Contents
Chapter 31
Overview
Reunited in Cairhien, Rand reveals the Horn and dagger were stolen back, and Verin quietly takes charge of next steps. Hurin tracks the thieves to Lord Barthanes’s manor, and Rand’s existing invitation becomes their way in. Verin also identifies Galldrian’s unearthed statue as a dangerous male sa’angreal, heightening stakes.
Summary
At the burning inn, Verin steadies Rand and heals Hurin, revealing herself to onlookers. Rand admits to Mat and Ingtar that Darkfriends have retaken both the Horn and Mat’s dagger. With tensions high, they move to The Great Tree to plan privately.
In their rooms, Rand wrestles with manipulation by Aes Sedai, burns Selene’s letters, and dons a lordly coat he now wears with uneasy confidence. At dinner, Verin presses for answers; Rand explains their Portal Stone detour, Hurin’s trail-following, and how they got ahead of Ingtar’s party. Verin notes the rarity of such knowledge and files away the mention of Selene.
Hurin returns, reporting the Horn’s trail leads to Lord Barthanes’s newly built manor, crawling with guards and Trollocs. Seeking a way in, Verin proposes leveraging Cairhienin courtesies; Hurin reveals Rand already holds invitations from both Barthanes and King Galldrian. Verin discards the King’s and keeps Barthanes’s for entry the next night.
Concerns about alerting enemies are set aside as Verin argues for surveillance by Uno’s soldiers while the main party infiltrates. Rand mentions a massive statue Galldrian is excavating; Verin identifies it as the male half of the greatest paired sa’angreal, capable with its female twin of Breaking the World if used together, intensifying the danger surrounding Rand.
Despite Ingtar’s impatience, the group settles on attending Barthanes’s gathering to find and reclaim the Horn and dagger. Rand asserts that after recovering them, his part is done, while Verin’s enigmatic smile suggests deeper designs, leaving unsettled tensions about fate and manipulation.
Who Appears
- Rand al'ThorAdmits the Horn and dagger were lost again; recounts Portal Stone journey; burns Selene’s letters; holds invitations; agrees to infiltrate Barthanes’s manor.
- Verin MathwinHeals Hurin; probes Rand’s travels; orchestrates plan to use Barthanes’s invitation; identifies the colossal male sa’angreal; subtly steers the group.
- Ingtar ShinowaFrustrated by delays; concedes to Verin’s plan; assigns soldiers to watch Barthanes’s manor; obsessed with reclaiming the Horn.
- Perrin AybaraReunites with Rand; masks his own secret; observes Rand’s changes; helps plan while noting Verin’s maneuvering.
- Mat CauthonSickly yet ravenous; fixated on recovering his dagger; reacts to Rand’s story; supports the infiltration plan.
- HurinHealed by Verin; tracks the Horn’s thieves to Barthanes’s manor; advises stealthy entry over force.
- LoialStands by Rand; reasons the chest is unopened; reads and observes; supports the plan to infiltrate.
- Mistress TiedraInnkeeper of The Great Tree; discreetly hosts the party and provides privacy for planning.