Chapter 41: Old Friends and New Threats

Rand returns to The Queen's Blessing and tells Master Gill and Loial about his encounter with Elaida at the Palace. Gill warns they must leave Caemlyn within two days before the Queen's Guards find them, and Loial asks to join them. When Whitecloaks arrive at the inn searching for Darkfriends from the Two Rivers, Gill and the men in the common room stand them down at swordpoint.

Shortly after, Moiraine, Lan, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Perrin arrive, reuniting the group at last.

When Nynaeve tries to tend to Mat, he lashes out with cruel words and then slashes at Moiraine with the ruby-hilted dagger from Shadar Logoth. Moiraine reveals the dagger's evil is consuming him—soon he will spread its contagion like a plague—and Lan warns that Trollocs are massing outside the city in numbers that threaten a new war. Moiraine takes out her angreal and begins to heal Mat.