Chapter 15 - The Gray Man

Summary

Egwene and Nynaeve travel through the White Tower corridors, discussing the threat of the Black Ajah and the nature of their punishment. Upon reaching the novices' quarters, they narrowly avoid a crossbow bolt aimed at Egwene, which strikes the wall beside her and is followed by the arrival of a Gray Man (a Soulless assassin). Nynaeve uses the One Power to trap the assassin in stiffened air, and he is found dead with a dagger in his chest; Sheriam Sedai arrives to confirm the man is a Gray Man and orders them to keep the incident secret before dismissing them. Egwene retrieves her cloak and discovers the crossbow bolt has mysteriously vanished, prompting Nynaeve to remind her of the deadly seriousness of their mission against the Black Ajah.

Characters

• Egwene — Egwene walks with Nynaeve, expressing fear of the Black Ajah and channeling to sense danger. She is nearly killed by a crossbow bolt from a Gray Man, which she narrowly avoids by stopping. After the Gray Man is killed by an unseen assailant, Egwene obeys Sheriam's orders to remain silent, retrieves her cloak, and realizes the crossbow bolt has disappeared, confirming the presence of another Soulless.
• Nynaeve — Nynaeve walks with Egwene, channeling Air to trap the Gray Man assassin who had shot the bolt. Sheriam Sedai identifies the corpse as a Soulless and Gray Man. Nynaeve confronts Sheriam with direct questions about her presence. Afterward, she insists Egwene remember the danger of the Black Ajah and notes that the Gray Man was stabbed, implying another attacker.
• Sheriam (Sheriam Sedai, Mistress of Novices) — Sheriam arrives at the scene of the dead Gray Man and inspects the body with the One Power, confirming its nature to Egwene and Nynaeve. She orders the two women to keep the incident secret and dismisses them with stern reprimands regarding their conduct, sending Nynaeve to her room before Egwene retrieves her cloak and they both depart.