Chapter 20 - In the Night

Summary

Egwene endures an exhausting Hall meeting where Sitters endlessly debate the composition and terms of an embassy to the Black Tower without reaching a decision. Her headache vanishes as she leaves, and she returns to her tent to find Chesa scolding her for neglecting meals before dismissing her for the night. Egwene enters Tel'aran'rhiod to contact Elayne, but Aviendha appears instead due to pregnancy interfering with Dreaming; they discuss the embassy, Mazrim Taim's threat, and Egwene's plan to send sisters to Caemlyn under the guise of visiting Elayne. Returning to a half-sleep state, Egwene observes true dreams warning of Mat orchestrating mass slaughter via an Illuminator, a Seanchan woman saving her from a cliff, and ravens attacking a lamp on a white spire, which she interprets as a future attack on Tar Valon. Halima enters the tent later, and at dawn Nisao brings urgent news that Anaiya and her Warder Setagana have been smothered by a weave of saidin, prompting Egwene to order a quiet investigation while bracing for a long day ahead.

Characters

• Egwene / Egwene al'Vere — Endures a grueling Hall meeting over embassy details, enters Tel'aran'rhiod to contact allies, experiences true dreams warning of future violence and an attack on Tar Valon, and learns of Anaiya's murder.
• Sheriam — Stands exhausted through the endless Hall debate until Egwene dismisses her to rest.
• Romanda — Walks with Lelaine outside the pavilion, their voices rising perilously close to shouting as they argue without being forced to.
• Lelaine — Walks with Romanda outside the pavilion, their voices rising perilously close to shouting as they argue without being forced to.
• Chesa — Scolds Egwene for her poor appetite, tends to her meals and clothing, and expresses deep unease about Halima's presence.
• Halima — Absent from Egwene's tent that night, prompting Chesa's suspicion; later enters Egwene's room in the morning with laughing jokes.
• Elayne / Elayne Trakand — Contacted mentally by Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod but unable to appear due to her pregnancy interfering with Dreaming.
• Aviendha — Appears in the dream meeting, discusses the Black Tower alliance and Mazrim Taim's danger, and warns Egwene about using herself too hard.
• Mat / Mat Cauthon — Appears in a true dream bowling pins that are actually men, revealing a future possibility of mass slaughter orchestrated by an Illuminator.
• Anaiya / Anaiya Sarandred — Found dead in the snow with her Warder, smothered by a weave of saidin; her death is reported to Egwene by Nisao.
• Setagana — Anaiya's Warder, found dead beside her from the same suffocation attack.
• Nisao — Rushes to Egwene's tent at dawn to report Anaiya's murder, tests for saidin resonance, and is ordered to investigate quietly while keeping it secret.