Chapter 31: On the Scent

Verin heals Hurin at the burning Defender of the Dragonwall, and the group — Rand, Mat, Perrin, Ingtar, and Loial — rides to The Great Tree, another inn in Cairhien where Verin is known. Rand explains to the others how he, Loial, and Hurin traveled through a Portal Stone, spent time in a mirror world, and arrived in Cairhien ahead of Ingtar's column.

In his room, Rand burns both of Selene's letters. He dresses in a black coat with silver herons and prepares for whatever comes next. Downstairs in a private dining room, Perrin watches Rand with new eyes — the wolves call him Shadowkiller, and Perrin can feel the truth of it. He slips the wolf-name aloud and barely covers for himself. His wolf-bond grows in strange ways: the lamb at dinner seems too well done, and he catches himself wanting it raw.

Verin drops a revelation: the enormous statue being dug up near Tremonsien is a sa'angreal — one of the two most powerful ever made. The male half. Its match, still buried on Tremalking, can only be used by a woman. Together they could Break the World again. The words are aimed plainly at Rand, though Verin wraps them in scholarly calm.

Hurin returns with grim news: the trail of the stolen Horn leads straight to the newly built manor of Lord Barthanes Damodred — confirmed Darkfriend, with Trolloc scent around the grounds. Appealing to King Galldrian is ruled out; he would seize the Horn and never release it. When Verin asks how they might gain entry to Barthanes's manor, Rand produces his unopened invitations. Verin crumples Galldrian's without a word and takes Barthanes's. Tomorrow night, Rand will attend as a lord.