Elayne POV - Elayne, Nynaeve, Thom and Juilin prepare to disembark the Wavedancer in Tanchico. She and Nynaeve just told Thom and Juilin about their mission to hunt the Black Ajah. They bid farewell to Jorin and Coine. Coine tells them that Toram will do what trading he can, then they will sail for Dantora and the Aile Jafar, then Cantorin[1] and the Aile Somera. As they leave, Bayle Domon spots them from his ship and greets them. He apologizes for having to leave them in Falme. They introduce Bayle to Thom and Juilin. Bayle and Juilin do not like each other being Illianer and Tairen. He tells them he has done well smuggling and offers to help them get rooms. He takes them to the Three Plum Court on the Calpene and introduces them to the innkeeper, Rendra. Elayne and Nynaeve are shocked at first because she looks so much like Liandrin. Rendra tells them that Bayle gives much of his income to the poor. In a private dining room, they tell him about the Black Ajah. He wants to go back to Illian till Nynaeve tells him that Sammael is there. He agrees to help them search and they give him descriptions of the women. Bayle and Juilin go out and Nynaeve goes to bed so Elayne follows Thom to the common room to watch him perform. She drinks way too much and after the performance she follows Thom to his room. She has finally remembered him from her childhood. He admits he was Court-bard and Morgase's lover. She is angry thinking of Thom, Gareth Bryne and now Gaebril all sleeping with her mother. She says something insulting and Thom slaps her. She cries and he comforts her, then sends her back to her room. Nynaeve recognizes her condition and dunks her head in a bucket of water. She can barely sense the True Source much less channel. Elayne agrees to keep watch while Nynaeve uses the twisted ring to look for Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod. Nynaeve lies down and closes her eyes.

Nynaeve POV - Nynaeve finds herself in Tel'aran'rhiod in the Heart of the Stone. She feels like she is being watched,[2] but Egwene does not appear.[3] She thinks of the Aiel Waste.

She finds herself on a mountainside in the Aiel Waste above a city shrouded in fog.[4] She sees a man walking at the edge of the fog.[5] A woman appears and Nynaeve recognizes her as Birgitte. Birgitte tells her to leave immediately and points an arrow at her. Nynaeve flees.

She finds herself in Emond's Field in front of the Winespring Inn. She sees Birgitte disappear behind Ailys Candwin's house. Nynaeve runs after her, then sees a man down the street. He looks like Lan, but he shoots an arrow at her.[6]

Elayne POV - Nynaeve screams and wakes, startling Elayne. Nynaeve tells her what happened and Elayne bandages the cut on Nynaeve's arm from the arrow. She is too poor at Healing to Heal even a simple cut. They go to bed and Elayne wakes the next morning with a terrible hangover. Thom greets her and Nynaeve in the common room. Juilin was out all night. Just then, Juilin returns with some bumps and bruises. He recounts that two men saw a woman fitting Rianna's description. He will try Temaile Kinderode's description next. Nynaeve asks Mistress Rendra to dress her and Elayne as Tarabon so they can search, too. As the conversation continues, Elayne thinks that they must find the danger to Rand as well as the Black Ajah.