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Summary

In a sealed Hall sitting, Merise Haindehl and her Warder Jahar deliver an offer from Rand al'Thor and Cadsuane Melaidhrin to bond forty-seven Asha'man to sisters loyal to Egwene al'Vere. Nacelle tests Jahar for saidin residue, confirming he channels the male half of the Power, which Merise asserts is clean. After a brief debate over covenants and the taint, Romanda Cassin calls a vote that accepts the proposal with a lesser consensus. When Janya questions the specific number, Jahar explains the mathematics of Asha'man bonding and reveals that Eben Hopwil died defending his sisters against a Forsaken who channeled saidin. Moria's inquiry about a female channeler prompts Jahar to confirm Daigian witnessed such an event, leading Romanda to suddenly realize Delana and Halima are Cabriana Mecandes in disguise. She orders their immediate arrest as a camp search confirms the two women have vanished.

Characters

• Merise Haindehl (Green sister) — Arrives at the Hall sitting with Jahar to deliver the bonding proposal, confirms saidin is clean, and reprimands him for his blunt revelations about Eben Hopwil and female channelers.
• Jahar (Sun-dark youth, Asha'man, boy, Warder) — Demonstrates he channels saidin by extending a flow toward Saroiya, explains the mathematics behind the forty-seven offer, reveals Eben's death fighting a Forsaken who channeled saidin, and confirms Daigian witnessed a woman channeling the male half of the Power.
• Romanda Cassin — Smoothly deflects initial questions, calls a vote that accepts the proposal with a lesser consensus, and suddenly realizes Delana and Halima are Cabriana Mecandes in disguise, ordering their immediate arrest.
• Nacelle (Malkieri Green, slim Green) — Tests Jahar for saidin residue using a newly learned weave, confirms he channels the male half of the Power, and reluctantly withdraws after Merise grants her one testing opportunity.
• Delana — Claims she needs fresh air during the tense demonstration, later realizes by Romanda's deduction that she is Cabriana Mecandes in disguise, and vanishes with Halima before a camp search can locate them.
• Aledrin — Weaves a ward against eavesdropping around the pavilion, edges away on her bench when Jahar extends his flow, and later quietly agrees to remember Eben Hopwil's name.
• Malind — Passes Delana entering the pavilion, rubs her hands together as Nacelle tests a new weave, and observes the proceedings with detached amusement.
• Lelaine Akashi — Gasps at Nacelle's discovery, calmly accepts the bonding offer on behalf of the loyalists, and questions Jahar about the specific number of men available for bonding.
• Saroiya (Domani White) — Slides back on her bench when Jahar extends a flow toward her, sways with shock, and later argues that covenants are still needed to maintain control over bonded sisters.
• Faiselle — Pops to her feet to call for a formal session, argues against accepting the offer without debate, and disputes Jahar's claim that saidin is clean before standing alone against the proposal.
• Janya — Beats Romanda and Lelaine to her feet during the vote, accepts the offer with the lesser consensus, and questions Jahar about why exactly forty-seven Asha'man are available for bonding.
• Lyrelle — Glides into the pavilion in brocaded blue silk, sits with the Blue Sitters, and dryly remarks that the Warder bond renders additional covenants moot.
• Escaralde — Scurries to her seat beside Janya, notes her Far Madding origins, and quietly agrees to remember Eben Hopwil's name after Jahar's emotional recounting of his death.
• Moria — Paces anxiously earlier in the camp, later asks Jahar why he spoke as if a woman channeled saidin, prompting his confirmation that Daigian witnessed such an event.
• Cabriana Mecandes — Realized by Romanda to be the true identity of Delana and Halima, a female Forsaken who channeled saidin and murdered two sisters close to her before fleeing the camp.
• Halima — Accompanies Delana toward a Traveling ground carrying large bundles, vanishes with her before a search can locate them, and is identified by Romanda as Cabriana Mecandes in disguise.
• Eben Hopwil — Revealed by Jahar to have died defending his Aes Sedai against a Forsaken who channeled saidin, managing to survive long enough for Daigian to drive the attacker off before succumbing to his wounds.
• Daigian — Mentioned as having controlled Eben's link and driven off a female channeler, confirming to Jahar that she witnessed a woman successfully channel saidin without detection.
• Cadsuane Melaidhrin (Cadsuane) — Referenced alongside Rand as the source of the bonding offer, with Romanda noting her connection to the Dragon Reborn is secondary to the immediate political implications.
• Rand al'Thor (Dragon Reborn, the Dragon) — Referenced as the sender of the bonding proposal, issuing a standing order that no Aes Sedai may be harmed unless they attack first, which prompted Taim's capture strategy.
• Taim — Mentioned as having decided to capture and bond Aes Sedai before they could harm Asha'man, following Elaida's orders to destroy them.
• Elaida — Referenced as having sent her supporters to destroy the Asha'man, which inadvertently led to their bonding of fifty-one sisters.
• Egwene al'Vere — Referenced as the Amyrlin Seat whose loyalty determines which sisters may accept the bonding offer from the Dragon Reborn.