Egwene POV#

In the Salidar Aes Sedai camp in the tent which functions as the Amyrlin's study. She is meeting with Sheriam and Siuan going over reports; her maid Chesa is in one corner. Gareth Bryne has told her the army is running short of food. She says they will stop for one day to get supplies. Sheriam pushes for a much longer stop but, at Siuan's urging, Egwene holds to one day. Egwene has been Amyrlin for close to a month and a half. The camp is tense since Logain escaped. Egwene is getting another headache.

Romanda and Lelaine have sent notes suggesting reducing the soldiers' pay - the army is now thirty thousand.[1] Other Sitters in the Hall follow their lead and Sheriam's power with the Hall is diminished. Only Delana seems to follow Egwene.[2] Sheriam, Romanda and Lelaine constantly battle for control of Egwene. Less than a week ago Romanda got her a new maid, Meri, a refugee in a local village and then Lelaine got her another one, Selame, a refugee Tairen. Most people think Marigan is her maid as well.

Thinking of Marigan, Egwene puts on the a'dam bracelet and feels that Moghedien is asleep. Only she, Siuan and Leane know about the a'dam and who she really is. Thinking about herself as Amyrlin and her lack of respect, she thinks how her father has little opposition in Emond's Field, but mayoral races in Deven Ride and Taren Ferry are hotly contested. Women are rarely chosen Sitter unless they have been Aes Sedai for seventy or eighty years and Amyrlin even longer. Siuan was chosen very young because the previous three each died after just a few years.[3] Seaine Herimon, a White, suggested Siuan. Sheriam notices the bracelet and Egwene tells her it was a gift from Elayne and Nynaeve.

Egwene got a useful piece of information from Siuan and uses it now. She asks Sheriam why ten sisters, two of each Ajah except Blue, left Salidar a few days after Siuan and Leane arrived. Sheriam dances, then asks Chesa to leave. She says that, after learning the Red Ajah set up Logain,[4] they (meaning she and her coterie, Carlinya, Beonin and others) had to do something. Elaida was demanding that sisters return to the White Tower so they chose ten to return as moles to spread the story about Logain.[5] The Salidar Aes Sedai Hall does not know. They have not told anyone else because of fear of the Black Ajah. This makes Egwene wonder if Elaida might have spies in Salidar.

Suddenly, she feels a sharp stab of pain, then nothing, and knows that a man who can channel has removed Moghedien's necklace! She makes an excuse to leave and goes to Marigan's tent finding it empty. Chesa enters, evidently having waited and followed her.[6] Egwene tells her Marigan ran away and Chesa is indignant. They go back to Egwene's tent. She has heard rumors of Rand's men, the Asha'man, in the Black Tower. She finally forces herself to admit it had to be one of the Forsaken. Rand killed Ishamael, Aginor and Balthamel. Moiraine killed Be'lal. That leaves Asmodean, Demandred and Sammael who is in Illian.[7] Lanfear and Moiraine did in each other. The Salidar Aes Sedai have plans to quickly form circles if a Forsaken attacks, but she knows they will be hard to identify since, for some reason, they do not look ageless.[8] She sends Chesa to get Siuan and Leane.

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