Chapter 46: To Come Out of the Shadow

Nynaeve walks Elayne and Min into the damane quarters in Falme, disguised as a sul'dam with Seta collared as her damane. On the fourth floor they find Egwene and unlock the a'dam. Egwene explains what she has worked out in captivity: the a'dam only binds women who can channel, which means every sul'dam is an unknowing channeler. Seta's terror confirms it.

Renna walks in on them. Egwene smashes a pitcher into her, snaps the collar onto her neck, and uses the a'dam to hurt her as she was hurt, until Nynaeve pulls her off. They hang the bracelets on pegs beside the two collared sul'dam and leave: neither woman will dare call for help once that secret is in the room.

Out on the street, Seanchan soldiers close in from both ends. Egwene channels without warning, tearing craters through their ranks. A damane answers with fireballs. Nynaeve returns lightning, and the group scatters into the alleys.

At the harbor, Bayle Domon holds Spray at the dock and stops his crew from cutting the mooring lines. He gave his word. In the hills above town, Geofram Bornhald sends Byar away with a message and orders his thousand Children of the Light to advance on Falme at a walk.

In an alley near the Seanchan stables, Rand waits with Ingtar, Mat, Perrin, and Hurin. Ingtar confesses that he is a Darkfriend, that he let the assassin into Fal Dara, and that the Portal Stone forced him to live lives in which he never managed to escape what he had become. He claims a man's right to choose when to Sheathe the Sword. Rand speaks the Shienaran death blessing over him and leads the others away. Ingtar turns to face the approaching soldiers alone.