Chapter 26

Egwene searches the Accepted quarters, losing sight of a woman she first thought was Else but who proves to be a tall, striking, dark-haired stranger who then vanishes. Uneasy, Egwene joins Nynaeve and Elayne; they decide to investigate a storeroom before word can spread.

The trio slips into the library basements through a laborers’ door. Egwene and Elayne weave light while Nynaeve leads them to a newly locked door. After Egwene subtly alters the chain with Earth and Nynaeve uses a prybar weave, the chain snaps and they enter.

They discover thirteen sealed bags labeled with names of the departed sisters. Inside are mostly rags, but also an array of items pointing unmistakably to Tear: damaged books about Tear, ship lists showing departures the morning after the exodus, a sketch marking the Heart of the Stone, and a list of Tear inns.

Confronted with too many obvious pointers, Nynaeve calls it bait—trap or diversion—while Elayne suggests it might be meant either to mislead or to be dismissed. Egwene considers that the Black Ajah might be taunting pursuers into rashness.

They bundle the finds to hide in Nynaeve’s room and hurry off to avoid lateness. Egwene, clutching the stone ring ter’angreal, resolves to seek guidance in the World of Dreams that night, hoping to close the gap on their quarry despite the likely trap.