Chapter 40: Damane

Egwene emerges from the Toman Head Waygate to find Seanchan soldiers and High Lady Suroth already waiting—an ambush arranged by Liandrin. Before the group can react, a woman named Renna fastens a silver collar around Egwene's neck, linking it by a leash to a bracelet on her own wrist. Min is seized; Nynaeve and Elayne escape in the confusion—Nynaeve calling lightning from a clear sky and hurling fire to cover their flight.

Liandrin hands Egwene over without hesitation, then exchanges barbed threats with Suroth: both serve an unnamed master, and each predicts the other will one day be on her knees. Liandrin orders that Egwene and Nynaeve be taken across the Aryth Ocean and kept there, then steps back through the Waygate and is gone.

Renna begins Egwene's first lessons as a damane—a leashed channeler. She explains the a'dam's workings: any pain the sul'dam receives flows to the damane twice over; any channeling done without permission scalds the damane from within. She reveals that the a'dam was invented by a woman named Deain—once an Aes Sedai—who made it to serve Luthair Paendrag Mondwin, son of Artur Hawkwing, and was then collared with her own device.

Elbar, Suroth's hook-nosed officer, moves to execute Min for cutting his hand. Egwene prostrates herself before Suroth, promising to learn and obey in exchange for Min's life. Suroth accepts, and Elbar sheathes his blade. Renna then punishes Egwene for each infraction—striking back, attempting to channel, failing to try when commanded—teaching her that resistance only brings more pain.

In the countryside beyond the Waygate, Nynaeve hides in the brush and discovers that without rage to fuel her, she cannot touch saidar at all. She finds Elayne crouching behind a tree, dagger drawn. The two plan to ride to Falme and rescue Egwene and Min, trading Nynaeve's gray silk dress for local clothing so they won't stand out as foreign strangers.