Chapter 17: Watchers and Hunters

At the Stag and Lion, Thom performs tales of the Hunt of the Horn before the floor turns to dancing. Rand ends up partnered in turn with Nynaeve, Moiraine, and Egwene. A scar-faced man watches him from the fireside; Lan later identifies him as a Whitecloak spy.

Sent to fetch milk, Rand is cornered alone in the hall by a Myrddraal demanding to know where the others are. The Fade's blade halts mid-swing as it senses something in him—'You belong to the Great Lord of the Dark'—and it flees as Lan comes pounding down the stairs.

The party rides for the Caemlyn Gate at once. There Lord Bornhald and four other Whitecloaks try to take them as Darkfriends. Moiraine rises from the shadows looming taller than the wall, melts Bornhald's sword with her staff, and steps over the palisade. The Watchmen slam the gates shut behind them.

An hour down the road they see flames over Baerlon: the Stag and Lion is burning. Moiraine promises Master Fitch gold to rebuild but refuses to turn back, telling Nynaeve that openly helping anyone would only mark them out. They press on along the Caemlyn Road and make a cold camp before dawn.