Lan POV#

Lan, Ryne and Bukama escort Alys as they ride to Chachin. When thunderstorms come out of the Blight she creates a shield to keep them dry. She stops at every village asking after Avene Sahera. She continues to probe at their pasts and plans, and she continues to torment Lan. The second night she keeps him awake with flicks and the third night she fills his clothes with sand. At noon on the fourth day they are attacked by forty brigands led by Coy. Cat Dancer knows how to respond in a fight. Alys uses the One Power to frighten them off. That night ants bite him and the next night she uses blisterleaf. Lan feels that he must bear her remonstrations until she is satisfied,[1] but he thinks she might kill him.

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Moiraine POV#

All Moiraine wants from Lan is an apology.[1] One of the Blue Ajah secret weaves is controlling insects;[2] she used it for the ants. She is frustrated that she cannot get any useful information out of any of them. She still does not know if they are Darkfriends or if any of the sisters at The Gates of Heaven is Black Ajah.

Two days from Chachin, Moiraine finds Avene Sahera in the village Ravinda, but her son Migel was born too early and in the wrong place. She is using the bounty to build a new inn and intends to call it The White Tower. Moiraine figures the name will last until the first Aes Sedai sees it.

As they leave Ravinda, Moiraine decides to use wasps on Lan next. She asks if he is allergic. He turns looking stunned. There is an arrow in his shoulder. Moiraine quickly reacts blocking the next arrow with Air while Bukama and Ryne shoot the assassin. The assassin is Caniedrin. He was paid to kill Moiraine, but he dies before he can reveal more. Moiraine wonders if it was Gorthanes who hired him. She searches the body but finds only his payment, ten Cairhienin gold crowns. Ryne and Bukama remove the arrow and Moiraine Heals Lan. His wounds from Canluum are also Healed. Moiraine thinks she has only two more nights to break Lan. She will be far too busy once they reach Chachin.

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