Chapter 12: Across the Taren

The party crosses the Taren on Master Hightower's ferry, weapons on display to discourage any treachery from the ferryman and his crew. Lan pays the agreed gold once they reach the far bank.

Moments later the ferry is destroyed by a whirlpool that should not exist on the Taren. Moiraine calls it an unfortunate occurrence, and the terrified ferryman flees with his coin. A wall of fog hides the crossing for miles in both directions, meant to keep the Myrddraal guessing about which way the party went.

Lan leads them to a shelter he prepared earlier, a hollow under a tangle of fallen leatherleafs. Inside, Moiraine begins teaching Egwene about the One Power. The True Source has two halves, saidin and saidar, and the male half has been fouled by the Dark One. Men born able to channel go mad unless the Red Ajah finds and gentles them. She tests Egwene with a small blue stone and confirms she can channel. Egwene is overjoyed at the prospect of training in Tar Valon. Rand watches her slip further out of his reach.