Egwene POV#

Egwene and Gawyn spend the whole morning kissing in The Long Man. He tells her that he heard the Aes Sedai are looking for her. Afterwards she returns to the Aiel camps. Surandha, Sorilea's apprentice, invites Egwene to join her and other apprentices. Estair is Aeron's apprentice. Two older women, Mera and Baerin, are there to visit their daughters. They have the day off as the Wise Ones are having an all day meeting about the Aes Sedai. Tonight is the night the Wise Ones meet with the Salidar Aes Sedai[1] and Egwene plans to be with them for the next meeting in seven days. She also wants to talk to Elayne and Nynaeve but a Dream makes her uneasy:

• Egwene dreams of approaching Elayne and Nynaeve; "every time one of them said a word, they tripped and fell on their faces or dropped a cup or plate or knocked over a vase, always something that shattered on impact."

The apprentices tell her that Rand has returned to Cairhien. Egwene is worried about Rand. He is cautious about Elaida but he believed Alviarin's letter and thinks he has followers in the White Tower. Egwene quickly goes to the Sun Palace and sneaks in through the kitchen. She gets a servant to take her to Rand's quarters where Somara and Maric stand guard. She and Somara know each other so they let her in. Rand is glad to see her. She warns him about Elaida's Aes Sedai and he seems to accept her warning. He tells her he will be humble when they meet. Egwene tells him that a Wavemistress on the White Spray want to meet him. Gawyn told her that Erian went out to see them and was refused boarding. Rand says Berelain said the Wavemistress is Harine din Togara Two Winds and that he should receive her. Rand says something was bothering Berelain but she would not say what.[2] Somara announces that the Aes Sedai have arrived. Rand talks to himself, then weaves an invisibility shield around Egwene.[3] She recalls that Moiraine did the same thing once.[4] Somara admits Coiren, Nesune and Galina. A dozen more women bring in two heavy chests. The three Aes Sedai link and Egwene watches carefully to learn how.[5] Rand checks the women to make sure they are not Aes Sedai as well. He then tells the Aes Sedai not to channel around him. Coiren introduces them and tells Rand they are there to escort him to the White Tower. The chests, full of gold, are a gift. Coiren also offers to have one of them stay with Rand as his advisor to replace Moiraine. Rand says he has other obligations, but he will let them know when he is ready to go. He tells them to stay away from the palace and dismisses them. As they begin to leave, Rand says, "How is Alviarin?" Galina answers that she is well, then looks surprised.[6] After they leave, Rand tells Egwene that Galina is one of Alviarin's associates who support him in the White Tower.[7] He cites the Karaethon Cycle:

• "The unstained tower breaks and bends knee to the forgotten sign."[8]

Egwene does not believe it. She asks him to describe how he Travels using saidin. He says he bends the Pattern so that the two places are close, then he bores a hole. Egwene thinks that sounds completely wrong for saidar. She thinks she has figured out how to Travel to Tel'aran'rhiod in the flesh by creating a similarity between a place and its image. As Egwene leaves Rand is talking to himself again.[9]
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Nesune Bihara POV#

Nesune, Coiren and Galina leave the Sun Palace in Arilyn's coach. Nesune thinks Rand is fascinating. She asks Galina if she is a friend of Alviarin's but she denies it and changes the subject. Galina and Coiren do not believe that he could really sense them channeling, but Nesune thinks he might have. She is irritated that Jesse Bilal, head of the Brown Ajah, forced her to come on the expedition instead of just asking. She tells the other two that she sensed another Aes Sedai in the room. To herself she admits that it might also have been a Wise One who could channel. Two of the three that she ran into in the Royal Library could.[10] Galina thinks it is confirmation that Moiraine is still alive but Coiren thinks it was the Green Ajah sister they have heard about. They discuss sending Beldeine to find her. They all agree that they have plenty of time. Nesune thinks her paper on Rand will be the highlight of her career.

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