35 Ripped Away

Elayne keeps vigil while Nynaeve walks Tel’aran’rhiod. Nynaeve begins weeping in her sleep, and before Elayne can rouse her, Thom and Juilin arrive carrying an unconscious, barely alive Birgitte, found naked and collapsed in their wagon.

Nynaeve attempts powerful Healing, swearing vengeance on Moghedien, but admits Birgitte is dying without a wound to Heal. With no improvement, Elayne proposes an alternative and, after stopping Nynaeve’s efforts, places a complex weave on Birgitte.

Elayne reveals she has bonded Birgitte as a Warder to lend strength and keep her alive. Birgitte stabilizes slightly. Nynaeve, stunned but relieved, warns the bond must remain secret, then recounts Moghedien’s ambush among the menagerie wagons, Birgitte’s desperate shot wounding Moghedien, and Birgitte being ripped out of Tel’aran’rhiod.

Nynaeve condemns her own pride and fears she has severed a Hero of the Horn from the Wheel. Elayne argues the fault lies with Moghedien, suggests the pain was through a link like an a’dam, and urges practical steps to evade pursuit.

They assess Moghedien’s likely recovery and the challenge of many menageries in Samara, decide to conceal themselves—possibly changing hair color—and seek a boat despite Whitecloaks, Galad, and the Prophet. Exhausted and guilt-ridden, Nynaeve gives Elayne the dream ring and leaves to walk alone, while Elayne remains to watch over the newly bonded Birgitte.