Chapter 40: The Web Tightens

Rand falls from the wall into the Royal Palace garden, where Elayne, the Daughter-Heir, tends his head wound while her brother Gawyn watches. Their half-brother Galad finds them and reports the intruder, and the Queen's Guards march all three before Queen Morgase.

The Aes Sedai Elaida questions Rand's claim of being a Two Rivers shepherd—his red hair, gray eyes, and height mark him as Aiel-blooded—then closes her hand on his sword and announces it as a heron-mark blade. Captain-General Gareth Bryne says the sword belongs with him, despite his youth.

Elaida delivers a Foretelling: from this day Andor marches toward pain and division, and where the world has wept one tear it will weep thousands. To Rand alone she whispers that he stands at the heart of it. Morgase refuses to give in to the suspicion poisoning Caemlyn and frees him.

As Rand leaves, Gawyn tells him he is the image of an Aielman.