Chapter 9: Tellings of the Wheel

Rand wakes at the Winespring Inn from a nightmare. Trollocs hunted him across a barren land toward a black mountain whose voice—the Dark One's—commanded him to serve. He fled to a shining city of white towers, only to find a Myrddraal waiting at its heart.

Tam wakes lucid. He tells Rand that Aes Sedai do not lie outright, but the truth they tell is rarely the truth you think it is. He gives Rand his sword and accepts that he must leave that night.

Below, Hari and Darl Coplin lead a mob demanding Moiraine leave Emond's Field, blaming her for the Trolloc raid. Bran al'Vere and Haral Luhhan stand with her. Moiraine sets her staff alight and tells the story of Manetheren: a kingdom destroyed during the Trolloc Wars two thousand years ago, when its army marched to defend its land and was annihilated. Its queen Eldrene burned the enemy generals with the One Power and died with them.

The Two Rivers folk are the last of Manetheren's blood, and Emond's Field stands where the final battle was fought. Shamed, the villagers disperse. Lan hurries Rand and Mat out the back of the inn into the night.