Faile POV#

It is early morning, nearly a month since Faile was caught with a knife, nearly two months since she was captured. She is one of a dozen gai'shain serving Sevanna in her tent. Bain and Chiad have an easy time being gai'shain. She thinks Rolan saved her life. She has to escape before Perrin finds her and gets himself killed, but they have been at Malden for a long time. Therava is there with Galina. More than half a week ago, Therava singed off all her hair then hung her upside down and naked to beat her. Faile hopes Galina will not betray her. Lusara serves Therava water. She has sworn to Faile like Aravine in the past two weeks.

Faile fears betrayal; she must protect Alliandre and Maighdin as well as herself. Sevanna is set on marrying Rand. Therava believes Couladin was the Car'a'carn and Rand was a setup by the Aes Sedai. They told him what to say at Alcair Dal. Sevanna never went to Rhuidean so she was clueless.

A new set of gai'shain including Maighdin and Doirmanes enter the tent. Therava tells Sevanna that many sept chiefs still try to use their nar'baha. Bendhuin of the Green Salts left for Rhuidean five days ago. Faile leaves and returns to her tent. There are fourteen septs around Malden and two more, the Morai and the White Cliff, just days away.

She runs into Meira. Meira and Rhiale debrief the gai'shain after they attend Sevanna. Without warning three ripples pass through reality.[1] Faile and Meira are both shocked. Faile returns to the tent she shares with Alliandre, Maighdin and Dairaine Saighan. Dairaine is a spy for Sevanna. Alliandre is there recovering from a switching. Faile reminds her that she dealt with Masema and kept her nerve. Aravine arrives and reports that Alvon and his son Theril have something. Outside, Theril gives Faile the binder he stole from Therava's tent. Rolan appears unexpectedly and the other three leave quickly. He and other Mera'din plan to return to the Aiel Waste. He figured out that she plans to escape. Jhoradin plans to take Lacile Aldorwin with him and the Maiden[2] who captured Arrela plans to take her. Rolan wants to take Faile with him. He lets her go and she hides the binder inside the town. Later, Therava discovers the binder is missing and leads a furious search but she does not find it.
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