s husband, he now has the title Prince of Ravens and mustbe addressed as ‘Highness’ by all Seanchan forces, to Mat’s dismay.
InEbou Dar, the Seanchan are in mourning.Word has arrived confirming that the Empress is dead and the Empire is in ruins asevery noble fights for the Crystal Throne. Suroth is furious to learn that theforces she sent after Ituralde into Arad Doman have run into a trap: thousandsof Domani troops moved out of the mountains where they were hiding to block theSeanchan’s retreat, whilst thousands more have joined him to stand and fight.Even with raken and damane, that army is hugely outnumberedand could now easily be destroyed. This news emboldens Galgan to claim commandof the all the troops in the Corenneand confirm that the Forerunners – and Suroth – has been subsumed under hiscommand. Suroth begins plotting Galgan’s death, but they are interrupted by thearrival of Karede and Tuon. They display the head of the Seanchan sent to killher, Elbar, known to be Suroth’s minion. Suroth is arrested, stripped of allher titles, and made da’covale(slave) to the Deathwatch Guard. She will ultimately be sold as a common slave.Suroth screams as she is taken into custody.
Pevara,Tarna and other Red sisters arrive at the Black Tower to carry out Tsutama’scommand to find Asha’man for Red sisters to bond as Warders. They are surprisedwhen Mazrim Taim agrees extremely readily to the suggestion. When they ask why,he responds, “Remember the old saying. Let the lord of chaos rule.”
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