Chapter 45 - Blademaster

Summary

In Falme, Nynaeve, Elayne, and Min capture a sul'dam named Seta, forcing her into servitude to infiltrate the Seanchan-held district and locate Egwene. Simultaneously, Rand, Ingtar, Mat, Perrin, and Hurin sneak into High Lord Turak’s residence, where Mat retrieves the Horn of Valere and the Shadar Logoth dagger. When confronted by Turak, Rand engages him in a sword duel, refusing to channel the One Power to avoid detection by nearby damane, and defeats the High Lord. After learning Egwene is being held as a damane in the adjacent garden, Rand resolves to rescue her and flees with his companions as alarms are raised.

Characters

• Nynaeve — Nynaeve orchestrates the capture of a sul'dam named Seta, using her anger and the a'dam's connection to coerce the woman into service. She dons the sul'dam's dress and bracelet, uses the collar to torment Seta for information, and leads Elayne and Min in a plan to infiltrate the damane holding area.
• Min — Min waits with Elayne and Nynaeve, assists in capturing the sul'dam, and helps dress Seta in a dyed dress to serve as a damane. She expresses skepticism about the a'dam's functionality but complies with Nynaeve's commands during the infiltration planning.
• Elayne — Elayne participates in the ambush of the sul'dam and reluctantly agrees to wear the dyed damane dress to serve as the captive. She picks up the silver leash, prepares to follow Nynaeve, and shows forced calmness about the dangerous mission.
• Seta (sul'dam) — Seta, a sul'dam, is ambushed by Nynaeve and Min, stripped of her clothes, and collared by Nynaeve. She is forced to wear a dyed dress to impersonate a damane, trembling in terror as Nynaeve uses the a'dam to punish her and extract information.
• Domon / Bayle (Captain) — Bayle Domon stands on the deck of his ship, the Spray, watching the town for the returning women. He gives urgent orders to his crew, ensuring axes are ready and threatening to split any man's skull who tries to cut a line before the women board.
• Yarin — Yarin questions Domon about the danger of waiting for the women and suggests they might be soldiers instead. He receives curt commands from Domon to make the crew look busy and prepare for a potential fight.
• Rand — Rand enters Falme with his companions, infiltrates High Lord Turak's house, and witnesses Egwene wearing a damane collar. He engages Turak in a sword duel, killing the High Lord with the River Undercuts the Bank form while maintaining the void to avoid channeling. He resolves to return for Egwene and flees with his group.
• Ingtar — Ingtar leads the infiltration of Turak's house, kills a guard, and engages Seanchan soldiers in combat. He urges Rand to abandon the rescue of Egwene to prioritize the Horn of Valere, but allows Rand to flee once alarms are raised.
• Mat — Mat identifies the location of the Shadar Logoth dagger and retrieves both the Horn and the dagger from Turak's room. He kills a Seanchan soldier with the tainted dagger, causing the man to die in agony, and fights alongside the group during their escape.
• Perrin — Perrin follows Rand into Turak's house and helps fight the Seanchan soldiers using his axe. He observes Egwene from a distance, confirming she is wearing a collar, and agrees to flee with the group while expressing distress at leaving her behind.
• Turak (High Lord Turak) — High Lord Turak confronts Rand and his companions in his study, demanding to know who they are. He engages Rand in a sword duel, testing Rand's skill with various forms before Rand defeats him with a final strike. Turak dies from the wound.
• Red — Red, Rand's bay stallion, is ridden into Falme and tied in a stable with the other horses before the group proceeds on foot.