Chapter 45: Blademaster

Dawn in Falme. Nynaeve, Min, and Elayne ambush a sul'dam and damane on the street. Nynaeve channels a trickle of saidar to spring the silver collar open, and the freed damane punches her captor and bolts.

They drag the sul'dam, Seta, into an abandoned stable. Nynaeve dons the lightning-marked dress and closes the a'dam bracelet on her own wrist, then discovers the link lets her sense Seta's body and inflict pain through it. The a'dam works on Seta even though she cannot channel. Unwilling to put the collar on Elayne, Nynaeve locks it on Seta and forces her to play the damane as they set out for the kennels to free Egwene.

In the harbor, Bayle Domon waits aboard his ship with axes laid by every mooring line, ready to cut loose the moment the women return.

Rand, Ingtar, Mat, Perrin, and Hurin slip into Falme separately at first light. Hurin tracks Fain's scent to a guarded mansion flanked by two grolm, and Mat feels his dagger pulling from inside.

They scale the rear garden wall. Ingtar kills the lone guard, and upstairs they find the Horn of Valere and the ruby-hilted dagger waiting on a table. From the window Rand glimpses Egwene across the street in the damane kennels, a silver collar at her neck.

High Lord Turak enters with soldiers crowding both doorways. Mat slashes one with the ruby dagger and the man's flesh blackens, killing him within seconds. The others drive the rest into the halls, leaving Rand to face Turak, a blademaster with a heron on his own blade.

Bleeding from two cuts, Rand enters the void but refuses saidin, killing Turak on skill alone. It is his first human kill with a sword. Turak's two servants quietly drive daggers into their own hearts.

As alarms rise, Ingtar drags Rand away from his glimpse of Egwene. They flee through the garden and alleys with the Horn and the dagger.