Rand POV#

Rand opens a gateway into an attic of the Royal Palace and he and Min step through. Saidin makes him sick and Lews Therin begs him to let go. Min has an allergy attack from all the dust. Rand is disguised with the Mask of Mirrors as an ugly man. Min wants him to see Elayne and Aviendha but he refuses. He wants to find Nynaeve and Mat then leave.

As they go down stairs they run into Reene Harfor. Min tells her that "Nuli" here has something for Nynaeve that must be delivered immediately. They are surprised to learn that Mat is not there. Min instructs Reene Harfor to take Nuli to Nynaeve, then she runs away. As they walk through the palace, Rand can tell there are lots of women channeling even though the First Maid tells him there are only five Aes Sedai there. Rand wonders about the rumor of hundreds of Aes Sedai heading to Caemlyn with an army.[1] Rand thinks of Mat and there is a flash of color in his head that resembles Mat's face.[2]

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Nynaeve POV#

Nynaeve is giving a lesson to Talaan while Zaida and six Windfinders look on. They are Senine din Ryal, Shielyn, Rainyn, Kurin, Caire and Tebreille. Nynaeve is glad that Renaile is not there. She is the worst. They sometimes use Merilille as the subject for their lessons. Vandene refuses to give any lessons now that she has Kirstian and Zarya. Careane gave lessons yesterday. Sareitha was supposed to give lessons but she slipped out of the palace on urgent business.[3] Nynaeve attacks Talaan and successfully shields her. The next time, Talaan slips Nynaeve's shield and shields her instead. Zaida tells her to hold whereupon the other Windfinders form a circle and link. Zaida then tests Nynaeve's word that she cannot break the shield by threatening to have Talaan turn her upside down. Nynaeve fights and, for the first time, detects a soft spot on the shield, but she cannot break free. Zaida finally believes her and has Talaan release her. The lesson is over.

As Nynaeve leaves she runs into Alivia. Alivia says Reanne Corly sent her to tell Nynaeve to join her, Sumeko Karistovan, Chilares Arman and Famelle Juarde at dinner. She adds that they ought to be learning from her. She is a much better weapon than even the Asha'man. Nynaeve declines the invitation and Alivia leaves. Nynaeve is sure that the Kin invited her to dinner to lecture her on dealing with the Windfinders.

As she walks back to her rooms, Talaan catches up to her. She begs Nynaeve to take her to the White Tower as a novice. Per Egwene, there are only three Sea Folk Aes Sedai and they are weak.[4] Talaan says that because of her family she is constantly punished to avoid any semblance of favoritism. There are five clan Windfinders in her family. Her grandmother is Windfinder to Clan Rossaine, her great-grandmother to Clan Dacan and her great-grandmother's sister to Clan Takana. Talaan is apprentice to Windfinder Ehvon. Nynaeve stammers a bit. Talaan takes this for agreement to help her and runs off in delight.

Lan joins Nynaeve and they go back to their rooms. Reene Harfor is waiting there with an ugly man. The man namedrops Mistress Thane of the Women's Circle and Cenn Buie. Taking the hint, Nynaeve asks Reene Harfor to leave. The man then ripples and turns into Rand. They ask if he is hiding. He says only until he can kill the men he is after. Nynaeve tells him that Egwene is now the Amyrlin and has an army and three hundred Aes Sedai with her. He asks if Mat is with Egwene, then he staggers.[5] Nynaeve Delves him; she can now feel two pockets of evil but they seem to be contained in a ward of saidin.[6] Rand opens his bundle and takes out the two control statues. He wants Nynaeve to hold them for him and to help him use the giant statues to cleanse the taint from saidin. Nynaeve agrees, but only if she and Lan go with Rand now.

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