Chapter 23 - Sealed

Summary

Egwene completes her initiation into the Accepted ranks, enduring a chaotic surge in the ter’angreal that alarms the Aes Sedai, particularly the Amyrlin Seat, who remains deeply suspicious of the event. Following the ceremony, Elaida confronts Egwene with disdain regarding her wilder origins, while Alanna Sedai expresses remorse for the ter’angreal incident and requests permission to punish herself by sharing Egwene's kitchen labor, which the Amyrlin partially grants. Distrustful of the White Tower's inner workings and haunted by her visions, Egwene seeks comfort in the quarters of her friends, where she finds Elayne and Nynaeve weeping over their shared traumatic futures, leading to a moment of collective grief and solidarity among the three women.

Characters

• Egwene / Egwene al'Vere (child, Accepted, Daughter) — Egwene emerges from the ter’angreal ceremony shaken by violent visions of her past and future, only to be met with suspicion from the Aes Sedai. She endures Elaida's cold rejection as a wilder and Alanna's apologetic offers of shared punishment, all while hiding the ter'angreal ring and Verin's papers. Finally, she seeks out Elayne and Nynaeve to share in their mutual grief over the horrifying futures they have seen.
• Sheriam / Sheriam Sedai (Mistress of Novices) — Sheriam Sedai oversees Egwene's ceremony, checking her for harm and expressing fear that Egwene almost died, though she does not know the specific cause of the ter’angreal malfunction to Egwene. She defends Alanna’s desire to share in the punishment and sternly warns Egwene about her duty to protect herself now that she is an Accepted before telling Egwene to see her in the morning.
• Elaida — Elaida ams Harlin retrieves Egwene's novice belongings and confronts her with icy disdain, asserting that Egwene's wilder spirit prevents her from truly belonging in the White Tower despite her potential.
• Alanna (Aes Sedai, Green sister) — Alanna Sedai explains the ter’angreal reverberation to Egwene and offers to share in her punishment by working in the kitchens, a request the Amyrlin partially grants. She also explains the duties and history of the Green Ajah to Egwene.
• Siuan Sanche (Amyrlin, Mother, Amyrlin Seat) — The Amyrlin Seat completes Egwene's induction, handing her the Great Serpent ring, and immediately interrogates the sisters about the ter’angreal anomaly. She dismisses Alanna’s request to work in the kitchens as undignified, citing the potential for ridicule and reflection on the Tower, and dismisses Egwene with sharp warnings about her duties and the papers she carries.
• Elayne — Elayne is found in Nynaeve's quarters, weeping uncontrollably over the horrific vision she saw in the ter’angreal regarding her future and Rand al’Thor. She is comforted by Nynaeve and joined by Egwene in a moment of shared despair.
• Nynaeve — Nynaeve al'Meara sits with Elayne, soothing her tears and holding both Egwene and Elayne as they grieve over their terrifying visions of the future. She promises that they will one day make their captors pay for what they have seen.