Chapter 48: The Blight

Ingtar and his hundred lances escort the party to a stone borderpost between Shienar and what was once Malkier, then ride east for Tarwin's Gap. Lan leads the others north into the Blight.

The corruption thickens with every mile. Leaves and flowers swell with disease, the air turns hot and sickly sweet, and Lan warns of hidden killers like the Stick. Mat retches and Loial covers his face, but Perrin seems untouched, glaring at the trees with golden eyes and one hand on his axe.

They camp on a hill above a chain of dark lakes. In a last shaft of sun Rand glimpses the broken stumps of seven towers in the distance—the ruins of Malkier. Something tentacled and far too large stirs the nearest lake and slides under again. Moiraine bends light around the camp so eyes pass over it and sets wards to warn of any Shadowspawn within a mile, planning to cross the Mountains of Dhoom at noon, when the Dark One's reach is weakest.

Egwene talks of Tar Valon and asks Rand to be her Warder one day; he agrees, though he remembers Min's warning that she is not for him. Later Nynaeve brings Lan tea and all but offers herself. He refuses gently, saying he has only a sword and a war he cannot win, and will not give any woman widow's black as a brideprice.