A Crown of Swords: Plot Summary
Author: Toral Delvar
Caraline recognizes Rand but says nothing. His ta'veren effect works on her and Darlin, who reveals he would be happy to support Rand, but feels he no longer has a choice. Cadsuane and several other sisters are in the camp as is Fain, with Daved Hanlon and Toram Riatin, who due to Fain's influence hates Rand.
Toram and Rand fight with practice swords, this is interrupted by fog attacking the camp. One of the Red Ajah present is killed. Rand uses balefire, causing Cadsuane to slap him and tell him never to use it again. Fain stabs him with the dagger from Shadar Logoth. Samitsu partially heals him, but she says she believes he will die. Darlin carries him out. Min tells the full story of Rand's capture and they return to the palace in Cairhien. Here, Flinn tries his Healing, sealing the wound away.
Rand wakes two days later, having been Healed further by Corele. Min tells him that Cadsuane is to teach him and the Asha'man something they need to know. He hears the army is almost on Illian so Travels to Bashere and his men. He takes them and the Asha'man directly into Illian, where the Asha'man set off all of Sammael's traps. He chases Sammael to Shadar Logoth. Here he sees Liah. Attacking Trollocs, Sammael strikes at him and he loses the Power. A man, probably Moridin, arrives and helps him. They both use balefire, which touch, causing double vision. He drops hints that Sammael is at the Waygate then leaves, claiming plans will have to be abandoned if Rand is killed. The man didn't use saidin. At the Waygate, he sees Sammael turn to look at Liah, who Rand balefires when she is about to be killed by Mashadar. Sammael is then gone. On his return to Illian, Rand is pronounced King.
Moghedien is taken by Shadar Haran to Moridin, who has two cour'souvra, one of them hers.
Elaida is woken by Alviarin to be told that Rand has broken free and twelve sisters have returned. Alviarin takes control of her by threatening to reveal about this and the sisters sent to the Black Tower. She orders some sisters punished for keeping angreal and others praised, in order to cause dissension amongst the Ajahs. Elaida visits Seaine and sets her looking for traitors, by which she means Black Ajah. Seaine enlists Pevara on the search.
Egwene struggles for some control over the Salidar Hall, using the fact that Sheriam, Lelaine and Romanda can't stand each other to occasionally get her own way. Talking with Siuan, she learns Sheriam has sent Sisters to the White Tower and hasn't told the Hall because she fears Darkfriends. It occurs to her that Elaida may have done the same. She feels Moghedien escape, which prevents her taking advantage.
Nicola tries to blackmail her about pretending to be Aes Sedai before she and Elayne were raised. She threatens them in the real world and in Tel'aran'rhiod. She talks to Melaine, Amys and Bair and reveals she is Amyrlin and warns them of Moghedien. She has visions of Gawyn and Mat.
Theodrin and Faolain swear fealty to her, Faolain telling her how much she dislikes her. She sends them to see if anyone saw Moghedien escape. She tells Siuan it shouldn't matter how strong in the power she is. Romanda and Lelaine complain about Delana wanting to name Elaida Black.
Halima "heals" Egwene's headaches.
Elayne and Nynaeve go to the Sea Folk to get help with the ter'angreal they are looking for. They recognize it as the bowl of the winds. After no success in finding it, they send Birgitte to Mat to tell him he is to help them.
Mat gambles on horses, with Olver as a jockey. He sees Mili Skane, a Darkfriend, and follows her to Jaichim Carridin's place. On the way he picks up a signet ring of a fox scaring birds. Sammael tells Carridin not to go after Mat unless he gets in the way.
He goes to see Tylin and leaves a note about Carridin. Her son Beslan takes a liking to him. Returning to the inn, he is attacked by a man in his room. Birgitte visits Mat, who remembers Birgitte from Falme and they talk in the Old Tongue. They agree to keep each other's secrets. They get drunk, which effects Elayne. On her return she tells Elayne that Mat wants an apology and thanks for rescuing them from the Stone. Aviendha agrees that they need to give it.
Mat annoys Elayne and Nynaeve by saying that it was nothing when they apologize. They promise not to demean him and to listen to his advice. He moves to the palace. Leaving, they are accosted by Setalle Anan, who refuses to believe they are Aes Sedai and takes them to the Kin. When they insist they are Aes Sedai, Reanne throws them out and threatens to spread their descriptions. Setalle recognizes one of them as someone she met, but the woman claims it was her grandmother's sister. Elayne begins to think about the ageless look. They are attacked on the way back.
Mat is pursued and caught by Tylin. The girls set him watching the Kin. He attends a festival with Beslan and his friends, where they are attacked by beggars.
Elayne is brought before the other Aes Sedai who threaten to punish her for talking to the Kin. When she learns Carridin is claiming her mother is arriving she loses her temper and threatens the others, who realize she stands above them. She forces them to go and meet the Kin.
Moghedien tries to balefire Nynaeve but is put off by pigeons. Nynaeve’s boat and bodyguards are destroyed. She almost drowns, but gives in and loses her block and survives. Lan pulls her out. They get married and she fetches the Windfinders.
They go to the Kin who agree to take them to the store of power objects. Mat arrives, having just found it himself. They thank Mat, who is told by Lan of Moghedien. At the store, they are confronted by Falion and Ispan. Mat saves Elayne from a gholam, which is injured by his medallion. It kills Nalesean. They return to the palace, where Mat uses his being ta'veren to make the Windfinders agree to go wherever Elayne and Nynaeve want. Mat goes off to find Olver, with his men, Thom and Juilin. The Seanchan attack and he gets trapped under a wall.
