ChapterTrack

Chapter 22 - The Price of the Ring

Summary

Egwene undergoes the harrowing process of becoming an Accepted by passing through a silver arch three times, facing visions of a domestic life, a ruined Caemlyn where Rand begs her to kill him, and a future where she serves as Amyrlin Seat amid a Black Ajah coup. After washing clean and emerging from the third vision, she realizes she has been made Amyrlin but is immediately ambushed, stilling, and left on a table by thirteen Black Ajah sisters and their Myrddraal allies. She channels to escape the captives, finds her Keeper Beldeine weeping because she was also stilled, and learns of Rand's impending gentling in the Traitor's Court. Egwene rushes to the courtyard to intervene, only to enter the arch a fourth time, stepping into a realm of pure light and pain to face the lingering threat of the Darkfriends.

Characters

  • Egwene / Egwene al'Vere (the Amyrlin Seat, Mother) — Egwene passes through the initiation arches, enduring visions of her fears and futures, and is captured and stilled by the Black Ajah after her vision where she sees herself as the Amyrlin Seat. She escapes her captives, finds Beldeine, and races to the Traitor's Court to save Rand, only to step into the arch once more to face the Dark One's threat.
  • Sheriam (Mistress of Novices) — Sheriam escorts Egwene to the initiation chamber, delivers the warnings of the ritual, and guides Egwene out of the arches after each vision, noting the price of becoming Aes Sedai.
  • Elaida (Sister) — Elaida stands by during Egwene's initiation, expressing disdain for the novice and washing her with water from a silver chalice after each phase of the ritual.
  • Alanna (Sister) — Alanna sits at the base of the ter'angreal arches and notes a strange resonance as Egwene prepares to enter, though the feeling vanishes before any issue arises.
  • Beldeine (Keeper of the Chronicles) — Beldeine appears in Egwene's vision as the Keeper of the Amyrlin Seat and is later found weeping in Egwene's study after being stilled by the Black Ajah three nights prior.
  • Gyldan (Aes Sedai) — Gyldan, an Aes Sedai, attempts to seize Egwene in the storeroom but is knocked unconscious when Egwene punches her between the eyes.