Chapter 46: To Come Out of the Shadow
Nynaeve leads Elayne and Min through the damane quarters in Falme, disguised with Seta collared as a fake damane. They climb to the fourth floor and find Egwene, thin and gray-dressed, still held by the silver leash.
Nynaeve uses the One Power to open the collar and free Egwene. As Egwene changes into Nynaeve's dress, she shares the insight she worked out in captivity: sul'dam can channel the One Power just as damane can — the a'dam works only on women who can touch the Source, which means every sul'dam is a woman who could be taught to channel. Seta's terror confirms it.
When Renna walks in on them, Egwene attacks and collars her with her own a'dam, inflicting pain through the link until Nynaeve hauls her back. Egwene breaks down in tears, saying she hates them for hurting her and for making her comply. Nynaeve declares justice: Seta and Renna are left locked together in the room, each in an a'dam — unable to call for help without revealing that they can channel.
On the street outside, Seanchan soldiers converge from both directions. Without warning, Egwene channels, blasting two craters in the cobblestones and scattering the troops. A damane retaliates with fireballs; Nynaeve answers with lightning before the group scatters into the alleys.
At the harbor, Bayle Domon holds Spray at dock despite his crew's panic as lightning splits the sky and fireballs tear into the rooftops above the docks. He refuses to cut the mooring lines — he gave his word.
In the hills above Falme, Geofram Bornhald dismisses the strange lightning and orders his thousand Children of the Light to advance at a walk toward the town, not expecting to survive the engagement.
In a narrow alley in Falme, Rand waits with Ingtar, Mat, Perrin, and Hurin as Seanchan soldiers close in from both ends. Ingtar confesses in a quiet, broken voice that he is the one who let the assassin inside Fal Dara — driven by a reasoning that serving the Shadow was survival where the Light offered only slow extinction. Portal Stone visions of other lives have shown him only failure.
Ingtar tells Rand it is every man's right to choose when to Sheathe the Sword. Rand speaks the Shienaran death blessing over him — "The Light shine on you, Lord Ingtar of House Shinowa, and may you shelter in the palm of the Creator's hand. The last embrace of the mother welcome you home" — then leads the others away down the alley. Ingtar turns to face the Seanchan soldiers alone, his last expression one of relief.