Chapter 2

In the Stone of Tear, Perrin and Faile argue about leaving. Faile fears the Forsaken and Rand’s danger; Perrin believes he and Mat are tied to Rand’s fate and cannot abandon him. Their quarrel ends when Perrin’s axe animates and attacks. Perrin forces Faile out, pins the axe into the door, and they decide Rand must be told.

Elsewhere, Mat gambles with young Tairen lords, deflecting tension over Aiel and Rand’s reforms by joking about Maidens’ Kiss. The lordlings gossip about Rand’s decree letting commoners summon lords and rumors of war with Illian. Suddenly the ruler cards turn real: the Amyrlin of Flames stabs Mat’s hand, and painted rulers step from the cards. Mat hurls knives, pins the cards to a panel, and tears them up, blaming Rand’s madness as he leaves.

Sleeping fitfully, Rand dreams of Moiraine steering him to the Amyrlin and of Min and Elayne, then wakes sensing an intruder. Berelain enters scantily clad, claiming he summoned her. Rand rebuffs her advances and pens her behind a wall of Air.

The danger escalates as Rand’s reflections climb from mirrors to attack with his own skill and a ravenous emptiness in their eyes. He shatters every mirror, fights three doubles, and, near collapse, dispels them by drawing them into himself as he did a tiny reflection, regaining strength. Bloodied, he takes up Callandor and releases a shaken Berelain, asking her to keep silent. He resolves to act against the unseen enemy.