Knife of Dreams: Chapter 31
<< Previous Chapter | Next Chapter >>
Chapter Icon: A black head on a white background facing a white head on a black background
Point of View: Elayne
Setting: Royal Palace and Full Moon Street in Caemlyn, Andor
Characters: Elayne, Sumeko, Alise, Deni, Duhara, Halwin Norry, Samwil Hark, Birgitte, Vandene, Jaem, Sareitha, Ned, Careane, Cieryl, Venr, Tavan, Shiaine, Falion, Marillin, Asne, Chesmal, Eldrith, Temaile
Outline
Elayne does not accept Elaida's choice for her advisor and sends Duhara away. Elayne finds out where Mellar goes and she organizes a hunt for the Black sisters he meets with. They manage to capture Falion, Shiaine and Marillin when four other Black sisters appear and Elayne is captured. Careane is announced to be Black Ajah too and is killed by Vandene as a revenge for her sister. Chesmal gets rid of both Vandene and Sareitha.
Summary
Elayne can’t sleep anymore and decides to walk through the Palace for a while. On her way, she encounters Sumeko and Alise, who tell her that Reanne Corly has been found dead. Elayne tells them to make sure the Kinswomen are never on their own, always in groups of at least three or four together. Reanne's death makes Sumeko the Kin Eldest, but she is not persuasive enough to make sure the other Kinswomen see sense in that order, so Elayne suggests Alise help her put her foot down.
Just then, Deni enters Elayne's chambers to inform her of a Red sister's arrival. Before Elayne has the chance to tell Deni that she is not available, Duhara Basaheen storms in and orders Sumeko and Alise to leave. Elayne says they can stay. Duhara is not very pleased, but she tells her the reason for her visit anyway: Elaida wants Elayne to have the Lion Throne and has chosen Duhara to be her advisor. Elayne laughs at the proposal, because she has enough Aes Sedai to choose from, should she ever need an advisor. Duhara counters that they are rebel Aes Sedai and the reason why so many Houses oppose her is because she is lacking the Tower's support.
When Duhara notices Elayne is not going to argue further, she demands someone take her to her rooms. Elayne tells her she has to find room in an inn, because every bed in the Palace is taken. She orders Deni to have someone escort Duhara to the gates.
A few minutes later, Deni reappears to say Master Norry and Samwil Hark are there to see her. It has been eleven days since Norry last brought Hark. Meeting them in her anteroom, Elayne asks Hark if his return means success. Hark reports that he followed Doilin Mellar to a house on Full Moon Street three times, which is the only place he ever goes to, except for taverns. Norry adds that the house is owned by the Lady Shiane Avarhin. Elayne wants to know if anyone else lives there and Hark says there are two Aes Sedai, Falion and Marillin, at the house that night.
Elayne is delighted to hear that, and tells Deni to fetch Birgitte as well as the Aes Sedai in the Palace, before taking a couple of Guardswomen with her to arrest Mellar. When Hark asks Elayne if she can remove the Finder now that he has done what was expected of him, she answers that he is going to take them to the house first and then they'll see. As it happens, Master Norry can use a man with Hark's abilities. The prospect of having to choose between Baerlon, where he'll certainly take up his old trade of cutting purses again, and Caemlyn, where he'll have a steady workplace, but is monitored by Elayne – as he thinks – makes him weak-kneed. Elayne allows him a cup of wine before joining her again.
She moves on to the large sitting room, where she waits for the women she sent for. She wonders what secrets this Lady Shiaine has, if she is "working" two members of the Black Ajah or what Duhara will do to force her into accepting her as advisor. Birgitte then arrives and wants to know why she was sent for. Elayne tells her of her plan to capture two of the Black Ajah, but Birgitte tries to argue her out of it. One after the other, Vandene, Sareitha and Careane arrive and want to know what they are talking about.
When Elayne explains her plan again, their reactions vary. Vandene likes the plan, the Warders do not want to let their Aes Sedai enter the House alone, Sareitha says they can't be sure whether Falion and Marillin are still there or whether others have joined them and Careane thinks it is dangerous trying to sneak up on someone who has a variety of stolen ter'angreal. Elayne thinks it is a pity both Sareitha and Careane object, because otherwise it might have been a clue as to which of them is Black Ajah.
When they finally ride out of the stableyards, Elayne hopes Falion, Marillin and one more will be arrested by dawn. Upon arriving at Full Moon Street, Vandene sends her Warder Jaem over to check if anyone is still awake. He ties up the drunk he finds in the stableyard and returns to report that all windows except for the one facing the street are dark. Preparing to go in, Elayne reaches for saidar and says she'll meld the flows for Sareitha, while Vandene does the same for Careane. After linking with Sareitha, Elayne masks both their glows and prepares some inverted weaves.
As they enter the house, Elayne keeps an eye on Sareitha, while Vandene does the same with Careane. Once all of them reach the sitting room, Elayne places shields on Falion and Marillin and binds them and Shiaine with flows of Air. Just as she is about to arrest the three of them as Darkfriends, Asne, Temaile, Chesmal and Eldrith suddenly appear to rescue their companions.
Temaile says the only one they need is Elayne, and Marillin suggests that they spare Careane from being killed, because she is also Black Ajah. Hearing this, Vandene stabs the Green in revenge for her sister's death. Chesmal then kills both Vandene and Sareitha with the Power, before stating they'll have a little more killing to do when their Warders arrive.
