Chapter 9 - Blood in the Air

Summary

Matrim Cauthon is ambushed in his tent by a gholam but escapes using his fox-head medallion attached to his ashandarei, which temporarily burns the creature. Teslyn Baradon intervenes by hurling objects with Air weaves, forcing the gholam to retreat after killing two Redarms and Mat's servant Lopin. Mat discovers the bloody scene and learns Olver is safe with Noal. He convenes with Thom Merrilin and Noal to plan a hunt for the creature, deciding to relocate his sleeping quarters to various inns in Caemlyn and take Olver along for protection. Joline Mayene arrives demanding horses to return to the White Tower; Mat grants them after exchanging sharp words about her swearing habits and his correspondence with Queen Elayne before she departs.

Characters

• Matrim Cauthon / Mat — Escapes a gholam attack using his fox-head medallion and ashandarei, discovers the deaths of Lopin and several Redarms, and resolves to hunt the creature while relocating sleeping arrangements to Caemlyn inns.
• gholam — Ambushes Mat in his tent, reveals orders to kill him and his associates including Tuon, and flees after being burned by the medallion and having objects hurled at it by Teslyn.
• Teslyn Baradon — Saves Mat from the gholam by using Air weaves to throw a chair and bench, proving that indirect channeling can harm the creature.
• Thom Merrilin / Thorn — Meets with Mat and Noal to discuss the gholam's capabilities and the threat to Tuon, agreeing to relocate to the city for safety.
• Noal — Confirms Olver's safety after finding him asleep during the attack, then joins Mat and Thom in planning their escape from the camp.
• Olver — Was sleeping on Noal's floor during the gholam's assault, avoiding death, and is subsequently moved to Teslyn's tent before being planned for relocation to Caemlyn.
• Joline Mayene / Joline — Demands horses from Mat to return to the White Tower, receives them after a tense exchange about his swearing habits and Queen Elayne, then departs with her Warders.
• Fen — Accompanies Joline through the Redarm guards, noted for a hard demeanor that constantly seems to seek violence as a Shienaran Warder.
• Blaeric — Stands with Fen as one of Joline's Saldaean Warders, sporting a growing topknot that Mat internally compares to a badger's tail.
• Lopin — Mat's serving man found dead in the gholam's attack, his blood pooling on the tent floor where Olver had been sleeping.
• Gorderan — A Redarm who attempts to stop the gholam with a pike but is killed when the creature crushes his throat and rips away his flesh.
• Fergin — A Redarm alongside Gorderan who sets a pike against the gholam, only to have his throat crushed and flesh ripped away by the creature.
• Riddem — One of the Redarms guarding Mat's door, discovered dead on his sleeping pallet after the gholam's attack.
• Will Reeve — A Redarm who guarded Mat's tent entrance, found dead alongside Riddem and Lopin in the aftermath of the assault.