Chapter 6

Rand wakes from a nightmare of Ba’alzamon, Fain, and his friends dying, hidden in Egwene’s room where Nynaeve keeps watch. As they discuss Aes Sedai searching and Nynaeve’s suspicions of unusual activity, alarm bells erupt. Fearing for Egwene in the dungeons with Fain, Rand bolts from the women’s apartments, brushing past the Amyrlin in the chaos.

Inside the keep, Trollocs clash with Shienaran soldiers. Rand nearly faces a Myrddraal before Ingtar claims the fight, urging Rand to protect Egwene. Rand reaches the dungeons to find the guardroom a slaughterhouse, blasphemies and a Dark Prophecy scrawled in blood: promises to meet on Toman Head and that it is never over for al’Thor.

Liandrin of the Red Ajah confronts Rand, uses the Power against him, and is interrupted by Moiraine. Rand pushes into the cells, finding one prisoner hanged, another broken with terror, Fain’s cell empty, and Egwene and Mat unconscious outside it. Moiraine confirms Egwene only suffered a blow and induces sleep; Mat’s condition is dire, worsened by the theft of his Shadar Logoth dagger.

Moiraine orders Egwene to her room and Mat to the Amyrlin for urgent Healing. Brown sisters, including Verin, study the bloody script. Ingtar reports the true catastrophe: Darkfriends opened the Dog Gate, the strongroom was looted, and the Horn of Valere was stolen; some Trollocs and a Fade escaped despite heavy losses.

As guards lock the keep down, Rand learns the earlier closure he encountered was false, implying treachery within. Lan later informs Rand that Agelmar has exempted him and he may leave whenever he chooses, even now—yet Rand hesitates, concerned for Egwene and Mat.