Chapter 32 - Four Kings in Shadow

Summary

Rand al'Thor and Mat Cauthon arrive in the squalid village of Four Kings and, after being rejected by three noisy inns, secure lodging and food by performing for a glum crowd at The Dancing Cartman. They are hosted by the sour innkeeper Saml Hake and accompanied by two toughs, Jak and Strom. During the performance, they notice a suspiciously dressed merchant named Howal Gode who watches them with intense interest. After performing, they discover Gode’s carriages bear his name and realize he is likely a Darkfriend seeking them. Gode confronts them in their storeroom, demanding they submit to the Dark One, while his unnamed companions batter the door. A massive lightning strike destroys the wall and kills Gode's men, allowing Rand and Mat to escape into the storm.

Characters

• Rand — Rand arrives in Four Kings with Mat, performs flute music to earn a meal and lodging, and later identifies the merchant Howal Gode as a threat. He blocks the storeroom door, confronts Gode, and escapes the exploding room with Mat through the lightning-damaged window.
• Mat — Mat accompanies Rand to the inns, juggles for the crowd, and helps block the storeroom door. He is terrified by Gode's presence and the battering ram, and is partially blinded by the lightning strike before escaping with Rand.
• Hake / Saml Hake (innkeeper) — The skinny, grime-covered innkeeper of The Dancing Cartman initially tries to turn Rand and Mat away but accepts their performance as payment. He leads them to their storeroom with his guards, Jak and Strom, and later pretends to show them to their beds before they escape.
• Jak — One of the two hard-faced bouncers working for Hake. He stands guard outside the storeroom and blocks Rand's exit earlier.
• Strom — One of the two large, tough bouncers accompanying Hake. He stands guard outside the storeroom door while Gode confronts Rand and Mat, and one of Gode's men is killed by the lightning strike.
• Howal Gode (merchant) — A wealthy merchant in a velvet cloak who arrives late at the inn. He watches Rand and Mat intently, claims they belong to the Dark One, and attempts to force them into submission before a lightning strike destroys the storeroom and kills his companions.