Chapter 23

Graendal arrives in Sammael’s Illian apartments, noting recovered Age of Legends relics from a stasis box and masking her envy. Sammael, in strikingly good humor, speaks of dangerous creatures from the past and hints at greater prizes than trinkets.

Sammael claims he will soon seize a cache of angreal and reveals he sent an emissary, Andris, to Rand al’Thor to elicit a response. Andris’s orchestrated death signaled, he says, Rand’s agreement to a truce: Sammael will not attack Rand, and he will not aid other Chosen found by Rand.

Graendal challenges this, citing Rand’s anger over slain Maidens and the disposition of forces in Tear. Sammael dismisses her concerns and presses her for the locations of other Chosen, declaring his intent to be Nae’blis and implying special favor from the Great Lord.

Under pressure and wary of immediate danger, Graendal withholds most knowledge but admits Mesaana is inside the White Tower, while stating Asmodean and Lanfear are dead and Moghedien likely so. Sammael orders her to find the rest and accept only corpses as proof of death.

After Graendal departs through a gateway, Sammael drops his genial mask, satisfied he extracted crucial intelligence. He resolves to exploit Mesaana’s position and Graendal’s in Arad Doman, determined to survive the others and stand as Nae’blis against the Dragon Reborn.