The Fires of Heaven (Chapters 5-10)

Egwene is fetched by a gai’shain suffering the bleakness to visit Moiraine and the Wise Ones in a sweat tent. Aviendha is also there and seems somewhat distracted. The Wise Ones ask Egwene if Rand would be offended by Aviendha sleeping in his room. Egwene is offended. Egwene and Aviendha bond over their punishment.

Rand is attacked by Darkhounds. He uses balefire to eliminate them and then uses it again to save Mat. Mat’s foxhead medallion prevents women using the One Power on him. Moiraine explains that balefire rips threads out of the Pattern, in a sense turning back time on the actions of whatever or whoever it touches. Rand checks on Asmodean, surprising Moiraine with a portal. Lanfear appears to flirt with him and sees he has the ter’angreal for those massive sa’angreal. She lets him know she doesn’t appreciate him locking her out of his dreams. Enaila arrives (Lanfear leaves before being discovered). The Shaido are on the move into Cairhien.

Egwene has learned to appear in others’ dreams. Rand opens up some fountains of water in Rhuidean. Moiraine reveals that she had a view into a future where she shared Rand’s bed and it wasn’t good.

Nynaeve and Elayne are on the move, passing as peddlers.

Nynaeve and Elayne decide to be careless and head into town themselves, knowing full well that channeling could bring disaster to them. They end up getting drugged by Ronde Macura, an agent for the Yellow Ajah.

Thom and Juilin rescue the two hapless girls who come to learn that all Aes Sedai are oddly welcomed back to the Tower and there is a warrant out for Elayne’s capture and return to the Tower. They decide to leave town posing as a noblewoman with her servant.

My Thoughts

It’s been too long since I read these chapters, but I have a vague remembrance of thinking there was way, way too much recap happening.

Does anyone else feel like the author spends way too much time describing people being naked, with some of them comfortable and others uncomfortable with this state of being?

Nynaeve and Elayne really just need help. They really do. I pity Thom and Juilin. Sometimes I wish we could get their point of view on these two dimwits.