Egwene POV#

Egwene goes to her tent for the evening and Cowinde brings her supper. Afterwards she reads a book, The Flame, the Blade and the Heart, about heroes and their loves. Aviendha gave it to her. It has stories about Birgitte and Gaidal Cain, Anselan and Barashelle,[1] Rogosh Eagle-eye and Dunsinin, Nerein, Melisinde and others. She and Amys intend to visit Nynaeve in Tel'aran'rhiod later, but Egwene falls asleep ahead of schedule.

Egwene finds herself the Heart of the Stone and sees Elayne talking to Birgitte. Amys and Bair arrive and chastise her for being early. They tell her that Melaine would have come as well, but she is with Bael and Dorindha. The Wise Ones came early because Cowinde found Egwene asleep and alerted them. When Egwene turns around again Birgitte is gone. Elayne explains that she is there instead of Nynaeve because Nynaeve's head hurts.

She invited the four Chavanas over for dinner. When the Chavanas began flirting with her Latelle attacked her with a stick. Nynaeve beat her up. Taeric Chavana has a limp and Brugh Chavana has a swollen lip. Petra had to carry Latelle to her wagon. Valan Luca was so furious he made Nynaeve apologize. Egwene thinks the circus is a curious collection of people, even an Illuminator.[2] She wonders about Thom eating fire and Elayne and Juilin doing a high rope act. Elayne tells them they are three days from Ghealdan. She adds that they are learning a lot about the Seanchan from Cerandin.

Cerandin gave them an a'dam she found in Falme. They tried it on her to make sure she is not a sul'dam. She handled s'redit at the Court of the Nine Moons where the Seanchan Empress sits. As Egwene brushes against Callandor she thinks that Nynaeve is wrong. Rand's wards on the sword are not physical. Egwene hints that Elayne is to meet her afterwards in the White Tower. Egwene tells Elayne that they are now in Cairhien. They are still days behind Couladin and the Shaido who decimated the town of Selean. Egwene and the Wise Ones fade away.

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