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 be out of Caemlyn within two days before the Queen's Guards search every inn, and Loial asks to travel with them.

A patrol of Whitecloaks pushes into the common room hunting Darkfriends from the Two Rivers. Gill, backed by Lamgwin, the hired guards, and the red-wearing patrons, runs them out at swordpoint.

Moments later Moiraine, Lan, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Perrin arrive at the kitchen, reuniting the group. Perrin is quiet and keeps his eyes down; the irises have begun to shade from brown to yellow.

Upstairs, Mat raves at Nynaeve and Egwene, then slashes at Moiraine with the ruby-hilted dagger he took from Shadar Logoth. Lan catches his wrist. Moiraine explains the blade carries the taint of Mashadar: suspicion and hatred rooted in the bone, and soon Mat himself will spread the contagion to anyone near him. Lan adds that Trollocs are massing in the countryside in numbers that will be enough to come over the city walls. Moiraine takes out her angreal, sends the others away, and begins to work on Mat.